Frances (1982)

Director:

Graeme Clifford

Writers:

Eric Bergren (writer)
Christopher De Vore (writer)

Release Date:

11 March 1983 (Australia)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

Her story is shocking, disturbing, compelling... and true.

Plot:

The true story of Frances Farmer's meteoric rise to fame in Hollywood and the tragic turn her life took when she was blacklisted. |

Plot Keywords:

Hollywood | Frances Farmer | Writer | Toilet | Escape From Mental Institution

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Jessica Lange	...	Frances Farmer
Kim Stanley	...	Lillian Farmer
Sam Shepard	...	Harry York
Bart Burns	...	Ernest Farmer
Jonathan Banks	...	Hitchhiker
Bonnie Bartlett	...	Studio Stylist
James Brodhead	...	Desk Sergeant
Jane Jenkins	...	Lady at Roosevelt Hotel (as J.J. Chaback)
Jordan Charney	...	Harold Clurman
Rod Colbin	...	Sentencing Judge
Daniel Chodos	...	'No Escape' director
Donald Craig	...	Ralph Edwards
Sarah Cunningham	...	Alma Styles
Lee de Broux	...	'Flowing Gold' Director
Jeffrey DeMunn	...	Clifford Odets

Runtime:

140 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:14+ (Ontario) | Argentina:18 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12 | Portugal:M/12 (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Brooksfilms

Trivia:

Kim Hunter and Celeste Holm were considered for the role of Lillian Farmer.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: During Frances' hearing the courtroom wall has portraits of Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman. In 1943, when this occurred, the Vice President was Henry Wallace.

Quotes:

Lillian Farmer: When you get well, you're going to thank me.
Frances Farmer: No, you are not talking now! You listen. Now you can send me away and pretend I'm crazy and you can pretend I'm still your little girl who can't take care of herself. But Lillian, there is one thing that you cannot pretend any more and that is that I love you. Because I don't. I can't. Not after what you've done to me. Because I am still me. I've been trying real hard all this time to be me. And you, little sister - you haven't been any help at all.

Movie Connections:

Featured in A Hollywood Life: Remembering Frances (2001) (V)

Soundtrack:

Symphony #7 in A major, Op. 92, 2nd movement

You'd better get into it.

Jessica Lange gives the performance of a lifetime as iconoclastic actress Frances Farmer, whose rejection of the star system led to her mental collapse and ostracism from her fame-hungry mother Lillian (Kim Stanley). Lange's command of the role makes you feel like there's a knife in your stomach. It's that intense. As for the question of what's accurate and what's not, that's not really important. The point is that Lange gets into this role to the max. "Frances" isn't the sort of movie that you can just watch; you have to feel like it's happening to you, or you might not get the full experience. All in all, a great movie. Also starring Sam Shepard and Jeffrey DeMunn.