The Farmer's Daughter (1947)

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

Director:

H.C. Potter

Writers:

Allen Rivkin, Laura Kerr

Stars:

Loretta Young, Joseph Cotten, Ethel Barrymore

Won 1 Oscar. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Loretta Young	...	Katrin Holstrom
Joseph Cotten	...	Glenn Morley
Ethel Barrymore	...	Mrs. Morley
Charles Bickford	...	Clancy
Rose Hobart	...	Virginia
Rhys Williams	...	Adolph
Harry Davenport	...	Dr. Matthew Sutven
Tom Powers	...	Nordick
William Harrigan	...	Ward Hughes
Keith Andes	...	Sven
Harry Shannon	...	Mr. Holstrom
Lex Barker	...	Olaf
Thurston Hall	...	Wilbur Johnson
Art Baker	...	A. J. Finley
Don Beddoe	...	Einar

Storyline

Swedish-American farmer's daughter Katrin 'Katie' Holstrom leaves the farm to study nursing in the big, wicked city. Thanks to a chiseling acquaintance, her tuition and expense money disappears the first day, and she's forced to get a job...as a domestic for congressman Glenn Morley. Impressed by her political awareness as well as her many charms and capabilities, Glenn is soon infatuated with Katie, and she with him, but their feelings remain unspoken...until Katie speaks up at a party rally and is abruptly thrust into politics herself.

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Plot Keywords:

politics | farmers daughter | congressman | election | maid | 

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Taglines:

A Gal Who Really Goes To Town !

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Swedish

Release Date:

26 March 1947 (USA)

Also Known As:

Katie for Congress

Filming Locations:

Wilshire Ebell Theatre - 4401 W. 8th St., Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures,Dore Schary Productions,Vanguard Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although the state is never mentioned, it would appear that it takes place in Minnesota, where there is a large Scandanavian population. "Capitol City" would seem to be St. Paul, and the Morley's mansion certainly looks like it was on Summit Avenue. Glenn Morley's (Joseph Cotten's) political party is never mentioned.

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Quotes

Anders Finley: Exactly right, Mrs. Morley. I guess I know where you stand.
[Clancy has had enough. He moves menacingly towards Finley]
Joseph Clancy: [to Finley, angrily] Either you're leaving this house now or I'm going to throw you out!
Agatha Morley: [Mockingly] Joseph! How dare you talk to one of my guests like that!
[Clancy is flabbergasted. Finley smiles. Mrs. Morley is a true convert, that's obvious]
Joseph Clancy: [to Mrs. Morley] You're not serious about this?
Agatha Morley: Joseph...
[Reprovingly to Clancy]
Agatha Morley: ... I'm afraid we will have to speak about this later.
Joseph Clancy: [...]

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Connections

Referenced in The Screen Writer (1950)

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Soundtracks

Row, Row, Row
Music by James V. Monaco
Lyrics by William Jerome

User Reviews

Fresh Off the Farm for Mr. Oscar

When Loretta Young beat out Rosalind Russell in the Academy Award sweepstakes of 1947 it was considered one of the great upsets in the history of Oscar. Russell had gotten a lot of acclaim for her dramatic breakthrough performance in Mourning Becomes Electra which was RKO's prestige picture of the year. The O'Neill drama flopped at the box office. Young was nominated almost as an afterthought to round out the field in 1947. Of course RKO didn't care because The Farmer's Daughter was also one of their films.

Young worked hard to get her proper Swedish accent for the film and the results would have made Greta Garbo proud. I can't see Garbo appearing in a film like The Farmer's Daughter though.

Young plays Katie Holstrum who leaves the family farm to study nursing and in an almost Forrest Gump like set of circumstances winds up working as a maid in Congressman Joseph Cotten's home. She's not working for just Cotten. Presiding over the home and the state of Minnesota itself is Cotten's mother Ethel Barrymore. Ethel's not only queen of her own roost, but she's a Senator's widow and still one formidable power in her state of Minnesota. And there's Charles Bickford the family butler who got an Oscar nomination himself in this film for Best Supporting Actor as Young's gruff, but kindly mentor.

Although at the time this film was made Young was 34 years old she does manage to convey youth here. It worked in this case because in 1947 a lot of people were starting their careers late. It's pointed out in the story that she stayed on the family farm while her beefcake brothers, James Arness, Keith Andes, and Lex Barker were all in the service during World War II.

A long running television series was adapted from this film with the tragic Inger Stevens in the lead and William Windom in Cotten's role. Cathleen Nesbitt was the grande political dame. The butler's role was dropped and Windom was made a widower with two boys. Even with a genuine Swede like Stevens playing Katie, Young still comes out the better.

Too bad Rosalind Russell never got an Oscar, but Loretta Young was one of the great survivors of Hollywood and her award was as much an award for a lifetime as for the still fresh and funny, The Farmer's Daughter.