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| Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges and Cybill Shepherd in "The Last Picture Show" |
I first watched Peter Bogdanovich's "The Last Picture Show" in Suva - the capital of the Fiji Islands - back in January 1973. It was spellbinding. And over the years I had remembered the understated and rather melancholic atmosphere of this iconic black and white film. However, after forty five years, most of the fine details had left my mind.
Although it's not my habit to watch any film more than once, I finally made an exception for "The Last Picture Show" after noticing that a DVD copy of it was available quite cheaply via Amazon. My copy duly arrived and last night I turned off the lights and hunkered down to watch it once again.
My nineteen year old self had not been wrong for the sixty five year old man who now occupies this body was equally absorbed by the film. It stars Timothy Bottoms as Sonny, a young Jeff Bridges as Duane and Cybill Shepherd making her screen debut as Jacey Farrow - the most beautiful girl in town.
For years I thought that town was Abilene in central Texas but it's not - it's a fictional place called Anarene in northern Texas - closely based upon Archer City where Larry McMurtry grew up. In 1966, he published the novel on which the film is based - also called "The Last Picture Show".
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| Sam the Lion with Sonny and Billy at the lake or "tank" where he once swam with Jacey's mother Lois |
Though there's usually country music playing in the background, this is a quiet film set in the dusty heart of America - miles from anywhere. Analene is a small town where people endure private struggles for contentment and love. It is wistful, subtle and if not heart breaking then certainly heart aching.
Though released in 1971, the film is placed twenty years earlier. California and New York City are a million miles away and they are never mentioned. The horizons of the inhabitants of Anarene are very restricted. Somehow this reminds me of Anton Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard" where the enormity of distance seems to weigh down on the lives of the people. Only Duane really gets away - to fight in Korea. Sonny is left behind running the decrepit old pool hall once run by Sam the Lion played by Ben Johnson.
As Sonny admits, "Nothin's really been right since Sam the Lion died". Sam the Lion had also run "The Royal" - the town's only cinema. In his will he left it to his longtime employee, Miss Mosey who soon called time on the failing business - "Nobody wants to come to shows no more. Kids got baseball in the summer, television all the time. If Sam had lived, I believe we could've kept it goin'. But I just didn't have the know-how."
"The Last Picture Show" - still five star brilliance in my book.
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| "The Royal" - former cinema in Archer City, Texas - courtesy of Google Streetview |
I tend to watch a film once but occasionally like to see my favourites again. Kay on the other hand will watch them many times over. I think she has seen Titanic about a million times! I think I can almost speak the script without prompting!
ReplyDelete"I saw my whole life as if I already lived it. An endless parade of parties and cotillions, yachts and polo matches. Always the same narrow people, the same mindless chatter. I felt like I was standing at a great precipice, with no one to pull me back, no one who cared or even noticed."
DeleteI have to confess that I saw "Titanic" twice too. I think it is an excellent film. Sensitively constructed and emotionally powerful. I don't care that it was also a Huge box office success.
It was a melancholic movie and beautiful, too. McMurtry is one of my favorite authors. Have you read the books that come after Last Picture Show? Some of them are better than others but Duane's Depressed is one of my favorite books ever. And you know they made another movie- Texasville- which comes after Last Picture Show. It's very different but I like it.
ReplyDeleteI knew about "Texasville" but I haven't seen it. I really want to watch it now. So glad that TLPS also touched you deeply Ms Moon. McMurtry is now on my readng list. Thanks for the advice.
DeleteI truly think his novel "Lonesome Dove" may be the Great American Novel. And there is a fine mini-series which was made of that.
DeleteIt was - is - a superb film. If I haven't still got it as a CD from a recording then I shall have to re-visit it. Thanks for the reminder. I have been trying to think what else Cybill Shephard was in. I remember I enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteSometimes things or places we remember from the past do not seem so good when revisited but that certainly did not apply to this film. It was every bit as good.
DeleteI've heard the title of this movie many times but I've never seen it. I will have to look for it.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the effort will be worth it Red.
DeleteThis sounds intriguing, like a film (or book) I would enjoy. I have not heard of it before.
ReplyDeleteI am pleased to have been the one that alerted you to this film Meike.
DeleteWhen The Last Picture Show came out in 1971, I marvelled at how similar the little town that was portrayed and its people were to mine (Mansfield, about 133 miles from Archer City). They were about the same population then, although Mansfield has grown phenomenally since and Archer City has stayed nearly the same. Both towns had one picture show. I wrote about the Farr-Best in a recent post. I thought the film captured small-town Texas in the fifties to perfection, having lived there at the time.
ReplyDeleteWhat I remembered most through the years from the film was not Cybil Shepherd, oddly enough, but Cloris Leachman, who won an Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Supporting Actress for her role. I thought I also remembered Brandon DeWilde, but it turns out that he was not even in the film. I must have been thinking of Hud. The mind is a funny thing.
I think black-and-white was perfect for that film. It would have been a completely different experience in color/colour, and not nearly as real, in my opinion.
You are right Bob - black and white was perfect for a film that was meant to have been set in 1951. I am delighted that "The Last Picture Show" really meant something to you too.
DeleteIt was/is an excellent movie...and what a brilliant cast! Jeff Bridges, for one, has always been a favourite of mine.
ReplyDeletePeter Bogdanovich was only 31 when he co-wrote the screenplay and directed the movie.
Only a couple of weeks ago I saw Bogdanovich in the TV series (based on the story written by Elmore Leonard, and on the movie)- "Get Shorty". The TV series streaming on Stan stars the Irish actor Chris O'Dowd and Ray Romanao...It's a likeable series.
If I like a movie or a series...I'll watch it again...and sometimes, if they are really good and I really like them...again!
You have good taste when it comes to film and I am very pleased that "The Last Picture Show" really touched you too Lee.
Delete"Romano" I meant to type. Sorry for the typo.
DeleteCybil Shepherd was in the series 'Moonlighting' with a young Bruce Willis. I liked him in that.
ReplyDeleteJeff Bridges can be very clever. I loved him in 'True Grit'.
I went to find 'The Last Picture Show' on You Tube. Couldn't find the complete movie, but there's some clips, to give a taste. https://youtu.be/FQunyqgIksc
I hope you get to see the whole film one day Kate.
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