STATE FA1R

US, 1945, 100 minutes, Colour.
Jeanne Crain, Dana Andrews, Dick Haymes, Vivian Blaine, Charles Winninger, Fay Bainter, Percy Kilbride, Harry Morgan.
Directed by Walter Lang.

State Fair is early Rodgers and Hammerstein. There was a non-musical film version in 1933 with Janet Gaynor and Will Rogers. (There was also a remake in the 1960s by Jose Ferrer with Pat Boone, Bobby Darin, Ann-Margaret? and Pamela Tiffin and Alice Faye, who was supposed to be in this version, in a supporting role.)

The film won an Oscar for the Rodgers and Hammerstein song ‘It Might As Well Be Spring’. Hammerstein had won an Oscar already in 1941 for ‘The Last Time I Saw Paris’, from Lady Be Good, written with Jerome Kern. When this film was made, Oklahoma was in its early success on Broadway. Rodgers and Hammerstein were to have greater success with film versions of their plays Oklahoma, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I and, of course, The Sound of Music.

This film is Midwestern material, a family going to the state fair. Brother and sister encounter people with whom they fall in love – will this continue after the fair? Jeanne Crain and Dick Haymes are brother and sister, Dana Andrews and Vivian Blaine are the people they meet. Percy Kilbride (Pa Kettle) and Harry Morgan (MASH) are in the supporting cast.

20th Century-Fox? made a similar kind of musical the next year, Centennial Summer, with music by Jerome Kern and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein. It also starred Jeanne Crain.

1. How enjoyable a musical? The quality of the film as musical comedy? As a piece of Americana? Rogers and Hammerstein musical comedy?

2. The film as an example of forties film-making: colour, music, attitudes and styles? Belief in America? The impact then, now? Differences?

3. The emphasis of the title? The opening song? The notices? The various people involved in the singing, their ordinariness? Iowa, pride and style of the American farmers? Their country towns?

4. What kind of picture of America did the film offer? An optimistic point of view? The newspaper reporter's point of view? His articles, prizes, photos, human interest? Is this the ordinary backbone of America? America's pride in its ordinary people?

5. How attractive was the family? Ordinary in its way of life, farm, raising of pigs, cooking etc.? The importance of winning prizes in the competitions at the fair? The father and his involvement with the pig, rivalry with other farmers? Mother and her cooking and the alcohol? The children within the family circle? The mutual bonds of family love? Tradition?

6. How attractive a heroine was Margie? An American heroine? Her opening pensiveness, the song 'It Might as well be Spring', the visit of Harry and her yearning for something better, her loyalty to her family? The encounter with the reporter on the wheel? Love and attraction? Joy and her involvement with him over the Fair weekend? Her joy in his interest in her family? The sadness of his not turning up at the end? The happy fulfilment and marriage? Realistic, fairytale?

7. How interesting a character was Wayne? Typical American young man? His involvement with his girl friend? His hopes? The Hoop-La?, and the come-uppance of the proprietor, the singer helping him? His infatuation with her? His going to the party? His ability at singing and enjoyment of her company? The disillusionment about her being married? His return to his fiancee then wiser? What did he learn?

8.How well presented was the character of the reporter? The city man with ambitions, doing his job, infatuation with Margie, choice between job and Margie? Happy ending?

9. How well portrayed the character of the singer? Her infatuation with Wayne and leading him on? The party and her sympathy? Her role with the band? Her ambitions and career? Marriage? A sour realistic tone to the optimism?

10. The portrayal of the family and its warmth? Relationship of father and mother, especially at the fair, the dancing etc.? The competition and the build-up to their winning the prizes?

11. How enjoyable was the screenplay? The humorous characters? Humorous situations, the winning of the competitions and the inebriated judge?

12. The contribution of the song writer and his use of the song? Disillusioning Wayne?

13. The contribution of the Rodgers and Hammerstein score: 'It Might as well be Spring’. 'Iowa Song', 'It's a Grand Night for Singing' etc.?

14. How warmly human was this musical?