Frances (film)
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film industry |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Founder | Graeme Clifford (director), Eric Bergren, Christopher De Vore, Nicholas Kazan (writers) |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Biographical drama film |
| Parent | Universal Pictures (distributor) |
Frances is a 1982 American biographical drama directed by Graeme Clifford and penned by Eric Bergren, Christopher De Vore, and Nicholas Kazan. Featuring Jessica Lange in the role of Frances Farmer, the film chronicles the actress's tumultuous career during the 1930s alongside her battles with mental health issues, including her institutionalization and subsequent public reemergence. The cast also includes notable performances from Kim Stanley, Sam Shepard, among others.
Distributed by Universal Pictures on December 3, 1982, the movie garnered critical praise, particularly highlighting Lange’s portrayal as one of her finest. It earned two nominations at the 55th Academy Awards: Best Actress for Lange and Best Supporting Actress for Stanley.
Source
The script is based on William Arnold's Shadowland, a dramatized biography of Farmer. The film incorporates several fictionalized aspects from Arnold’s book, such as the assertion that Farmer underwent a transorbital lobotomy. Arnold later conceded to fabricating parts of his narrative in court. Critic Jeffrey Kauffmann authored an extensive critique that discredits much of Arnold’s version, especially disputing the lobotomy allegation.
Shadowland Revisited: The Story of a Book and Its Aftermath contains an interview with Arnold defending his claim that Farmer was lobotomized, despite Kauffmann’s rebuttals.
Plot
Frances Elena Farmer, born in Seattle, Washington, exhibits a rebellious spirit early on, winning $100 in 1931 from the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards for her essay titled God Dies. In 1935, she provokes controversy again by accepting an all-expenses-paid trip to the USSR to visit the Moscow Art Theatre. Determined to pursue acting on her own terms, Frances rejects Hollywood publicity tactics and insists on appearing onscreen without makeup. She marries Dwayne Steele despite cautionary advice but engages in an affair with alleged Communist Harry York during the premiere of Come and Get It in her hometown. Her rebelliousness attracts attention from Broadway playwright Clifford Odets, who convinces her to join the Group Theatre.
After relocating to New York City and starring in the Group Theatre's production of Golden Boy, Frances realizes she has been exploited for her celebrity status when she is replaced by a wealthy actress to secure funding for the play’s tour in London. Odets ends their relationship following his wife’s return. Back in Hollywood, Frances finds herself cast in insignificant roles within forgettable B-films. Her growing reliance on alcohol and amphetamines, combined with pressure from her mother—who becomes her legal guardian after several legal troubles—culminates in a nervous breakdown. At Kimball Sanitarium in La Crescenta, she undergoes insulin shock therapy and hydrotherapy. Frances expresses a wish to leave Hollywood for rural life, sparking a violent confrontation with her mother.
Committed to Western State Hospital, Frances endures mistreatment including electroconvulsive therapy, physical abuse, sexual assault by male attendants and soldiers, and an involuntary lobotomy before her release in 1950.
In 1958, Frances is featured on Ralph Edwards' This Is Your Life, with Harry York watching. Denying struggles with alcoholism, substance abuse, or mental illness, she remarks, "If you're treated like a patient, you're apt to act like one." The film concludes with a gathering at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel where Frances walks alongside York reflecting on her parents’ passing and selling their home. She describes herself as a "faceless sinner" looking forward to a calmer future. The closing credits reveal she moved to Indianapolis, hosted the local daytime program Frances Farmer Presents from 1958 until 1964, and passed away alone on August 1, 1970, aged 56.
Production
The creative team responsible for The Elephant Man, including writers Eric Bergren and Christopher De Vore, producer Jonathan Sanger, and Mel Brooks, originally intended to have David Lynch direct this film. However, Lynch’s existing contract with Universal prevented his involvement, leading Sanger to suggest editor Graeme Clifford—known for his collaborations with Robert Altman—as director. Brooks commended Clifford’s dedication to the project.
The screenplay was inspired by William Arnold's Shadowland, a fictionalized biography of Frances Farmer. Although the producers later revoked the rights to Arnold’s book, many invented aspects remained in the finished film despite Arnold’s unsuccessful legal attempt to assert copyright.
In the DVD commentary, director Clifford explained their deliberate choice not to inundate viewers with excessive factual detail. Mel Brooks acted as executive producer but chose to remain uncredited to avoid association with his comedic background.
Securing funding was difficult until EMI Films stepped in to finance the production. Jessica Lange recalled the challenging experience of filming the nude arrest scene at the Knickerbocker Hotel, which took four days despite its brevity—a process she found frustrating and emblematic of her character’s sense of violation.
Casting
Numerous actresses were considered for Frances Farmer’s role, including Anne Archer, Susan Blakely, Blythe Danner, Susan Dey, Patty Duke, Mia Farrow, Sally Field, Jane Fonda, Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton, Liza Minnelli, Susan Sarandon, Cybill Shepherd, Sissy Spacek, Meryl Streep, Natalie Wood, and Tuesday Weld. However, Faye Dunaway declined the part.
Jessica Lange, who had long aspired to play Farmer after reading her memoirs in the late 1970s, ultimately received the role through a personal offer from director Clifford. Lange characterized Farmer as "high-strung" and possessing "self-destructive tendencies," yet also a "true fighter," relating strongly to her anger and unyielding nature.
In a separate portrayal, Susan Blakely depicted Frances Farmer in the 1983 CBS TV movie Will There Really Be a Morning?
Music
John Barry composed the film’s original score. His initial harmonica-based theme faced skepticism until it was fully orchestrated. The soundtrack incorporates period-specific songs alongside classical works such as Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 11, K331 and the second movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 7.
Editing
The original cut of the film ran approximately three hours but was shortened significantly, reducing scenes that explored Frances’s relationships with her parents and romantic interest. Director Clifford later expressed regret that the final version felt too brief.
Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, Frances holds a 68% approval rating based on 31 reviews. The consensus acknowledges that while the biopic prioritizes Farmer’s struggles over deeper character exploration, Jessica Lange’s performance imbues the film with considerable emotional depth.
Critics lauded Lange’s acting: Roger Ebert awarded it 3½ out of 4 stars, praising her subtle portrayal of Farmer’s multifaceted personality. Leonard Maltin gave it 2½ stars, recognizing strong performances but describing the movie as "well-made yet cold and somber." Writing for the Guardian, Derek Malcolm deemed it "well-directed" and noted Lange as an actress of superior caliber compared to her earlier roles.
Awards and nominations
| Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards | Best Actress | Jessica Lange | Template:Nom |
| Best Supporting Actress | Kim Stanley | Template:Nom | |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama | Jessica Lange | Template:Nom |
| Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture | Kim Stanley | Template:Nom | |
| Huabiao Awards | Outstanding Translated Foreign Film | Template:Won | |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actress | Jessica Lange | Template:Runner-up |
| Moscow International Film Festival | Golden Prize | Graeme Clifford | Template:Nom |
| Best Actress | Jessica Lange | Template:Won | |
| Nastro d'Argento | Best Foreign Actress | Template:Nom | |
| National Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Actress | Template:Draw | |
| New York Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Actress | Template:Runner-up | |