| Vintage Pulp | Nov 11 2023 |
She's always there when you need her, but who's there for her?
For years we've been eyeing this awesome promotional poster for the Anne Francis prostitution drama Girl of the Night and always meant to get around to watching the movie. Mission accomplished, finally. The film premiered today in 1960 and was based on The Call Girl, a bestselling book by psychologist Harold Greenwald that began as a doctoral dissertation about prostitutes. We gather it focused on the rationalizations women used to distance themselves from or compartmentalize the work. We wonder if it's outdated by now, but at the time the book was a sensation.
Francis plays Bobbie Williams, a call girl whose bad night causes her to begin talking with a therapist in her building. The movie takes the form of a couch confessional with flashbacks, as we learn about Francis's circumstances, and particularly about the two people—basically a pimp and madame—who conned her into the racket. As the therapy progresses we learn more about her past, including the delivery man who—this part is obviously vague considering the time period—either molested or raped her when she was a child.
With help maybe Francis can break loose from her cage, but it won't be easy. She's emotionally dependent on her pimp, and because she has no job skills freedom looks like another form of imprisonment. We thought all of this was pretty well done. Make no mistake—this movie is a melodrama, but it kept us interested, and that's entirely to the credit of Francis. She's best known these days for her virginal turn in 1956's Forbidden Planet, but she had range, and shows it as the burned out prostitute at the center of the film. For her performance alone, we recommend Girl of the Night.
New York CityGirl of the NightAnne FrancisLloyd NolanKay MedfordJohn KerrEileen FultonHarold Greenwaldposter artcinemaprostitutionmovie review
| Femmes Fatales | May 6 2022 |
I've come to think of you as more than just the anonymous voice that takes my pizza orders. By chance are you single?
Above: a noirish photo of U.S. actress Anne Francis made when she was filming the drama Girl of the Night in 1960, which is a movie we'll get to a bit later. It's her third appearance as a femme fatale on our website. Those are all good shots, but our favorite is not a femme fatale photo—it's the one we put up when Leslie Nielsen died. You can see it here.
| Vintage Pulp | Sep 15 2021 |
Sun, sand, samba—and a high stakes bank heist. The perfect trip to Rio.
Above is the third cover we've found for the entertaining Davis Goodis novel The Burglar, but the first foreign edition. It's from Brazil, published by Edições de Ouro, and the cover star is actress Anne Francis from a promo image made when she was filming Girl of the Night in 1960. The cover, which we've touched up just a little, came from a Facebook page we recently found and highlighted that's dedicated to Edições de Ouro and Editora Tecnoprint. Once again, it's a page you should keep tabs on.
BrazilEdições de Ouro e Editora TecnoprintGirl of the NightDavid GoodisAnne Franciscover artliterature
