Hello everyone! 🙂

Welcome to ‘Bradley’s Basement’ blog and I’m Tim Bradley!

It was my Dad’s birthday recently and as a present, I gave him the 2-disc collector’s edition of the 1945 film ‘State Fair’ on DVD. This is a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical film made directly for the cinema. I’m pleased my Dad enjoyed this musical film recently.

‘State Fair’ is my favourite Rodgers and Hammerstein musical film. I’ve seen ‘South Pacific’, ‘The King and I’ and ‘The Sound of Music’, but ‘State Fair’ always manages to win me over in wanting to watch it more than once. I’m happy I got the 2-disc DVD for my Dad.

We have a 1-disc DVD edition of ‘State of Fair’, but it doesn’t have many special features on it apart from the theatrical trailer. For the 2-disc edition, there’s an audio commentary and a behind-the-scenes featurette for the 1945 film and the 1962 remake is on Disc 2. 🙂

I’ve not seen the 1962 remake with Pat Boone at all and I don’t think my Dad has either. It’s the 1945 film that stands out for my family. Apparently, the 1945 film is a musical adaptation of the 1933 film of the same name, which is an adaptation of the 1932 novel by Phil Stong.

It’s fascinating ‘State Fair’ is the only Rodgers and Hammerstein musical written directly for film, since most Rodgers and Hammerstein musical films are based on Broadway stage musicals. The film got a stage adaptation many years later in the 1990s, I believe.

The story of ‘State Fair’ is about a farm family called the Frakes, who go to their annual State Fair in Iowa. There’s the daughter Margy, who’s discontented until he meets an attractive new flame in Pat Gilbert, a news reporter, when going on a roller coaster ride. 🙂

There’s also her brother Wayne who meets an attractive new flame in Emily Edwards, who is a singer with the dance band performing at the fair. The father Abel Frake aims to win first prize in showing off his boar Blue Boy, who is easily the funniest character in the film. 😀

The mother Melissa Frake aims to win her prizes for her sour pickles and her mincemeat. It’s amusing how her prize winning turned out, especially as the mincemeat contained a lot of brandy, which was provided by Melissa, but also, unknowingly, by her husband Abel.

The film’s cast is very good with Jeanne Craine as Margy Frake, Dana Andrews as Pat Gilbert, Dick Haymes as Wayne Frake, Vivian Blaine as Emily Edwards, Charles Winniger (who I remember being in ‘Little Nellie Kelly’) as Abel Frake, and Fay Bainter as Melissa Frake.

There’s Donald Meek as Mr. Heppenstahl, the pickle and mincemeat judge, William Marshall as Marty, the singer with Tommy Thomas’ band, Frank McHugh as song plugger McGee, Percy Kilbride as Dave Miller, who is a neighbour of the Frake family, and Harry Morgan (or ