Pouring through the “In Memoriam” tributes to Connie Francis following her July 16 death, aged 87, I was a little surprised to find how few mentioned her brief but highly successful foray into film — particularly considering her most famous tune, “Where the Boys Are,” was the title of her debut feature. So, like any self-respecting vintage pop culture lover, I popped on the movie this morning to relive the screen presence that was Ms. Francis.

Francis is part of the ensemble in “Where the Boys Are,” which should be the focus of its own film essay series… I mean, truly, this Hays Code-bending 1960 teen comedy-drama focuses on a group of college girls hunting for men while on spring break in Ft. Lauderdale: some are willing to keep their virtue, some are not. Francis plays hockey player Angie, the kind of wise-cracking sidekick character that would eventually support Meg Ryan in ’90s romcoms. And she actually says at one point, “We’re going to Lauderdale for one reason: to meet boys!”

Francis doesn’t get the heavy material (and it gets schockingly heavy for how light it starts) to play that her co-stars do… future nun Dolores Hart is the focal point, playing a nerd whose romantic life opens up when she meets the dashing, rich George Hamilton. Then there’s Paula Prentiss, who defies being tall (treated as a major hindrance) to fall for also very tall Jim Hutton. Yvette Mimieux‘s story I don’t want to give away much about, just to say that life (and men) hits her hard, and it’s through her that the movie’s shift from teen-to-adult drama occurs. It’s actually handled extremely well, so I won’t give anything away on that score.

The movie works because it speaks pretty frankly to teenage concerns, albeit in a buttoned-up 1960 style, and the cast from top-to-bottom is highly charismatic. Francis was clearly dropped into the film to help allow for the crossover hit song. By this point, the MGM Records recording artist was having consistent success on the charts. “My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own” went No. 1 the year “Where the Boys Are” was released — why wouldn’t the company drop their 23-year-old pop star in a film released by their own movie studio?

I’ll throw down a spoiler or two for Francis’ Angie. She ends up with the Riddler, or at least the actor who played the Riddler in the ’60s “Batman,” Frank Gorshin. How does she land him? Well, music of course. In addition to the title tune, she sings “Turn on the Sunshine.”

“Where the Boys Are” was such a huge success it spun off an entire genre of beach-set teen and college-set comedies, most decidedly without the prestige or polish of their predecessor. Francis herself would star — this time above the title — in a trio of copycats. You’ll notice a theme: “Follow the Boys,” “Looking for Love,” and “Where the Boys Meet the Girls.” “Follow the Boys” was so transparent in its dual objective, as far as Francis’ career goes, that its theatrical poster announced “Connie Sings… and the Whole Fleet Swings!”

What’s very clear in every one of her plucky performances is that Francis was far more than just a smooth pop songstress — she also was loaded with natural wit, charm, and appeal. It is hard to imagine she stopped acting, entirely, after just four movies — even as she continued as a top music act for the rest of her life.

And while it seems a shame, maybe it allows this quartet of films — and in particularly the outstanding “Where the Boys Are” — to be rediscovered. As songs like “Pretty Little Baby” find new audiences through TikTok trends, perhaps it will lead people back to Francis’ catalogue and her brief run as a top-flight box office attraction.

We’ll let Ms. Francis lead us out with her signature tune. Watch below.