THE LAST PICTURE SHOW

If asked to name some exceptional actresses, no doubt the names Streep, Davis (Viola or Bette!), Hepburn, and Blanchett might quickly come to mind. But what about Leachman?

Perhaps because she would become a bit typecast by her role as Phyllis Lindstrom on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, the extensive library of Cloris Leachman’s work isn’t usually given the gravitas that it should be. Cloris worked to fully develop every character she would inhabit. She could easily shift gears between musical theater on Broadway to comedic and dramatic work in film and television. She fought not to be pigeonholed to any one particular genre of character or story.

Leachman studied under the renowned filmmaker Elia Kazan. One of the techniques she learned, and employed extensively, is the use of objects to convey things about her character. She could have taught a masterclass on this technique. Keep your eyes out for this whenever you next see one of the plethora of her performances! What her body is doing is often equally as important as what she’s saying. It should be noted that she was often recognized for her skills by her peers. She holds the record for the 2nd most Emmy Award nominations and wins of any actor (only recently losing the top spot to Julia Louis Dreyfus). She’s also an Academy Award winner for Best Supporting Actress. That Award was earned for her portrayal of Ruth Popper in The Last Picture Show.

The Last Picture Show is a ground-breaking coming-of-age drama released in 1971. The movie was directed and co-written by Peter Bogdanovich. The story takes place in a small Texas town in the early 1950’s. The town is dying the slow death of many small towns of that era, thanks to expanding highways and the growth of metropolitan areas. Bogdanovich chose to film the movie in black-and-white, which only accentuates the bleakness that the film’s characters are living through. The central cast consists of three high school seniors played by Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, and Cybill Shepherd. Though they form the nucleus, this movie is very much an ensemble piece, rounded out by the stellar performances of Ellen Burstyn, Ben Johnson, Eileen Brennan, and Leachman.

The Last Picture Show conveys the inevitability of change and the complexity of sexuality in the lives of its primary characters. Each of them searching for some connection, but most are simply just existing… existing in a place that offers little to exist for. Ruth Popper (Leachman) is married to a closeted homosexual (this is never stated but it is clearly insinuated in just about every way possible through the filmmaking of the era). She finds herself seeking happiness by entering a sexual relationship with one of the film’s central high-school characters. Leachman’s performance is a tour de force. Ruth has spent many dreary years playing a role society expected, only to find herself hollow and unfulfilled. For a brief moment, she experiences more, only to have it torn from her just as she comes to appreciate it. Leachman’s final scene was filmed in a single take. Leachman begged Bogdanovich to let her reshoot it, stating she could “do it better”. But he refused. He insisted that the performance she gave was perfect as it was. It would seem he was correct since her performance earned her an acting Oscar. It was this acclaimed performance that placed The Last Picture Show on my must-see film list for 2023.

The Last Picture Show is gold and holds up remarkably well. There is not a single role that is miscast. The authenticity of the experiences in the film is boosted by the use of many maudlin country music songs popular in the era of the story. I look forward to revisiting this one down the road.