Anne Francis Movies
A professional magazine model at age four, American actress Anne Francis made some 3000 appearances on network radio before she was ten. She was under film contracts to both MGM and 20th Century-Fox as a teenager; in the days of publicity-agent pigeonholing, the actress was dubbed variously as "The Fragile Blonde with the Mona Lisa Smile" and "The Palomino Blonde," labels that she intensely despised. Usually cast in sullen bad-girl or troublemaker roles, Francis suffered from a volcanic private life; throughout these years her one source of comfort was her pet dog Smidgeon, whom she'd named after Walter Pidgeon, her co-star in the science-fiction film classic Forbidden Planet (1956). In 1965, Francis found herself with a more contentious pet, an ocelot named Bruce Biteabit, when she starred in the TV adventure series Honey West, in which she played a glamorous private detective. The series was meant to cash in on the gimmicky James Bond movies of the time (Honey West was a judo expert, had exploding earrings, and a microphone hidden in a martini olive), and like many such imitations, the program was on and off in a single year. Francis' film and TV career continued unabated after that, though a potentially good role in the 1968 movie musical Funny Girl was mostly consigned to the cutting-room floor in order to intensify the spotlight on the film's star, Barbra Streisand. Active in guest star spots into the early '90s, Anne Francis--billing herself in recent years as Anne-Lloyd Francis--enjoyed a brief co-starring turn as Mama Jo on the 1984 action series Riptide. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Cain (Clint Walker), better known throughout the West as "Killer Cain," is released from prison in 1891, after serving 18 years for killing a man, one of over a dozen lives that he'd taken from the age of 16. But he finds that his penalty is hardly paid and his punishment hardly over, even though he's truly reformed and wants no trouble. He's unable to get away from his past, even though the Old West is fading fast in the face of civilization -- in fact, the fading of the West is making matters worse, as ordinary folks are mostly scared of and curious about him. Additionally, he still has enemies all around, who will give him no peace; and to top it off, the only man willing to give him any kind of a job is Dan Ruffalo (Vincent Price), operator of a Wild West show, as a sharpshooter. It turns out that Cain isn't even that perfect a shot anymore, but Cain still becomes the show's biggest attraction, because people will pay to see -- or say they saw -- a killer, and that upsets young Billy (Paul Hampton), Ruffalo's other sharpshooter, who never misses but has also never killed a man either. Billy is a lot more frightening to Cain than Cain could ever be to Billy, because Billy turns out to be a psychopath. Adding to his troubles is the presence of Luke Santee (Mike Henry), a killer with his own score to settle with Cain, as well as Karma (Craig Littler), a mysterious lawyer who's been looking for him. Cain and Billy seem headed for a collision sooner or later, even as Cain tries to find peace in the company of Monica Alton (Anne Francis), an artist from the East who loves him, and who has come out West to make a new life for herself. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clint Walker, Vincent Price, (more)
- 1969
- R
In this adventure, Pat Morrison (Burt Reynolds) leads a group of World War II veterans back to the Philippines in search of gold hidden prior to the Japanese invasion. A professional tennis player (Anne Francis) hires Morrison because her aging father's health won't permit him to make the trek. Their moves through the jungle terrain are monitored by villains who covet the riches, hoping Morrison and company will do all the work before they step in and steal the loot. Unclear is the reason the woman's father was dismissed from the army during the war in the Pacific, as well as the motives for the recovery and his absence from the expedition. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burt Reynolds, Anne Francis, (more)
- 1969
In 1966, producer Frank Price came up with a TV series concept about a group of people lost on an uncharted island who are forced to carve out their own civilization. No, it wasn't Gilligan's Island, but a more serious endeavor titled Stranded. When the pilot episode didn't sell, Price put the idea on the back burner until 1969 when, in collaboration with writer Dean Riesner, he dreamed up the two-hour pilot film, Lost Flight. This time, an airliner captained by Steve Bannerman (Lloyd Bridges) crashes on a remote island in the Pacific. Among Bannerman's fellow castaways are Gina Talbot (Anne Francis), Merle Barnaby (Billy Dee Williams), Glenn Wallup (Ralph Meeker), Jonesey (Andrew Prine), Charlie Burnett (the character who gets killed off early, played by Michael-James Wixted), and, as the resident troublemaker, Eddie Randolph (Bobby Van). Given a one-shot telecast in early 1970, Lost Flight didn't fly as a series...nor did Price's like-minded effort, 1976's Stranded. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
