Follow the Boys (1963 film)

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.

For the theme song sung by Connie Francis, see Follow the Boys (song). For the 1944 movie starring Marlene Dietrich, see Follow the Boys (1944 film). For the 1966 film starring Fred MacMurray, see Follow Me, Boys!
Follow the Boys
Theatrical film poster
Directed byRichard Thorpe
Written byDavid T. Chantler
David D. Osborne
Based onstory by Lawrence Bachmann
Produced byLawrence Bachmann
StarringPaula Prentiss
Connie Francis
Janis Paige
CinematographyTed Scaife
Edited byJohn Victor-Smith
Music byRon Goodwin
Alexander Courage
Production
company
MGM
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • February 27, 1963 (1963-02-27)
Running time
95 min.
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot

Bonnie 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

Production

The 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]

In April 1962 MGM announced the leads would be Connie Francis and Bobby Vee.[3]

In May the cast was to be Francis, Paula Prentiss, Russ Tamblyn and Tom Tully with Richard Thorpe to direct.[4] Jim Hutton was also to star.[5] Ron Randell was cast off the back of his success in MGM's King of Kings.[6] 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.[7][8]

Reception

The Los Angeles Times called it "the least rowdy service comedy I've ever seen."[9] The New York Times said it "lacks sufficient foreground substance to make it anything more than a limp show."[10]

References
  1. "Follow the Boys". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
  2. Aline Mosby (October 16, 1962). "Fleet's In...With Wives On the Dock". The Washington Post and Times-Herald.
  3. Actress Laughs Off Rockefeller Rumor: Joan Crawford Denies Tip but Says, 'Wish It Were True' Hopper, Hedda. Los Angeles Times 14 Apr 1962: B6.
  4. Great Sebastians' Up for Lucy, Bing: Randell, Martin on Own; Foreign-Film Fans Choosy Scheuer, Philip K. Los Angeles Times 11 May 1962: C11.
  5. Scheuer, P. K. (May 23, 1962). "Is french riviera a location threat?". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 168134172.
  6. Vagg, Stephen (August 10, 2019). "Unsung Aussie Actors – Ron Randell: A Top Twenty". Filmink.
  7. Scheuer, Philip K. (August 12, 1962). "The Tea Break Notwithstanding, London Studios Humming". Los Angeles Times.
  8. Scheuer, Philip K. (May 11, 1962). "Great Sebastians' Up for Lucy, Bing: Randell, Martin on Own; Foreign-Film Fans Choosy". Los Angeles Times.
  9. Girls Follow Boys Around in Circles: Films Teen-agers' Choice; San Francisco Fest 'Official' Scheuer, Philip K. Los Angeles Times 14 Mar 1963: C9.
  10. Screen: Frazzled Frolic: 'Follow the Boys' Is a Familiar Story By BOSLEY CROWTHER Special to The New York Times. 28 Feb 1963: 8.
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