University of Virginia Library

'Last Picture Show' Cited
In University Critics Poll

In the annual polling of
University of Virginia film
critics, "The Last Picture
Show," Peter Bogdanovich's
intense study of life in a small
Texas town in the early 1950's,
was named best film of 1971
by a landslide vote.

To be eligible to vote, a
critic had to have reviewed a
minimum of five films for
University media during the
calendar year 1971. Those who
took part in the voting were
Paul Chaplin, Steve Wells, Ken
Barry and Steve Grimwood, all
of The Cavalier Daily. This
marks the first year that no
representative of University
radio stations has been eligible.

The voting was done on a
five-point gradation scale, with
five points going to each
critic's first choice, four for
second, three for third, two for
fourth, and one for fifth.

"The Last Picture Show"
received a total of 17 points,
the most ever in the three-year
history of the poll, as the result
of one first place nod and three
second place votes. Its nearest
competitor was "Carnal
Knowledge" with 8 points.

In other categories, Jane
Fonda was named by a
majority of the four-member
panel for her portrayal of the
call girl in "Klute," and Larry
McMurtry and Peter
Bogdanovich were likewise
cited for their adapted
screenplay for "The Last
Picture Show."

Split-voting winners were
Ann-Margret for her supporting
performance in "Carnal
Knowledge," Jules Feiffer for
his original screenplay for
"Carnal Knowledge," Mr.
Bogdanovich as best director
for "The Last Picture Show,"
and Mr. Bogdanovich again as
the director most promising.

No awards were given for
best actor, best supporting
actor, or best foreign film as in
each case there were no
pluralities.

Here are each critic's
choices. The first five best
picture selections are listed in
order of preference, the second
five in no specific order since
no points were awarded for
them.

Mr. Chaplin: Best Pictures -
1) "Sunday Bloody Sunday,"
2) "The Last Picture Show," 3)
"McCabe and Mrs. Miller," 4)
"Little Murders," 5) "A
Clockwork Orange," 6-10)
"Fiddler on the Roof," "The
Go-Between," "Klute,"
"Bananas," "Taking Off."

Best Director - John
Schlesinger ("Sunday Bloody
Sunday"). Best Actor - Peter
Finch ("Sunday Bloody
Sunday"). Best Actress - Jane
Fonda ("Klute"). Best
Supporting Actor - Jeff
Bridges ("The Last Picture
Show"). Best Supporting
Actress - Karen Black ("Drive,
He Said" and "Born to Win").
Best Foreign Film - "The
Decameron." Best Original
Screenplay - Penelope Gilliatt
("Sunday Bloody Sunday").
Best Screenplay based on
material from another medium
- Larry McMurtry and Peter
Bogdanovich ("The Last
Picture Show"). Director Most
Promising - Alan Arkin
("Little Murders").

Mr. Wells: Best Pictures -
1) "Carnal Knowledge," 2)
"The Last Picture Show," 3)
"Summer of '42," 4) "Straw
Dogs," 5) "The Go-Between,"
6-10) "The French
Connection," "McCabe and
Mrs. Miller," "Sunday Bloody