Frances (film)

Frances
Theatrical film poster
Directed by	Graeme Clifford
Produced by	Jonathan Sanger Uncredited: Mel Brooks
Written by	Eric Bergren Christopher De Vore Nicholas Kazan
Starring	Jessica Lange Kim Stanley Sam Shepard
Music by	John Barry
Cinematography	László Kovács
Edited by	John Wright
Production company	EMI Films Brooksfilms
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	December 3, 1982 (1982-12-03)
Running time	140 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$5,000,000

Frances is a 1982 American biographical film starring Jessica Lange as actress Frances Farmer. Kim Stanley and Sam Shepard appeared in supporting roles.

The film chronicles Farmer's life from 1930s high school student, her short lived film career in the 1930s, her 1940s institutionalization for alleged mental illness and her 1950s deinstitutionalization and appearance on This Is Your Life. Upon its release, the film was advertised as a purportedly true account of Farmer's life but the script was largely fictional and sensationalized. In particular, the film depicts Farmer as having been lobotomized; this is reputed to have never happened.

Born in Seattle, Washington, Frances Elena Farmer is a rebel from a young age, winning $100.00 in 1931 from The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards for a high school essay called God Dies. In 1935, she becomes controversial again when she wins (and accepts) an all-expenses-paid trip to the USSR to visit its Moscow Art Theatre. Determined to become an actress, Frances is equally determined not to play the Hollywood game: she refuses to acquiesce to publicity stunts, and insists upon appearing on screen without makeup. She marries her first husband, Dwanye Steele, despite being advised not to, but cheats on him with alleged Communist Harry York on the night of her hometown's premiere of Come and Get It. Her defiance attracts the attention of Broadway playwright Clifford Odets, who convinces Frances that her future rests with the Group Theatre.