Pour through “In the memory” tributes to Connie Francis After her on July 16 died, 87 years, I was a little surprised to find how few mentioned her short but very successful move to film – especially considering her most famous melody, “Where the boys are“Was the title of her debut function. So, like all self -respecting vintage pop culture lovers, I popped on the film this morning to relive the screen presence which was Francis.
Francis is part of the ensemble in “Where the Boys Are”, which should be the focus of its own movie thesis series … I mean, this Hays Code-Bending 1960 Teen Comedy-Drama focuses on a group of college girls chasing for men while I am on spring crime in FT. Lauderdale: Some are willing to keep their virtue, others are not. Francis plays hockey player Angie, the kind of wise cracking sidekick character that would eventually support Meg Ryan in the 90s Romcoms. And she actually says at one time, “We go to Lauderdale for a reason: to meet boys!”
Francis does not get the heavy material (and it becomes shocking Heavy for how easy it starts) to play that her co -stars do … Future Nun Dolores Hart Is the contact point and plays a nerd whose romantic life opens when she meets the dashed, rich George Hamilton. Then there are Paula PrentissWhich defies being long (treated as a major obstacle) to fall for also very high Jim Hutton. Yvette MimieuxS story that I do not want to give away a lot about, just to say that life (and men) meets her hard, and it is through her that the film’s transition from teenage-to-adult drama occurs. It is actually handled extremely well, so I will not give anything away on that point.
The film works because it speaks quite sincerely with teenage problems, albeit in a button-up 1960 style, and the role from top to bottom is very charismatic. Francis was clearly dropped into the film to enable crossover -hit song. At this time, MGM Records recording artist had a consistent success on the lists. “My heart has its own mind” went no. 1 year “where the boys are” released-wouldn’t the company release its 23-year-old pop star in a movie released by its own film studio?
I throw down one spoiler Or two for Francis’ Angie. She ends with Riddler, or at least the actor who played Riddler in 60’s “Batman”, Frank Gorshin. How does she land him? Well, of course music. In addition to title melody, she sings “Beat the sunshine.”
“Where the boys are” was such a great success that it spun by a whole genre of beach set teenager and college-set comedies, most definitely without prestige or polish to the predecessor. Francis himself would start – this time above the title – in a trio of copycats. You will notice a theme: “Follow the boys”, “Looking for love” and “where the boys meet the girls.” “Follow the Boys” were so transparent in their double goal, as far as Franci’s career goes, that its theatrical poster announced “Connie sings … and the whole fleet turns!”
What is very clear in each of her picking performances is that Francis was much more than just a smooth pop singing stress – she was also loaded with natural width, charm and appeal. It is hard to imagine that she stopped acting, completely after only four films – even when she continued as a top music act for the rest of her life.
And even though it seems sin, it may allow this quartet of movies – and especially the outstanding “where the boys are” – to be rediscovered. Since songs like “Pretty Little Baby” find new audiences through Tiktok trends, it may lead people back to Francis’ catalog and her short driving as a top-flight office.
We let Francis lead ourselves out with her signature melody. See below.
