State Fair (1945 film)
| State Fair | |
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 Theatrical release poster |
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| Directed by | Walter Lang |
| Produced by | William Perlberg |
| Written by | Paul Green Oscar Hammerstein II Sonya Levien Philip Stong |
| Starring | Jeanne Crain Dana Andrews |
| Cinematography | Leon Shamroy |
| Editing by | J. Watson Webb Jr. |
| Distributed by | Fox Film Corporation |
| Release date(s) |
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| Running time | 100 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $4,050,000 (US/ Canada rentals) [1] |
State Fair is a 1945 American film directed by Walter Lang and is a musical adaptation of the 1933 film of the same name, with original music by Rodgers and Hammerstein. The film stars Jeanne Crain, Dana Andrews, Dick Haymes, Vivian Blaine, Fay Bainter and Charles Winninger. State Fair was remade in 1962, that time starring Pat Boone and Ann-Margret.
State Fair was the only Rodgers and Hammerstein musical written directly for film. The movie introduced such popular songs as "It's A Grand Night For Singing" and "It Might as Well Be Spring", which won the Academy Award for Best Song. In 1996 it was adapted for a Broadway musical of the same name, with additional songs taken from other Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals.
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Plot [edit]
The Frake family heads off for the Iowa State Fair - each with their own hopes for the trip. Mother Melissa (Fay Bainter) hopes her pickles and mincemeat will beat a rival's. Father Abel (Charles Winninger) is bringing his prize boar, Blue Boy, to show. Their son Wayne (Dick Haymes) has a lesson to teach to one of the game barkers, and is upset when his girl can't go to the fair this year. And Margy (Jeanne Crain) just wants something to pull her out of her melancholy mood, as portrayed in the song, "It Might as Well Be Spring".
All members of the family have their own adventures in store during their days at the fair, returning to the family camper each evening with their own thoughts and secrets. Margy spends her days and evenings with newspaper writer Pat (Dana Andrews)... will he be the change she's looking for? Wayne woos singer Emily (Vivian Blaine); how will that affect his relationship with the girl back home?
Cast [edit]
- Jeanne Crain as Margy Frake
- Dana Andrews as Pat Gilbert
- Dick Haymes as Wayne Frake
- Vivian Blaine as Emily Edwards
- Charles Winninger as Abel Frake
- Fay Bainter as Melissa "Ma" Frake
- Donald Meek as Mr. Hippenstahl, the pickle and mincemeat judge.
- Frank McHugh as McGee, a song plugger. He wants Emily to sing a song he's promoting, and becomes a buddy to a lovelorn Wayne after using him to get the song to Emily.
- Percy Kilbride as Dave Miller
- Harry Morgan as a carnival barker against whom Wayne has a grudge.
- Blue Boy a boar that was raised by Ed S. Rennick of Pilger, Nebraska.[2]
Singers [edit]
Dick Haymes and Vivian Blaine were well known big band singers of the time who did their own singing. Jeanne Crain's singing voice was dubbed by Louanne Hogan.
Songs [edit]
- "Our State Fair"
- "It Might as Well Be Spring"
- "That's for Me"
- "Isn't It Kind of Fun?"
- "It's A Grand Night For Singing"
- "All I Owe Ioway"
In popular culture [edit]
The film The Moon Is Blue was the focus of a 1982 episode of the television series M*A*S*H, in which the characters, having heard about the controversy surrounding that film, attempt to get a copy shipped to their mobile hospital in Korea, but ultimately get State Fair instead. Actor Harry Morgan, who played Sherman T. Potter for much of M*A*S*H's run, appears in State Fair as a carnival barker.[3]
References [edit]
- ^ "All-Time Top Grossers", Variety, January 8, 1964 p 69
- ^ "Nebraska (Second edition): A Guide to the Cornhusker State" by Federal Writers' Project, page 288.
- ^ M*A*S*H episode recap at TV.com
External links [edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: State Fair (film) |
- State Fair at the Internet Movie Database (1945 version)
- State Fair at AllRovi
- State Fair at the TCM Movie Database
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