Frances

Ich muss zugeben, dass ich noch nie von der klassischen Hollywood-Schauspielerin Frances Farmer gehört habe. Aber American Horror Story hat mir das Phänomen der Schauspielorgien von Jessica Lange näher gebracht. Warum also nicht das Angenehme mit dem Nützlichen verbinden? Es ist bemerkenswert, was seinerzeit bei Paramount vor sich ging. (05.03.2014)

Given its high rating on FilmBooster, I was properly tuned in and maybe that's why the result was quite disappointing for me. It's not necessarily a bad movie, but if I compare it to the thematically similar film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Forman's film overwhelmingly triumphs. While One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a timeless film that can still be revisited, Frances is good for a one-time watch. The screenplay is far more shallow and the only thing that lifts the film is Jessica Lange's presence in the leading role. I have known for a long time that she's an excellent actress, at least since I watched A Streetcar Named Desire, and here she got an opportunity that she fully took advantage of. Granted, I didn't believe in her as a sixteen-year-old girl - after all, not even makeup artists can perform miracles. Where One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest managed to depict society's intolerance, repression, and manipulation through the example of the destruction of one nonconformist individual, Frances slips into the box of family drama and portrays the conflict between a daughter and a dominant mother. Overall impression: 60%. (16.04.2009)