Scoop's notes: Every once in a while, each of us encounters a film which baffles us in terms of its popularity. This is the one for me. I have never understood how people relate to this movie or why people think it is especially good. I guess I have a blind spot. I suppose that is because it is a character study about a different generation, or maybe a half-generation, just prior to mine. These are the people who were in high school when I was in grade school. They apparently had a totally different coming-of-age experience - one that I can't relate to or even recognize as realistic. Not only did I not recognize the main characters as familiar human beings, but I didn't like them either. When you hate and can't relate to the characters in a character study - well, there isn't much left.

Except, of course, for Ann-Margret's flesh, which was very welcome indeed. She was a big star, and film nudity was still fresh in 1971. Just a few years earlier, there had been no nudity at all in mainstream films and/or from mainstream actresses.

The film was nominated for an Oscar and three Golden Globes, but they were all for the acting.

• Astoundingly enough, even master thespian Art Garfunkel received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting actor. He lost the Globe to Ben Johnson of The Last Picture Show, who also won the Oscar.
• Garfunkel and Nicholson got nominated for Globes, but not for Oscars.
• Ann-Margret won a Golden Globe and received an Oscar nomination. She lost the Oscar to Cloris Leachman, another performer from of The Last Picture Show.

By the way, those were the only Oscars won by The Last Picture Show, although it was nominated in every key category (Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, Cinematography)