State Fair (1945)

80% of critics liked it
(5 reviews)
76% of users liked it
(6,514 ratings)

Twentieth Century-Fox couldn't make a film version of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's Oklahoma in 1945--that particular Broadway musical would remain a "hot ticket" until the end of the decade--so the studio did the next best thing by hiring Rodgers & Hammerstein to pen the score for the… More Twentieth Century-Fox couldn't make a film version of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's Oklahoma in 1945--that particular Broadway musical would remain a "hot ticket" until the end of the decade--so the studio did the next best thing by hiring Rodgers & Hammerstein to pen the score for the Technicolorful State Fair. Fox had previously made a non-singing movie of Philip Stong's novel in 1933, with Janet Gaynor and Will Rogers in the leads. The musical remake downplayed the older characters in favor of the younger members of the cast. Set during the annual Iowa State Fair, the story concentrates on the Frakes family: father Charles Winninger, mother Fay Bainter, and grown-up children Jeanne Crain and Dick Haymes. Each has his or her own reason for attending the fair: Winninger intends to win the "prize hog" ribbon, Bainter hopes to defeat her longtime snooty rival in the food contest (she wins when the judges get schnockered on the alcohol in her entry), Crain falls in love with fast-talking journalist Dana Andrews, and Haymes woos footloose and fancy-free vocalist Vivian Blaine. Musical highlights include the Oscar-winning "It Might as Well be Spring," "It's a Grand Night for Singing," and the title number. To avoid confusion with the 1962 remake, the 1945 State Fair was for many years retitled It Happened One Summer for TV showings. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 40 min.
Directed By: Walter Lang
Genres: Musical & Performing Arts, Classics

In Theaters: Aug 30, 1945 Wide
On DVD: Apr 27, 1999
Studio: 20th Century Fox

Critic Reviews

Renee Schonfeld, Common Sense Media
Love and Rogers & Hammerstein music in 1940s Iowa.
Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central
Even among dyed-in-the-wool fans of R&H, this one's largely remembered, if remembered at all, as a dud.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Rodgers and hammerstein's songs are great, but this musical version of the 1933 Will Rogers' vehicle is poorly directed by Walter Wang and poorly acted by Jeanne Crain, whose voice is dubbed by Louanne Hogan.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Megan S

Rodgers' and Hammerstein's least creative lyrics "Our state fair is a great state fair...it's the greatest state fair in our state."

Cast

            Jeanne Crain as Margy Frake

            Dana Andrews as Pat Gilberg

            Dick Haymes as Wayne Frake

            Vivian Blaine as Emily Joyce

            Charles Winninger as Abel Frake

            Fay Bainter as Meilissa Frake

            Donald Meek as Hippenstahl

            Frank McHugh as McGee

            Percy Kilbride as Miller

            Henry Morgan as Barker

            Jane Nigh as Eleanor

            William Marshall as Marty

            Phil Brown as Harry Ware

            Paul E. Burns as Hank

            Tom Fadden as Eph

            William Frambes as Pappy

            Paul Harvey as Managing Editor

            John Dehner as Announcer

            Harlan Briggs as Judge

            Will Wright as Judge

            Alice Fleming as Judge

            Walter S. Baldwin as Farmer

            Ralph Sanford as Police Chief

            Virginia Brissac as Farmers' Wife

            Wheaton Chambers as Assistant Judge

            Jo Carroll Dennison as Girl

            Harry Depp as Secretary to Judge

            Coleen Gray as Girl

            Neal Hart as Farmer

            Frank Mayo as Man

            Emory Parnell as Senator

            Almira Sessions
            
            Minerva Urecal as Woman

            Josephine Whittell as Mrs. Metcalfe

            Margo Woode
            
            Francis Ford as Mr. Martin

            Earle Dewey
            
            Steve Olsen as Barker
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