The Last Picture Show - Movie Review

The Last Picture Show set the standard for coming-of-age tales. This 1971 film was nominated for eight Oscars, winning for Best Supporting Actor (Ben Johnson) and Best Supporting Actress (Cloris Leachman). It was edged out for Best Picture by a superior film, The French Connection. It was Jeff Bridges first Oscar nomination (Best Supporting Actor) which he lost out to the veteran Ben Johnson.

The Last Picture Show opens on a wind-blown West Texas town. The black-and-white cinematography capture the isolation of the town as it introduces the humble star, Sonny Crawford (Tommy Bottoms), driving his old truck down the town's main street. Sonny stops to pick up a younger boy (Sam Bottoms) who is standing in the middle of the street with a broom. The pair end up at Sam's (Ben Johnson) pool hall, where Sam sheds some light on our star. We quickly learn two things. First of all, Sonny (and his football team mates) don't know how to tackle. Secondly, in a small town, everyone knows each others business. There are no secrets and everybody has an opinion.

As the story progresses, we are introduced to Sonny's team mate and best friend, Duane Jackson (Jeff Bridges). The friends struggle with their bleak futures and relationships. The other people they interact with include Coach Popper (Bill Thurman); his wife Ruth (Leachman), the prettiest girl in town, Jacy Farrow (Cybill Shepherd); her mother, Lois (Ellen Burstyn); and a waitress named Genevieve (Eileen Brennan). The sleepy town is full of surprises as lives collide together at unexpected angles.

The Last Picture Show has engaging visual appeal, which helps tell the story. While the characters are well developed and the story complete, there were inconsistencies in the story and a few remarkable moments that I found myself questioning. For instance, I had trouble imagining a bunch of teenagers at a family home having a naked pool party in 1951. While the film was trying to express Jacy's boredom with this scene, it did not provide a credible counter-balance for me. It felt out of place in the otherwise subtle film. I also struggled with the lead character. His actions seemed counter-intuitive at times. While the story was rich and featured excellent dialogue and character development, it was sluggish and felt unnatural at times.

The cast for The Last Picture Show was packed with talent. Of the eight Oscars this film was nominated for, four were for acting (Johnson, Leachman, Bridges and Burstyn). Timothy Bottoms was decent, with his most credible scenes being the odd chemistry he had with Leachman. Because this film develops many diverse relationships, some incredibly brief, the interactions require different emotions and intensities, which drove this story. Johnson was certainly the right pick for Best Supporting Actor with a steady hand that made his scenes demonstrate a smooth ease.

The Last Picture Show, as a coming-of-age tale, includes much of the angst regarding sexuality and virginity. Between the sexuality and the somewhat gratuitous nudity, the film easily earned an R rating from the Motion Picture Association of America. The film also included incessant smoking and some strong language. I would limit viewers to at least a mid-teen audience. The film has a one hour, 58 minute run time.

The Last Picture Show took an excellent talent pool and paired it with an intriguing coming-of-age tale to produce a classic. While flawed (pacing, continuity), the film did well with the characters, who manage to draw the audience in. Life in a small, dying town combined with the apprehension of spending your future in this type of community with few options set the stage for an interesting story. This is an old film worth seeking out and streaming. 8/10.