By Lee Pfeiffer
Among the many gems released by the Warner Archive is the obscure Girl of the Night which afforded Anne Francis a rare starring role in a theatrical feature. The 1960 modestly-budgeted movie purports to examine the pitfalls of a young woman who becomes a high-priced call girl. Francis plays Robin Williams (not the hairy guy from Mork and Mindy), a charismatic 24 year-old trying to carve a life for herself in New York City. She soon falls in love with Larry Taylor (John Kerr), a charismatic cad who pretends to love her while acting as her pimp. For a while, Robin seems content. She's pulling in enough loot to maintain a high lifestyle for herself and Larry, taking "appointments" from floozy madame Rowena (Kay Medford.) When she learns Larry has been cheating on her, she despairs and seeks advice from psychiatrist Dr. Mitchell (Lloyd Nolan in typically stoic Lloyd Nolan mode.) Much of the story unfolds as Robin relates to Dr. Mitchell how a troubled childhood of abuse and neglect led her to prostitution. Mitchell tries to convince her she is still being used and abused by Larry, who she consistently forgives, against her better judgment.
Despite the obvious opportunity to present the subject matter in a sexploitation format, Girl of the Night is
actually a highly engrossing film, intelligently written with a superb
performance by Francis that should have been considered for an Oscar
nomination. The fact that she never became a full-fledged star of the big screen is
puzzling, though she did gain a loyal following based on her Honey West TV
series in the 1960s. The film pulls its punches in terms of sanitizing
prostitution (the word "sex" is used only once) and consequently, the
worst aspects of the profession seem to be dealing with a few kinky
customers and an unchivalrous boyfriend. However, director Joseph Cates
handles the story very competently and takes advantage of some prime New
York City locations. The film's supporting cast is quite engaging, with
Kerr particularly good playing against type as a villain. The movie was
produced by Max Rosenberg, who would soon go on to produce some of the
most popular horror films of the 60s and 70s. In summary, Girl of the Night is a fine tribute to the talents of the under-appreciated Anne Francis.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON