The Farmer's Daughter (1947)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

H.C. Potter

Writers:

Hella Wuolijoki (play)
Allen Rivkin (writer) ...

Release Date:

26 March 1947 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

A Gal Who Really Goes To Town !

Plot:

Katie Holstrom leaves the farm to become a nurse, but is sidetracked into domestic service, romance, and politics.

Plot Keywords:

Politics | Farmers Daughter | Congressman | Campaign | Mother Son Relationship

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Loretta Young	...	Katrin Holstrom
Joseph Cotten	...	Glenn Morley
Ethel Barrymore	...	Agatha Morley
Charles Bickford	...	Joseph Clancy
Rose Hobart	...	Virginia Thatcher
Rhys Williams	...	Adolph Petree
Harry Davenport	...	Agatha's Doctor
Tom Powers	...	Hy Nordick
William Harrigan	...	Ward Hughes
Lex Barker	...	Olaf Holstrom
Harry Shannon	...	Mr. Holstrom
Keith Andes	...	Sven Holstrom
Thurston Hall	...	Wilbur Johnson
Art Baker	...	Anders Finley
Don Beddoe	...	Round-faced Campaign Reporter

Also Known As:

Katie for Congress (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Swedish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Finland:S | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Ebell Theater - 4401 W. 8th Street, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Dore Schary Productions

Trivia:

The screen rights were initially bought by David O. Selznick. He intended to make it a vehicle for Ingrid Bergman. She declined the role, however. He tried to cast either Dorothy McGuire or Sonja Henie, but eventually sold the rights to RKO Radio Pictures.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Hollywood Screen Tests: Take 2 (1999) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Row, Row, Row

Hard-to-Resist; Intelligent, Light-hearted Satire; Postwar Political Romance

Perhaps this is Loretta Young's best film ever, and best performance ever. This attractive B/W classic satire stars Joseph Cotten as her handsome politico boss, Ethel Barrymore as his understanding mother, and an outstanding cast who support their political and romantic involvements. But Katie Holstrom does not begin this film as a candidate nor anyone's fiancée; she begins it on a farm with her large family with a plan to go to school as a nurse in the big city.What happens next is she leaves, and within one day has been bilked of her savings. The need for a job drives her to seek employment as housemaid to a Congressman, Glenn Morley, played by Cotten, and his mother. Ethel Barrymore. Under the house major-domo Charles Bickford, she proves herself to be possessed of charm, common sense, lively intelligence and honesty--qualities which please well when they are not exasperating her employers, unused to such qualities in a world of politicians. Katrin and Glenn find themselves attracted, despite his having a fiancée (Rose Hobart). But when the party's candidate for Congress has to be dumped, it is Katie who somehow gets chosen to run, and wins. The film's climax is Katie's victory, the ending is the romantic pair's arrival in Washington. The values of this award- winning films are not hidden ones. Milton S. Krasner, cinematography, sets by Darrell Silvers and Harley Miller , Edith Head's costumes and many more contribute to the overall effect. The lighting throughout is like a sunny outdoors; and the actors are outstanding. Along with the leads, the director, H.C. Potter, featured Harry Shannon and Anna Q. Nilsson as Katie's parents, Lex Barker, James Arness and Keith Andes as her brawny brothers, Art Baker, Rhys Williams, William Harrigan, Tom Powers, Thurston Hall and many others. The script by Allen Rivin and Laura Kerr adapts Juhani Tervapää's delightful play seamlessly to the screen. The film's pace is interestingly steady and unhurried, its dialogue good or better at all points. The theme of the plot it to be true to oneself; and the story develops this in terms of a time when an individual could be offered as a candidate on the basis of his/her attributes, not of inherited millions. As refreshing as a summer breeze, and often as delightful. This is a classic of anti- Establishment thinking that is only occasionally political at all. Dservedly popular achievement.