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Inserting a fictional character like Harry York was lame

posted 14 years ago by Prom_Queen_Carrie
6 replies | jump to latest

Anyone else agree? I like Sam Shepard as an actor. And he has nice chemistry with Lange. I also know a movie doesn't have to be completely factual. But to completely add a love interest that never existed and feature him at crucial moments in the film, making him seem like such an important part of her life kind of put me off.

I mean in the beginning he has one occupation and runs into her, then when she's acting, he's doing something else. She's put in the institution, he shows up. It just seems like his character was an example of typical hollywood baloney. Adding a love interest and using him only as a device to move the plot along.

That scene where he punches the orderly and helps Frances escape the institution was ridiculous. lol.

"I'm f'ing busy-or vice versa" -Dorothy Parker

[–] Yort14 14 years ago

I agree,it doesn't quite work,but I think the screen writers felt Frances had to have some kind of support. Some warmth in a horrible life that she's fighting to get out of. The audience needs to see Frances express herself to someone,so in essence,she's expressing herself to them. I think Shepard's character was based on someone in Farmer's life,but it does come off like(let's put a love interest in there) The one thing about his character, that does work,for me,is that last scene with the two of them.It's very powerful and it wouldn't be so,with out that chemistry.

http://troyholden.blogspot.com/2010/07/box-office-poison.html

[–] jac91604 14 years ago

I agree. And why did they have to use a fake name for Leif Ericson?

[–] hillfox20 14 years ago

I think the 'Harry York' character contributed to the film failing at the box office. From what we read, Frances had a much more complex relationship with her mother and it might have been better to have highlighted that aspect of her life. This would have given the viewer a more sympathetic insight into per character. As it plays in the film, Frances Farmer comes over as her own worst enemy and mostly as an unlikeable character who elicits very little sympathy or understanding.

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] marvelass 11 years ago

They did a similar thing in the HBO film Iron Jawed Angels. The movie is about the women's suffrage movement in the US shortly before and after WWI, mainly focusing on National Woman's Party founder Alice Paul played by Hilary Swank.

Anyway, the filmmakers gave Paul a love interest, an editorial cartoonist for the Washington Post played by Patrick Dempsey, if only to drive the point home that Paul had to choose between a husband and family life or the cause that was near and dear to her heart. In reality, Paul had no such conflict. Her main focus was to get women the vote, and after that to get the Equal Rights Amendment (which she authored) passed. She never married and seemed to not regret it.

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[–] kevin-bergin 10 years ago

I thought it didn't make sense either.

"It's the system, Lara. People will be different after the Revolution."