Singers Make Movies: Connie Francis and Donna Summer

Connie Francis & Harve Presnell.

When the Boys Meet the Girls (1965). What possessed a Hollywood producer to pitch a 1960s update of the George and Ira Gershwin stage musical Girl Crazy starring Connie Francis, Liberace, Louis Armstrong, Herman's Hermits, and Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs? We may never know. But shockingly, the movie was made and now we can experience When the Boys Meet the Girls.

The "plot" sends a wealthy college student named Danny Churchill (Harve Presnell) to Nevada to avoid marriage to a vivacious, troublesome blonde (Sue Ane Langdon). Once there, Danny meets Ginger (Connie Francis), a hardworking gal whose father is drowning in gambling debt. Danny quickly becomes invested in helping Ginger save her family’s ranch, which is on the verge of being seized by Reno gangsters. His big idea: transform the ranch into a divorcee getaway resort, with his new college friends pitching in on construction.

This framework is just an excuse for the incongruous musical numbers: Liberace and Louis Armstrong perform their own compositions, Connie and Harve sing Gershwin tunes, and Sam the Sham offers "Monkey See, Monkey Do." Peter Noone does double duty, performing the Gershwins' "Bidin' My Time" and a contemporary tune called "Listen People," which peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart the following year.

Unless you're a fan of the musical acts, the only reason to see When the Boys Meet the Girls is Sue Ane Langdon. She looks fabulous, exudes endless energy, and performs a peppy rendition of "Treat Me Rough." If you're like me, you'll be wondering why Danny didn't want to marry her character!

Disco queen Donna Summer.

Thank God It's Friday (1978). At the height of the disco era (yes, I was there), record company giants Motown and Casablanca teamed up for this time-capsule comedy that won an Oscar. I bet that caught your attention! OK, the Oscar was for Best Song for Donna Summer's classic "Last Dance," but, hey, it's still an Oscar.

Thank God It's Friday take place during a single night at The Zoo, a bustling Los Angeles disco. Over the course of the evening, an aspiring singer tries to get her big break, underage teens scheme to enter a dance contest, a married couple’s anniversary takes an unexpected turn, and a frazzled roadie races to deliver The Commodores’ instruments before showtime. As flirtations, mishaps, and disco‑fueled dreams unfold across the crowded dance floor, one is reminded how good Saturday Night Fever really was.

While this is a movie that will test your patience, there are some nuggets of interest. As a young woman looking for love, Debra Winger flashes the charm that would make her a star in An Officer and a Gentleman. Jeff Goldblum, in an early performance, uses his charisma to make the nightclub's sleazy owner almost likable. And Donna Summer proves that no one could match her high-octane and high-octave disco song performances. As a added bonus, The Commodores perform an original song called "Too Hot ta Trot" (take special note of Lionel Ritchie's 1970s hair and mustache).

For trivia fans: Thank God It's Friday has a connection to another Best Song Oscar winner. Terri Nunn, who plays one of the teen girls in the dance contest, later became lead singer for the group Berlin. She sang "Take My Breath Away" for the Top Gun soundtrack in 1986 and that song earned an Academy Award.