The Last Picture Show by Larry McMurtry made me realize I am much more of a prude than I admitted. I felt uncomfortable during most of the story. The book is described as “a rambunctious coming-of-age story”. That really means it is a book about bored, listless teenagers in a small Texas town wanting to have sex and having sex. The main character, Sonny, has decided he no longer wants to have sex with cows like the other boys do because he is sleeping with the high school football coach’s 40-year-old wife. His best friend, Duane, is in love with the gorgeous, but shallow Jacy Fletcher. All the boys want to have sex with Jacy. One has sex with Jacy’s mother when he doesn’t get to have it with Jacy. There is sex with prostitutes and sex with animals. There are nude swim parties that end in sex. When there is no sex, they masturbate, get drunk, fight or just feel depressed.
I tried to figure out why this book is beloved by so many. The most complex character by far is the coach’s wife, Ruth Popper, who has the affair with Sonny. Her husband is abusive and small-minded. Her loneliness is palpable. I never saw the film, but I do remember that Cloris Leachman won an Academy Award for portraying Ruth. There is another character, Sam the Lion, who takes the boys under his wings and seems to genuinely care about them. A waitress who has a minor role was also kind. I never became invested in any of the other people or the town. The town is bleak, many of the characters are self-obsessed, and there is an overall feeling of hopelessness.
I wasn’t the right audience for this novel. The bestiality was a bit too much for me. My book club has expressed interest in reading this so that’s the only reason I finished it instead of stopping when I got to that scene.
2-Stars.
I guess I’m a prude too! I’m glad I never read it after your review. I vaguely remember the movie, but never saw it.
I was only 13 when the movie came out. I grew up in Memphis, where Cybil Shepherd was from. The main thing I remember is that Cybil, who was only 20, had an affair with the film’s producer and broke up his marriage.
Kerrin thank you for your honest review.
I can read just about anything but it certainly sounds like I would be uncomfortable with this story too.
Thanks for your comment, Wendy.
Good heavens! Makes my “Romance” novels seem really mild mannered.
Haha
Thank you for this review. I’ll skip this one!😲
Diane
Happy to be of service in warning people.
Oh my…only two stars! I have the book but haven’t started it yet.
Karen, proceed with caution!
I knew people like that in high school in a small town. The book must be about the popular kids, the kids who studied too much were seldom invited, and when they were, we weren’t quite interested enough in getting drunk and catching social diseases to accept. When I was collecting the monthly subscriptions, an 11th grader with a bad reputation, in revealing night ware offered to show me a good time. I was in 8th grade and she was inviting, but I was pretty sure that I should take a pass, and I did. I never heard about any livestock but there was someone into poultry. That book sounds depressing. I’ve never read the book or seen the movie, but I have been to Archer City–however the book store was closed down.
I agree, Ed, that this book was about “popular kids”. My late husband prosecuted someone years ago in Tennessee who was fond of chickens.