▁( 1 9 8 1 ). ▁Upon ▁offering ▁her ▁the ▁part , ▁he ▁gave ▁her ▁the ▁se aled ▁en velope ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁had ▁placed ▁the ▁piece ▁of ▁paper ▁with ▁her ▁name ▁on ▁it . ▁Although ▁the ▁controvers ial ▁film ▁received ▁mixed ▁reviews , ▁L ange ▁was ▁widely ▁pra ised ▁for ▁her ▁performance . ▁ ▁While ▁editing ▁The ▁Post man ▁Always ▁R ings ▁Tw ice , ▁Gra eme ▁Cl iff ord ▁realized ▁he ▁had ▁found ▁the ▁leading ▁lady ▁for ▁his ▁next ▁film ▁– ▁his ▁first ▁as ▁a ▁director ; ▁a ▁bi ographical ▁film ▁of ▁actress ▁Frances ▁Far mer , ▁whose ▁dis ill usion ment ▁with ▁Hollywood ▁and ▁cha otic ▁family ▁background ▁led ▁her ▁down ▁a ▁trag ic ▁path . ▁Fil ming ▁Frances ▁( 1 9 8 2 ), ▁which ▁co - star red ▁Kim ▁Stanley ▁and ▁Sam ▁She p ard , ▁was ▁a ▁gru eling ▁experience ▁for ▁L ange , ▁who ▁por ed ▁over ▁the ▁screen play ▁scene ▁by ▁scene , ▁making ▁deep ▁and ▁often ▁tax ing ▁connections ▁between ▁her ▁life ▁and ▁Far mer ' s ▁to ▁tap ▁into ▁the ▁well ▁of ▁emot ions ▁the ▁role ▁required . ▁By ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁shoot , ▁she ▁was ▁phys ically ▁and ▁ment ally ▁spent . ▁Due ▁to ▁this , ▁she ▁decided ▁to ▁take ▁her ▁co - star ▁Stanley ' s ▁advice ▁to ▁star ▁in ▁" something ▁light ", ▁which ▁led ▁her ▁to ▁accept ▁a ▁supporting ▁role ▁opposite ▁D ust in ▁Hoff man ▁in ▁Sydney ▁Pol lack ' s ▁To ots ie ▁( 1 9