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:

Actress and author Lois Kibbee, who had begun collaborating with Frances Farmer on a book about her life, worked as a consultant for the movie.

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:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Joan Rivers/Musical Youth (#8.17)" (1983)

Soundtrack:

Jeepers Creepers

A great performance

That's the kind of movie I see over and over and over and it always give me the emotional density I was looking for... One of my favorite scenes is in this drama: Some time after lobotomy, Frances tells Jack that from this moment on the things will be slower... She has no more emotion, is no more that vivid girl she was. No matter if this really happen or not to the actress: the situation is pure emotion. I saw all the movies starred by Frances Farmer that was possible for me to see and it makes me like her very much. Again, the music of John Barry makes me cry. The Hollyood background have never been so perfect. Jessica Lange gives the right density to the drama of the girl... Oh, my God, how she deserved that Oscar she did'n get...