Verdict
Summary
Frances is a vividly made and performed biopic from director Graeme Clifford, but the film’s success lies almost completely on Lange’s soaring portrayal of this woman. It becomes more chilling and harrowing as it goes along, with the last act becoming a horror show as we see the complete degradations Farmer is forced to endure. It’s never exploitive, but sometimes it’s difficult to watch. It’s a long film with an episodic structure (140 minutes), and while it does try to show it all, sometimes what we see is too much to handle.
Plot:
A biographical drama about the life of film star Frances Farmer.
Review:
As a high school senior, Frances Farmer (played indelibly by Jessica Lange) writes an award-winning essay that captures and divides the nation: She declares God more or less useless, and her words rankle the ire of the Bible belt, who declare that she’s going to hell in a hand basket. She also gets the attention of an intellectual named Harry (Sam Shepard) whom will fall in love with her and remain in her periphery through most of her life, but still not manage to tame her spirit. Speaking of Farmer’s spirit, she becomes an actress and soon becomes a superstar in Hollywood, bound by the system that requires she remain under contract, working on films that she deems silly and unworthy of her talent. She bucks the system with every fiber of her being and reneges on her contract and becomes a huge Broadway star, but she’s considered a renegade and a problem, with the media stirring up controversy around her. Her mother (played by Kim Stanley) doesn’t help her, but instead sides with the allure of fame and fortune, pushing her daughter to return to Hollywood and resume her tenure as an in-demand star. When Farmer’s limits are pushed, she strikes out and ends up incarcerated in prison for a few months, which in turn exacerbates her renegade spirit, which for a woman in those days was virtually unheard of. Her mother has her committed to a mental institution, and thus begins a downward spiral of even worse seasons where Farmer is completely stripped of her freedom, her dignity, and eventually her own mind and faculties as she’s eventually lobotomized. This woman’s fierce spirit is completely robbed of her by a world that simply wasn’t ready for her.
Frances is a vividly made and performed biopic from director Graeme Clifford, but the film’s success lies almost completely on Lange’s soaring portrayal of this woman. It becomes more chilling and harrowing as it goes along, with the last act becoming a horror show as we see the complete degradations Farmer is forced to endure. It’s never exploitive, but sometimes it’s difficult to watch. It’s a long film with an episodic structure (140 minutes), and while it does try to show it all, sometimes what we see is too much to handle. For the first hour, I struggled to “understand” Farmer, as the film presents her “as-is” with her free spirit and behavior, and while I appreciate the way the filmmakers tried to give us the tour, it took awhile for me to warm up to her. It wasn’t until her rights and autonomy were taken away that I really started to pay attention and realized I was completely on her side. Lange really gives a special and heart-rending performance, and the picture will forever be on my mind and heart because of her. John Barry delivers a very understated score for the film.
Kino Lorber’s recent Blu-ray release of Frances looks and sounds up to Kino’s usually high standards, and the disc comes with two audio commentaries: One with the director, and another with some film historians. There’s also a feature on Frances Farmer, and the trailer. A slipcover is included as well.
