Jessica Lange breathes terrifying, heartbreaking life into the role of Frances Farmer in a movie I have seen too many times to count. I originally saw it in theaters when I was living in New York City, in the days before video and DVD when you had to hunt down showings at revival houses so that you could see your favorite movies again. Now I own the DVD.

The powerhouse acting, that gorgeous, swelling score, the entire concept of what happened to this long-ago actress and how powerfully the story has been re-created...its flaws notwithstanding, it gets me every time. Disturbing? Absolutely. It plumbs the depths of family tragedy, the evils of the Hollywood machine, and shameful practices at mental asylums. Jessica Lange has said that playing Frances Farmer nearly killed her. Lucky for us she did it anyway.

I enjoyed this movie when it first came out and really enjoyed it again. If you are a fan of Jessica Lange you need to see this movie. It is a true account of the life of Frances Farmer from West Seattle.

It's easy for your perception of a film's quality to be negatively influenced by the fact that the film itself presents a dreary, unpleasant story, as Frances certainly does. With that in mind, I can still say that Frances was not a particularly good motion picture. I first saw this movie back in the '90's when Kurt Cobain's oft-stated fascination with hometown Seattle celebrity Frances Farmer motivated me to check it out. I also more recently sat in on a showing of it and now as then I was left appalled not only at the cruelty of society to the atheistic, left-leaning, high-living Frances Farmer, and disgusted with the barbarism of the mental health care system, but struck at how choppy this sanctimonious film was. It was neither good biography, nor history, nor tragedy. It was also not embraceable or inspiring, it was simply a muddled mess of human indignity mingled with heavily fabricated melodrama and tragedy, all resulting in a feature that tried to take as if by right its place in the pantheon of great cinema, but which does not belong there.

Most people have never heard of Frances Farmer. There are a few people that know her story and occasionally refer to her (such as Nirvana did in one of their songs) and spark our interest in finding out more about her. Finding information is a challenge because there are not a lot of books about Farmer and all of them are out of print. The movie "Frances" gives us a chance to learn a little about her.

"Frances" is an amazing adaptation of the life of Frances Farmer (with Jessica Lange staring as Farmer). Lange's performance is amazing as she looks remarkably like Frances Farmer and her acting is so convincing that I think watching the real Farmer could only top it.

Frances may have always been on the rebellious side and this, along with a controlling and suppressive mother, got her into a lot of trouble. Frances ends up being an actress in Hollywood but despises Hollywood. Eventually, her attitude and acting out brings the wrath of those who control the film industry and lands her in a psych ward. In the next few years she is in and out of several mental institutions.

The movie tastefully shows us the "treatments" and abuses that were rampant in the bedlams of the day (a much more detailed account is in her autobiography). These "treatments" include hydrotherapy (pouring cold water on the patient), insulin shock therapy and forced drugging. One scene shows Farmer receiving a lobotomy, which critics' claim did not happen. The abuses included being treated like an animal in filthy, overcrowded conditions and the orderlies acting as pimps and allowing others from the outside world to rape the patients (including Farmer).

"Frances" is an amazing film about a tragic Hollywood story. Even if the movie is based on her life (and not a 100% accurate documentary), the events are remarkable. Even if half of the events are accurate, they are not ones you would want anyone you like to experience. I highly recommend this movie because the story is interesting and reveals the sinister side of involuntary commitment. I have to give the director a lot of credit for tastefully presenting the grotesque parts of her life. Frances Farmer's story is one of the most tragic I can think of and it is one that everyone should be aware of.

A tour de Force from Jessica Lange in its early days and possibly an outstanding performance of a great actress