Ellen Burstyn - The Last Picture Show (1971) Discussion

[–] rorysa 13 years ago

Despite winning a Best Actress Oscar, she just never had much of a film career.

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'Despite winning a Best Actress Oscar, she just never had much of a film career.'
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lol
NO, she had just had a better feature-film career than most of her peers.

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[–] goleafsgo27 10 years ago

Indeed, and besides batting .406 and a few other things, Ted Williams didn't have much of a baseball career. LOLOL.

I have seen enough to know I have seen too much. -- ALOTO

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[–] milliedil 13 years ago

An actress with 6 Oscar nominations has certainly had a fine film career.

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[–] rorysa 13 years ago

If that's your standard, I suppose so. But looking over her credits, she was involved in TV fare more than theatrical films. And a number of her theatrical films were little seen, low budget projects.

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[–] Jack_Rabbit_Slims91 13 years ago

She became famous at a late age (nearly 40 when she got her first Oscar nom), and yet did some great work in the '70s. The 1980s was a different story when she could only snag TV work, but she has also been very popular on Broadway, she won a Tony and was recently in "The Children's Hour" on West End, she has had an incredibly successful career.

Btw, Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, The Exorcist, Harry and Tonto, Same Time Next Year, The Last Picture Show were all big films back in the day.

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[–] rorysa 13 years ago

They were, indeed. But like Ryan O'Neal and some others, her film career peaked during the first half of the '70s and then fizzled.

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[–] 13 years ago

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[–] SimplemindedSociety 12 years ago

'If that's your standard, I suppose so. But looking over her credits, she was involved in TV fare more than theatrical films. And a number of her theatrical films were little seen, low budget projects'.
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The opposite is true.
what is your standard?

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[–] ElectricKoolaidAcid 13 years ago

I didn't realize how beautiful she was when she was younger until I saw this film. She certainly stole the spotlight from Cybil Shephard AND Chloris Leachman in this! She will always be one of my favorite actresses anyways; she did a fantastic job in Requiem For a Dream (nobody here's mentioned THAT one), breathtaking at 70 in the otherwise joke-worthy Wicker Man... and also recently did a small but moving performance in Loss of a Teardrop Diamond. I can't think of a classier OR more beautiful actress of her entire generation.

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[–] Eightythreeyearoldguy 13 years ago

Ellen Burstyn was a beauty in this. I did prefer Chloris Leachman, but Ellen would be a close 2nd. Either one could have put their shoes under my bed anytime they wanted.

Life, every now and then, behaves as though it had seen too many bad movies

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[–] FollowtheWolves92 12 years ago

I agree, she was amazing in Requiem for a Dream. IMO, she should have won the Oscar for that.

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[–] Geechee 12 years ago

She was at her best in "Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood". She was even beautiful in it.

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[–] Wuchak (8079) 5 years ago

I didn't realize how beautiful she was when she was younger until I saw this film.

I thought the same thing. She's just stunning here.

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[–] DrinkFromTheSameFountain 12 years ago

You should see Ellen in "Tropic of Cancer". She is stunningly gorgeous in that movie. Would have been 37 years old in that movie. Wow!!!

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[–] Mr_Wolf_80 12 years ago

I didn't even know they made a film from "Tropic of Cancer". I read the book some years ago.

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And no dream is ever... just a dream...

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] CvonQ 11 years ago

She's a real movie star--beautiful and a talented actress.

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[–] stayprettystockholm 11 years ago

she reminds me of Lauren Bacall and Gena Rowlands both.

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[–] Qatacyo 11 years ago

I thought she was very gorgeous in this movie.. I didn't recognize her the first seconds.. She reminded me of somebody..I had to go check her out..then I saw it was her!! But yes, she was really splendid in The Last Picture Show!
What a wonderful movie, I love all of it!

(she reminded me a bit of Gena Rowlands too..)

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[–] Wakanohana 11 years ago

So many great characters and great performances, but I think Ellen Burstyn's was the best -- not to take anything away from Ben Johnson and Timothy Bottoms. But she was just so beautiful.

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[–] editorial-19 11 years ago

Ellen Burstyn fans should check her out in Resurrection, with Sam Shepard, released in 1980. I don't know if it ever made it to DVD. Great little movie about a woman who discovers her own faith-healing powers.

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[–] kenny-164 10 years ago

Ellen Burstyn had a much larger role in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, so her fans should really see that. But her role called her to have a somewhat frumpy appearance inlike the stunner she plays as Lois here.

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