Frances

 Frances 1982

• Director: Graeme Clifford
• Based on book: No
• Cast: Jessica Lange, Sam Shepard, Kim Stanley
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Jessica Lange – Broken Flowers, Titus, A Thousand Acres, Rob Roy, Tootsie, The Postman Always Rings Twice
• Sam Shepard – August Osage County, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, The Pledge, Hamlet, Snow Falling on Cedars, The Pelican File, Steel Magnolias
• Why? Curious
• Seen: 13 May 2022      

       Frances Farmer (Lange) was an outspoken teen-ager in the 30’s and grew up to be an outspoken film actor as an adult.

       It starts out strong but falls into the ‘tragic fall of Hollywood star’ category. Other films have done it better, most recently the brilliant Judy with Renée Zellweger.

       With that said, it is quite gripping at times and especially disturbing are the scene in the mental hospital. Lange is good although she sometimes resembles Jennifer Jason Leigh in Georgia. Or maybe Leigh imitated her.      

3 ½ * of 5