cult film freak: CULT STARLET DIANE FRANKLIN IN 'SUMMER GIRL'

Written by James M. Tate / 12/01/2013 / 2 Comments / barry bostwick , diane franklin , eighties , kim darby , murray hamilton , suspense , tv movie

CULT STARLET DIANE FRANKLIN IN 'SUMMER GIRL'

12/01/2013 | 2 Comments

year: 1983 cast: Diane Franklin, Barry Bostwick, Kim Darby, David Faustino rating: ***1/2

If the premise of a middle-aged couple hiring a seductive babysitter sounds familiar, it already was for fans of SUMMER GIRL when the popular HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE came out years later. Although both should give THE BABYSITTER starring William Shatner and Patty Duke the real credit. And Stanley Kubrick's LOLITA before that. But wait, she wasn't a babysitter.

Onto matters at hand... Teenage Diane Franklin stars as Cinni, who, during an interview with pregnant mother Kim Darby, looks downright plain and unassuming. That's the first surprise of this TV movie: they could actually make the gorgeous Diane Franklin, who had starred in THE LAST AMERICAN VIRGIN and would later play the cutie-pie French Exchange student in BETTER OFF DEAD, seem homely. But Kim Darby's Mary Shelburne trusts the ugly ducking... there's nothing to be threatened by... and the quirky babysitter is hired for the job.

Diane Franklin is Cinni in SUMMER GIRL

When Mary and her husband Gavin, played by Barry Bostwick, pick her up – something’s happened. Cinni, dressed-down for summer, is gorgeous with, as described by a several characters including an old neighbor played by JAWS mayor Murray Hamilton, “a hot little body.” This provides a dilemma for Mary, who realizes her husband, and even the kids, prefer the babysitter’s presence to her own.

Here's where Diane Franklin begins to really shine as the villainous vixen, manipulating not only Bostwick with her sexual prowess but, acting like an assertive older sister, gets the kiddos on her team as well. Thus making Kim Darby, no stranger to pouting/put-upon characters, the victim who can't regain her family life.

Diane Franklin is Cinni in SUMMER GIRL

Although the chemistry heating up between Bostwick and Franklin is essential, the best moments occur tenuously between jealous mother and mischievous babysitter before the inevitable turning point, neither revealing their cards... just... yet. The only downtime occurs when Cinni's visited by her slightly older boyfriend, who is much too clingy. You'll want him outta the picture so the real sparks can fly between the married man whose wife is teetering on her last straw.

Eventually, when Cinni has no other choice but to play her desperate hand, finally going over the edge, the suspense works despite the limitations of a TV movie... As that genre goes, SUMMER GIRL is tops: providing enough edgy soap opera intrigue and repressed sexual energy to keep the viewer interested from start to finish.

Photo Gallery of Diane Franklin in the rare TV movie SUMMER GIRL

Kim Darby in SUMMER GIRL

Laura Jacoby, Barry Bostwick and David Faustino in SUMMER GIRL

Diane Franklin is Cinni in SUMMER GIRL

Barry Bostwick in SUMMER GIRL

Diane Franklin with Barry Bostwick in SUMMER GIRL

Kim Darby in SUMMER GIRL

Barry Bostwick in SUMMER GIRL

Diane Franklin is Cinni in SUMMER GIRL

Diane Franklin with Barry Bostwick in SUMMER GIRL

Diane Franklin is Cinni in SUMMER GIRL

Kim Darby almost snaps in SUMMER GIRL

Diane Franklin is Cinni in SUMMER GIRL

BUY DIANE FRANKLIN'S AWESOME BIOGRAPHY/BOOK AT AMAZON

Share This Post :

Tags : barry bostwick , diane franklin , eighties , kim darby , murray hamilton , suspense , tv movie

James M. Tate

2 comments:

Sweet Pea LiteraryJuly 19, 2013 at 8:51 PM
As a kid growing up in the 1980's, this movie was my family's all time favorite. We never grew tired of watching it over and over. My grandparents, aunts, cousins and I were known to state those famous lines at random: Mother: "Where are the children?" Cinny: "I killed them..."
ReplyDelete
Replies

Add comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

FAVORITES SHORTLIST

1)THE FEARMAKERS 2)JAWS 3)THE CROWDED SKY 4)RAIDERS FROM BENEATH THE SEA 5)ANATOMY OF A MURDER 6)ASH WEDNESDAY 7)SHARKS' TREASURE 8)CANYON PASSAGE 9)THE MAN FROM LARAMIE 10)HOT CARS 11)CURSE OF THE DEMON 12)HARDCORE 13)VIOLENT SATURDAY 14)ROYAL FLASH 15)DUEL IN THE JUNGLE 16)SWEENEY TWO 17)THE DEFECTOR 18)THE ROARING TWENTIES 19)AIR PATROL 20)THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN 21)THE SERGEANT 22)OTLEY 23)AL CAPONE 24)WILLIAM CONRAD'S BRAINSTORM 25)FALLEN ANGEL 26)THE PARTY 27)COMPULSION 28)MY BLOOD RUNS COLD 29)EASY LIVING 30)WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS 31)ATLANTIC CITY 32)JUDGEMENT AT NUREMBERG 33)CANYON RIVER 34)MADISON AVENUE 35)THE SHARKFIGHTERS 36)DEMETRIUS AND THE GLADIATORS 37)QUANTRILL'S RAIDERS 38)KILLER FISH 39)THUNDER ISLAND 40)THE DAY THEY ROBBED THE BANK OF ENGLAND

ACTORS 1)DANA ANDREWS 2)JAMES CAGNEY 3)MARLON BRANDO 4)JACK NICHOLSON 5)ORSON WELLES 6)PETER O'TOOLE 7)TOM COURTENAY 8)CHARLES BRONSON 9)GENE HACKMAN 10)VICTOR MATURE ACTRESSES 1)VIRGINIA MAYO 2)SUE LYON 3)GENE TIERNEY 4)MERRY ANDERS 5)FAYE DUNAWAY DIRECTORS 1)JACQUES TOURNEUR 2)RICHARD FLEISCHER 3)STANLEY KUBRICK 4)ORSON WELLES 5)OTTO PREMINGER 6)JOHN CARPENTER 7)MAURY DEXTER 8)JOHN LANDIS 9)MICHAEL WINNER 10)SAM PECKINPAH