Frances Farmer (September 19, 1913 – August 1, 1970)

John Edward interviewed Sharon Stone, and in the middle of it, Sharon spoke about Jessica Lange playing Frances Farmer in the film “Frances”. Unconsciously, I knew about her story, but I’d never actually paid too much attention to it. Frances Farmer was a certain kind of actress that directors and producers wanted to feature in their films, like Tuesday Weld or Carroll Baker. But she didn’t want to be pigeon-holed. In the 1940’s she got into trouble with her rebellious behaviour, especially with the law, and she got locked up in a psychiatric hospital. The following exposé sensationalizes the story, but also asks the question: “How much was fabricated by Frances herself and by those who hoped to gain from her notoriety?”

That got me to thinking, is there something in her birth chart that could explain why she was the way she was?

The timing is considered good. What caught my eye was the close conjunction between Mars and Pluto in Cancer, both inconjunct to Uranus. Because Mars and Pluto are in the 10th House (of Career) it will be understood that she would have objected to how Hollywood wanted her to appear.

Mars Conjunct Pluto

You have a very strong will, although you may express it in subtle ways. If you don’t get your way, you may lose your temper, but when you see that that will get you nowhere, you change your tactics. The greatest problem with this aspect is that you may decide that getting your own way is the most important thing in life and that the only way to get it is by controlling others. Unless you are taught to have a high regard for other people’s rights, you may trample upon them. But in that case people are likely to gang up on you and try to stop you at every turn, which will make you feel very frustrated and even farther from attaining your objectives. Instead of manipulating people, you must learn how to handle others creatively, so that they benefit from whatever happens as much as you do.

Regardless of your sex, with this aspect you may have considerable difficulty with men, It is particularly important that your relationship with your father be close and warm, with as little conflict and no physical punishment.

Planets in Youth by Robert Hand (1977) Pages 237-8

Mars Inconjunct Uranus

You have a tendency to be rash and impulsive, which may get in your way. If matters proceed too slowly, you are likely to make a sudden move that upsets the whole situation and forces you to start over again. You must learn to be patient if you want to achieve your objectives.

This energy may also be expressed as a hot temper, especially when you have to endure restriction or limitation. You have a rebellious streak that needs to be disciplined, because everyone has to endure some restrictions, and it takes so little to trigger your temper.

Ibid Pages 233-4

Uranus Inconjunct Pluto (1892-1894 and 1911-1912)

This aspect indicates changes in the world of the people who were born in these times, changes that were difficult to understand because they were very revolutionary but subtle in many ways. The people born during the first perios experienced the consequences of these changes through having to fight in the First World War. The second group reached maturity at the time of the Great Depression. Both the First World War and the Depression were expressions of the breakdown of the nineteenth-century world order that was dominated by Western Europe.

Ibid Pages 319-20

It isn’t hard to understand how a young woman like Frances Farmer was rebelling from the life of a little woman (Cancer) who ‘should’ be at home, in the kitchen, raising a brood of children. The patriarchy wanted to break her down, so that she would conform. But, it seems, she got the last laugh.

Hmm.

Britney Spears (December 2, 1981)

I hadn’t thought of her situation being similar to Frances’ in the past. The timing works for me.

Has anything really changed? I don’t think so.

Hmm, again.