Follow the Boys is a 1963 American comedy film directed by Richard Thorpe[1] and starring Connie Francis, Paula Prentiss, and Janis Paige,[1] released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Shot on location on the French and Italian Riviera, Follow the Boys was MGM's second film vehicle for top recording artist Francis following Where the Boys Are (1960). While Francis' role in the earlier film had been somewhat secondary, she had a distinctly central role in Follow the Boys playing Bonnie Pulaski, a newlywed traveling the Riviera.
| Follow the Boys | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Theatrical film poster | |
| Directed by | Richard Thorpe |
| Written by | David T. Chantler David D. Osborne |
| Based on | story by Lawrence Bachmann |
| Produced by | Lawrence Bachmann |
| Starring | Paula Prentiss Connie Francis Janis Paige |
| Cinematography | Ted Scaife |
| Edited by | John Victor-Smith |
| Music by | Ron Goodwin Alexander Courage |
Production company | MGM |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
Release date |
|
Running time | 95 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Plot
editBonnie visits various ports-of-call in hopes of a rendezvous with her sailor husband (Roger Perry), who is summoned to active duty from their honeymoon. Missing the original point and time of rendezvous in the port of Nice by a few minutes, Bonnie follows the ship to Italy in a somewhat rickety and battered pink 2 CV accompanied by veteran navy wife Janis Paige and two other officers' girlfriends, played by Francis' Where the Boys Are co-star Paula Prentiss and by Dany Robin, who are likewise intent on romantic reunions. Happy endings for each of the ladies are delayed by a series of romantic and comedic misunderstandings.
Paige's husband is played by Ron Randell, with Richard Long and Russ Tamblyn as the respective love interests for Robin and Prentiss.
Cast
edit- Connie Francis as Bonnie Pulaski
- Paula Prentiss as Toni Denham. Follow the Boys was the first instance of Prentiss and her husband Richard Benjamin performing in the same film production, although Benjamin's part as an aide to the admiral did not make the final cut.
- Janis Paige as Liz Bradville
- Dany Robin as Michele Perrier
- Russ Tamblyn as Lt(JG) "Smitty" Smith
- Richard Long as Lt(JG) Pete Langley
- Ron Randell as Lt. Cmdr. Ben Bradville
- Roger Perry as Radarman 3rd Class Billy Pulaski
Production
editThe movie followed the success of MGM's Where the Boys Are, which was about four women seeking romance in Fort Lauderdale during spring break. It starred Connie Francis and Paula Prentiss, who would be in Follow the Boys.
MGM producer-writer Lawrence Bachman had a vacation home in the south of France. While staying there, he met several Navy wives who lived in Villefranche and spent a lot of their time following their husbands from port to port. This gave him the idea for the movie.[2] The film was made by MGM's British arm, of which Bachmann was production head.[3]
In April 1962 MGM announced the leads would be Connie Francis and Bobby Vee.[4]
In May the cast was to be Francis, Paula Prentiss, Russ Tamblyn and Tom Tully with Richard Thorpe to direct.[5] Jim Hutton was also to star.[6] Ron Randell was cast off the back of his success in MGM's King of Kings.[7] In the end Hutton or Vee did not appear in the final movie.
The film was shot in the south of France and at London's Elstree Studios in August 1962. At the same time, MGM were also making a similar "three girls" romantic comedy featuring a star from Where the Boys Are, Come Fly With Me.[8][9]
Reception
editThe Los Angeles Times called it "the least rowdy service comedy I've ever seen."[10] Bosley Crowther of The New York Times said it "lacks sufficient foreground substance to make it anything more than a limp show."[11]
References
edit- ^ a b "Follow the Boys". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ Aline Mosby (October 16, 1962). "Fleet's In...With Wives On the Dock". The Washington Post and Times-Herald.
- ^ "Metro's Prod Chief in London Sees Britain as Future Film Centre". Variety. 2 May 1962. p. 89. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ Actress Laughs Off Rockefeller Rumor: Joan Crawford Denies Tip but Says, 'Wish It Were True' Hopper, Hedda. Los Angeles Times 14 Apr 1962: B6.
- ^ Great Sebastians' Up for Lucy, Bing: Randell, Martin on Own; Foreign-Film Fans Choosy Scheuer, Philip K. Los Angeles Times 11 May 1962: C11.
- ^ Scheuer, P. K. (May 23, 1962). "Is french riviera a location threat?". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 168134172.
- ^ Vagg, Stephen (August 10, 2019). "Unsung Aussie Actors – Ron Randell: A Top Twenty". Filmink.
- ^ Scheuer, Philip K. (August 12, 1962). "The Tea Break Notwithstanding, London Studios Humming". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Scheuer, Philip K. (May 11, 1962). "Great Sebastians' Up for Lucy, Bing: Randell, Martin on Own; Foreign-Film Fans Choosy". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Girls Follow Boys Around in Circles: Films Teen-agers' Choice; San Francisco Fest 'Official' Scheuer, Philip K. Los Angeles Times 14 Mar 1963: C9.
- ^ Screen: Frazzled Frolic: 'Follow the Boys' Is a Familiar Story By BOSLEY CROWTHER Special to The New York Times. 28 Feb 1963: 8.
External links
edit- Follow the Boys at IMDb
- Follow the Boys at the TCM Movie Database
- Follow the Boys at AllMovie
- Follow the Boys at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- Follow the Boys at NY Times Movie Guide