Pouring via the “In Memoriam” tributes to Connie Francis following her July 16 loss of life, aged 87, I used to be a bit shocked to search out how few talked about her transient however extremely profitable foray into movie — significantly contemplating her most well-known tune, “The place the Boys Are,” was the title of her debut function. So, like all self-respecting classic popular culture lover, I popped on the film this morning to relive the display screen presence that was Ms. Francis.
Francis is a part of the ensemble in “The place the Boys Are,” which needs to be the main focus of its personal movie essay sequence… I imply, actually, this Hays Code-bending 1960 teen comedy-drama focuses on a gaggle of school women looking for males whereas on spring break in Ft. Lauderdale: some are keen to maintain their advantage, some aren’t. Francis performs hockey participant Angie, the type of wise-cracking sidekick character that will finally help Meg Ryan in ’90s romcoms. And she or he truly says at one level, “We’re going to Lauderdale for one cause: to fulfill boys!”
Francis doesn’t get the heavy materials (and it will get schockingly heavy for the way gentle it begins) to play that her co-stars do… future nun Dolores Hart is the point of interest, taking part in a nerd whose romantic life opens up when she meets the dashing, wealthy George Hamilton. Then there’s Paula Prentiss, who defies being tall (handled as a serious hindrance) to fall for additionally very tall Jim Hutton. Yvette Mimieux‘s story I don’t wish to give away a lot about, simply to say that life (and males) hits her onerous, and it’s via her that the film’s shift from teen-to-adult drama happens. It’s truly dealt with extraordinarily nicely, so I received’t give something away on that rating.
The film works as a result of it speaks fairly frankly to teenage issues, albeit in a buttoned-up 1960 fashion, and the forged from top-to-bottom is very charismatic. Francis was clearly dropped into the movie to assist enable for the crossover hit track. By this level, the MGM Information recording artist was having constant success on the charts. “My Coronary heart Has a Thoughts of Its Personal” went No. 1 the 12 months “The place the Boys Are” was launched — why wouldn’t the corporate drop their 23-year-old pop star in a movie launched by their very own film studio?
I’ll throw down a spoiler or two for Francis’ Angie. She finally ends up with the Riddler, or at the very least the actor who performed the Riddler within the ’60s “Batman,” Frank Gorshin. How does she land him? Effectively, music in fact. Along with the title tune, she sings “Activate the Sunshine.”
“The place the Boys Are” was such an enormous success it spun off a complete style of beach-set teen and college-set comedies, most decidedly with out the status or polish of their predecessor. Francis herself would star — this time above the title — in a trio of copycats. You’ll discover a theme: “Observe the Boys,” “On the lookout for Love,” and “The place the Boys Meet the Ladies.” “Observe the Boys” was so clear in its twin goal, so far as Francis’ profession goes, that its theatrical poster introduced “Connie Sings… and the Complete Fleet Swings!”
What’s very clear in each one in all her plucky performances is that Francis was excess of only a easy pop songstress — she additionally was loaded with pure wit, appeal, and attraction. It’s onerous to think about she stopped performing, totally, after simply 4 motion pictures — at the same time as she continued as a high music act for the remainder of her life.
And whereas it appears a disgrace, possibly it permits this quartet of movies — and in significantly the excellent “The place the Boys Are” — to be rediscovered. As songs like “Fairly Little Child” discover new audiences via TikTok traits, maybe it is going to lead individuals again to Francis’ catalogue and her transient run as a top-flight field workplace attraction.
We’ll let Ms. Francis lead us out along with her signature tune. Watch beneath.