State Fair (B or 3/4 stars)
In 1945, 20th Century Fox made a musical version of its 1933 hit 'State Fair' with Charles Winninger & Fay Bainter in the roles that were originated by then stars, Will Rogers & Louise Dresser. In this version (directed by Walter Lang), to appeal to younger audiences, the roles of the parental couple were scaled back and, instead, the stories of the 2 younger couples in the story were bolstered up. Set during the annual Iowa State Fair, the plot centers on the Frakes family: father Abel (Charles Winninger), mother Melissa (Fay Bainter), & teenaged children, Margy (beautiful Jeanne Crain) & Wayne (blonde crooner, Dick Haymes).
Each of these characters has his/her own reason for attending the fair: Abel hopes to win the "prize hog" ribbon, Melissa wishes to defeat her longtime rival in the food contest (she wins when the head judge gets drunk on her liquored-up mincemeat), Margy falls in love with fast-talking, big city journalist, Pat (Dana Andrews), & Wayne woos big city singer, Emily Edwards (fiery redhead, Vivian Blaine). Some laughs, light drama, joyful singing, & assorted romantic entanglements ensue.
This movie was nominated for 2 Academy Awards, winning the Song Oscar for It Might As Well Be Spring, with music by Richard Rodgers & lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Other songs include the titular number {try getting THAT out of your head}, and the great It's a Grand Night for Singing. There are only 5 or 6 songs ... but they are melodic, and pleasantly linger in your mind. Future Rodgers & Hammerstein collaborations include Oklahoma! (1955), Carousel (1956), South Pacific (1958), and, of course, The Sound of Music (1965), which triumphed at the Academy Awards. I enjoyed this version of 'State Fair' ... but to me, it's not in the echelon of R&H's aforementioned works. There's nothing WRONG with it, it just doesn't - pardon the pun - sing as much as those other classics.
In fact, with the exception of the 5 or 6 songs, this 1945 version doesn't really have much going on. In other words, there is little substance to the story. A couple of romances, a couple of laughs ... that's about it. Nothing juicy; nothing intriguing. And Walter Lang's direction, while solid, is far from spectacular. Having said that, the Technicolor cinematography is wonderful to look at. Jeanne Crain is just a vision. Not only is she adorable, but her lipsynching is spot-on; you'd never know that it wasn't her singing her songs. And it's no wonder that this is the movie that made her a star. Dana Andrews makes for a very sturdy, handsome romantic lead. Dick Haymes sure sings well; though, I'd never tap him to be an Iowan farm boy. Vivian Blaine is gorgeous & isn't hard on the ears, either.
I also enjoyed Fay Bainter & Charles Winninger as that sort of Iowan couple who has never left the state and plan/dream about the fair each year. And I liked Harry Morgan as the state fair 'barker'; someone who reels people in to play various trailer games. So yeah, I definitely enjoyed 'State Fair'. It's lovely, fun, breezy, & unchallenging -- if that's what you're looking for. I just wish there was something ELSE to the story then what we got. The other R&H collaborations had deeper thematic content & dramatic drive bubbling beneath the surface level entertainment of light comedy, singing, & dancing.
Each of these characters has his/her own reason for attending the fair: Abel hopes to win the "prize hog" ribbon, Melissa wishes to defeat her longtime rival in the food contest (she wins when the head judge gets drunk on her liquored-up mincemeat), Margy falls in love with fast-talking, big city journalist, Pat (Dana Andrews), & Wayne woos big city singer, Emily Edwards (fiery redhead, Vivian Blaine). Some laughs, light drama, joyful singing, & assorted romantic entanglements ensue.
This movie was nominated for 2 Academy Awards, winning the Song Oscar for It Might As Well Be Spring, with music by Richard Rodgers & lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Other songs include the titular number {try getting THAT out of your head}, and the great It's a Grand Night for Singing. There are only 5 or 6 songs ... but they are melodic, and pleasantly linger in your mind. Future Rodgers & Hammerstein collaborations include Oklahoma! (1955), Carousel (1956), South Pacific (1958), and, of course, The Sound of Music (1965), which triumphed at the Academy Awards. I enjoyed this version of 'State Fair' ... but to me, it's not in the echelon of R&H's aforementioned works. There's nothing WRONG with it, it just doesn't - pardon the pun - sing as much as those other classics.
In fact, with the exception of the 5 or 6 songs, this 1945 version doesn't really have much going on. In other words, there is little substance to the story. A couple of romances, a couple of laughs ... that's about it. Nothing juicy; nothing intriguing. And Walter Lang's direction, while solid, is far from spectacular. Having said that, the Technicolor cinematography is wonderful to look at. Jeanne Crain is just a vision. Not only is she adorable, but her lipsynching is spot-on; you'd never know that it wasn't her singing her songs. And it's no wonder that this is the movie that made her a star. Dana Andrews makes for a very sturdy, handsome romantic lead. Dick Haymes sure sings well; though, I'd never tap him to be an Iowan farm boy. Vivian Blaine is gorgeous & isn't hard on the ears, either.
I also enjoyed Fay Bainter & Charles Winninger as that sort of Iowan couple who has never left the state and plan/dream about the fair each year. And I liked Harry Morgan as the state fair 'barker'; someone who reels people in to play various trailer games. So yeah, I definitely enjoyed 'State Fair'. It's lovely, fun, breezy, & unchallenging -- if that's what you're looking for. I just wish there was something ELSE to the story then what we got. The other R&H collaborations had deeper thematic content & dramatic drive bubbling beneath the surface level entertainment of light comedy, singing, & dancing.