Follow the Boys

Connie Francis' big MGM recording career was over by the time this film came out in summer 1963. The actual title tune had hit the top ten over a year earlier, and Francis' recordings following this time were to receive only minor success. She could have gone on to movie stardom -- but not in a vehicle like this. This really seems like MGM didn't care about this movie. The script was poor, which was the biggest sin. Francis' acting carried the film well and cannot be faulted, but the songs she was given to sing were execrable. None of them were her hits, nor were they in the pop genre, for which she was noted and appreciated. This movie gets seven stars only out of respect for Francis -- the film by itself deserves a four. Connie Francis should have read MGM the riot act. This film was to lead to the box office disaster, Looking for Love, also recipient of a "bad script" award. Poor Connie just could not win.

In her period of movie stardom singer Connie Francis got a bunch of lightweight vehicles from MGM which were more designed to give her opportunities to sing and sell a few records. A movie career was strictly an afterthought for Connie Francis, the best of her films was the remake of Girl Crazy and that had Gershwin score going for it as well.

The featherweight plot of Follow The Boys has Connie with two other of her peers Paula Prentiss and Dany Robin being chaperoned around by the older Janis Paige on the way to their navy husbands and sweethearts who are enjoying duty on the Italian Riviera. Not much to say but all the couples go through the usual mating games. The men are Ron Randell, Richard Long, Roger Perry, and Russ Tamblyn.

There really isn't much more to say that you'll love the film if you like Connie Francis and her singing. She gets seven songs in the score.

Comedy trying to cash on the fresh approach to sexual mores of «Where the Boys Are» (1960), but Connie Francis, who provided songs and a few comic lines in that one and received first credit in this one, was not as lucky as Dolores Hart, whose character establishes the tone of the 1960 cult film with her defense of free sex in one of the first scenes. Francis' singing is not enough to carry this comedy afloat; and Janis Paige is wasted in a melodramatic role. Locations are attractive, and Paula Prentiss, Russ Tamblyn and Dany Robin are okay, but the three of them had better moments in their film careers than the silly situations provided by the scriptwriters. «Follow the Boys» has some value, though, as a comic dramatization of the story of the women called "seagulls", who followed their mates, love interests, or easy ways to get a green card, from port to port in Europe. Although today it is not a very flattering portrait of modern woman, the fact that this motion picture was made at all makes one think that it seemed more than adequate for the post-war population. But even by 1963 standards Richard Thorpe's direction was tired, the songs were forgettable, and the script was poor.

Four women, in various stages of romantic pursuit, "Follow the Boys" (men, actually) around European ports, mostly from a dilapidated old jalopy. The four females are: Connie Francis (as Bonnie Pulaski), Paula Prentiss (as Toni Denham), Janis Paige (as Liz Bradville) and Dany Robin (as Michele Perrier). Their "Boys" are: Russ Tamblyn (as Wadsworth Smith), Richard Long (as Peter Langley), Roger Perry (as Billy Pulaski), and Ron Randell (as Ben Bradville). The cast is likable, but the film is dull. Ms. Francis, not coincidently MGM's top selling recording artist, is especially noteworthy; with relatively little experience in films, she performs as well as anyone. However, Francis isn't given enough to do. After an Italian wine-stomping event, all's well that ends well.

**** Follow the Boys (2/27/63) Richard Thorpe ~ Connie Francis, Paula Prentiss, Russ Tamblyn

The only reason I tuned in was to see Paula Prentiss. A living doll.

It's too bad she got caught up in this potential career killer of a horrible movie.

Dialogue so trite & mundane, it's punishing.

I wonder if the direction would have seemed better if the writing wasn't so bad.

It's tough to have decent cinematography with ocean views, ships and such; yet still manage to produce such a poor flick. But they did it.

Don't recommend watching this bomb.