#95. The Last Picture Show

Year: 1971

Director: Peter Bogdanovich

Academy Awards:

• Best Actor in a Supporting Role
• Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Welcome to rural West Texas in the 1950's, where we find a group of high schoolers who are just plain bored. We follow the story of young Sonny (Timothy Bottoms) and his best friend, Duane (Jeff Bridges), as they do their best to pass the time in the tiny dying town of Anarene. Their highlights include a pool hall and theater owned by the highly respected Sam the Lion (Ben Johnson), and of course, chasing girls. The two also befriend a special boy named Billy, who loves to sweep the dusty streets. Their relationship is like that of big brothers. They need some excitement in their lives.

Speaking of chasing girls, Duane is in love with Jacy (Cybill Shepherd), a wealthy, stunning girl who knows she's wanted by every guy in town. After losing her virginity, Jacy dumps the lower class Duane for a more exciting crowd (including the likes of a young Randy Quaid). In the meantime, Sonny is busy falling in love with his coach's lonely, unwanted wife, Ruth (Cloris Leachman). Yes, he makes love to Cloris Leachman. Many times. And so goes life in Anarene...

One of the best lines in the film comes from Jacey's mother, whose best days are behind her. She looks at her young, beautiful daughter and says, "Remember beautiful, everything gets old if you do it often enough." That's the story. It puts a frighteningly truthful perspective on life itself, but manifests itself fully in the small town of Anarene. Yes, The Last Picture Show does a fantastic job of portraying small town life. In a city where note much happens, EVERYONE knows everyone's business, and there's no escaping the drama.

After the boys' icon, Sam the Lion, dies, life is never the same. The heartbroken Duane leaves town for work on an oil rig while Sonny stays behind to run the pool hall and sleep with his geriatric mistress. Jacy, becoming jealous of ole Ruth, decides to take a run at Sonny. With his best friend out of the picture, Sonny falls for Jacy and things go well for as long as he can keep her entertained. All the while, Ruth Popper sits home alone longing for Sonny.

One dusty day, Duane returns to his hometown to discover that Sonny has been getting with his girl. A conflict broods between the brothers and ends with a bottle breaking on Sonny's face. He bleeds on the street as Duane jets out of town and joins the army. Jacy and Sonny last a little while longer, but she gets bored, breaks his heart, and heads for college life in the big city of Dallas. Standard girl stuff.

Time passes. Sonny keeps running the pool hall, but the Royal Theater once run by Sam the Lion is about to close down. Around this time, Duane comes back to Anarene for a few days before he's shipped off to Korea. Sonny takes this time to reconcile with his old friend. The film features a beautiful resolution as they both go to the old theater to watch the last picture show. As Sonny and Duane enjoy their popcorn beneath the silver screen, it's as if nothing had changed from the good ole days. People go to the movies to escape the real world, and that magical attribute of the theater is captured magnificently in this scene.

Afterward, Sonny and Duane have a few beers and have one final chat in Duane's new Mercury. They rekindle their brotherly bond, realizing how foolish it was to have let a pair of big blue eyes tarnish their friendship. Before hopping on the army bus, Duane hands Sonny the keys to the Mercury and asks him to help his mother out with toting groceries from time to time. The two say their final farewell and Duane rides out of town. You know this really is the final goodbye, and that this he will come home.

Sonny continues to waste away at the pool hall until his life finally crumbles. With all of his friends gone, and the affairs with Ruth and Jacy leaving him fairly alienated, his only real friend is young Billy. On the saddest day of his life, Sonny walks out the doors of the pool hall to discover that Billy was hit by a truck while sweeping the streets. In great anguish, he breaks through the ring of townsfolk and truckers to lift Billy's lifeless body from the dusty ground. The truckers bewilderingly ask why the boy was in the street until Sonny explodes, screaming, "He was sweeping!" Emotion pours out. Sonny cradles Billy's innocent body and lays him gently out of the street. Sonny is completely alone.

This is a very powerful scene, and well acted by Timothy Bottoms. He is a caged spirit wanting so badly to be freed, but he has no real means to escape this small town life.

Sonny hops in the old pickup and begins to speed out of town, to leave this world behind him. After reaching the city limits, however, he turns around. He pulls into the driveway of his old lover, Ruth Popper. He silently walks in and sits down at the table. Ruth breaks down and explodes, her many months of sorrow unleashing in a matter of moments. Then, in silence, Sonny takes her and sobs. Ruth, the only one who truly loves him, squeezes his hand and says, "Never you mind honey. Never you mind."

The film ends just as it began, with a slow pan over the dusty streets of this small town in Texas. The final shot ends on the Royal Theater and the screen fades to black.

Being a filmmaker from a small town, I found The Last Picture Show to be a most interesting film. It was also quite a kick to see a young Jeff Bridges, Randy Quaid, and Cybill Shepherd. I mean, who knew that Cybill was a total babe in the early 70's? I sure didn't.

Bogdanovich's films gets a well deserved cheer. Good job, old boy.

In conclusion - Moral of the story: Bros before hoes.