The technical wizardry of the IMF is given a real workout in "The Double Circle." Anne Francis guest stars as IMF agent Gillian Colbee, who poses as the owner of a valuable antique. Gillian's impersonation is part of a master plan to recover a stolen rocket fuel formula from mercurial art collector Victor Laszlo (James Patterson). Other vital ingredients to the success of the plan include the precise re-creation of Laszlo's apartment, and a delicate electronic rigging on the villain's private elevator. First seen on November 9, 1969, "The Double Circle" was written by Jerry Ludwig. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Leonard Nimoy, (more)
- 1969
This comedy begins when Peter Ingersoll (Jerry Lewis) hears from Dr. Carter (Peter Lawford) that he has only a few months to live. Peter's wife Nancy (Anne Francis) suggests her husband spend his remaining days fishing, so Peter embarks on a world-wide expedition, fishing in the most exotic locales at every corner of the globe. After running up over $100,000 on his credit card, Peter is surprised to see Dr. Carter, who has followed him to Lisbon. The good doctor informs Peter that a mistake has been made; he is not going to die. However, the shock of his credit card debt almost does kill him. He and the good doctor agree he should feign his demise in order to collect on the life insurance. Peter goes along with the plan until he discovers his wife and doctor are in cahoots and plan to use the money for themselves. Lewis provides his legendary physical comedy that has made him an international star, most notably in France. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jerry Lewis, Peter Lawford, (more)
"Hello, gorgeous!" was Barbra Streisand's first comment to the Oscar statuette which she won for her performance in this biopic of entertainer Fanny Brice. This is also her first line in the film itself, the catalyst for a movie-long flashback. Repeating her Broadway role, Streisand stars as legendary comedienne Brice (1891-1951), whose life until the mid-1920s is romanticized herein. A gawky New Yawker, Brice fast-talks her way into show business, certain that she's destined to be "The Greatest Star." Hired as a "dramatic" singer by impresario Flo Ziegfeld (Walter Pidgeon), Brice defies orders to play it straight, turning a "Beautiful Bride" tableau into a laugh riot by dressing herself up as an extremely pregnant newlywed. The stratagem turns Brice into an overnight star and the toast of Broadway. But all is not roses for Brice, especially in her turbulent private life as the wife of big-time gambler Nicky Arnstein (Omar Sharif). Nicky at first finds it amusing to be referred to as "Mr. Brice," but he begins to resent his wife's fame and fortune and starts taking foolish risks with other people's money. The film was nominated for 8 Oscars, including Best Picture and Kay Medford for her portrayal of Brice's mother, Rose. Funny Girl was produced by Ray Stark, Brice's real-life son-in-law, who had enough material left over for a sequel, 1975's Funny Lady. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barbra Streisand, Omar Sharif, (more)
- 1968
Roy Thinnes was the star of this 1967-1968 science fiction series, about an Earth poised on the brink of alien takeover. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Kimble (David Janssen) uses the alias "Bill March" when he signs up as a deckhand on the Mexico-bound yacht skippered by Ralph Schuyler (Charles Bronson). The yacht's only passenger is Felice Greer (Anne Francis), who is heading toward a rendezvous with her embezzler husband Oliver (Charles Drake). What neither Kimble nor Felice realize is that Schuyler is an undercover cop, determined to put them both behind bars. But an engine-room fire radically alters the situation, placing Kimble on the horns of yet another "damned if he does, damned if he doesn't" dilemma. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Peg Beale (Anne Francis) is fed up with her marriage to wealthy toy manufacturer Ted Beale (Robert Strauss), a boorish, thick-witted practical joker. Nor is Peg happy when Ted hires as his new assistant the handsome, college-educated John Cochran (Donnelly Rhodes) -- mainly because John has already seen Peg in the arms of another man. Before long, however, Cochran himself has fallen under the spell of the promiscuous Peg, who hopes to use John as a pawn in her scheme to murder her husband. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Donnelly Rhodes, Anne Francis, (more)
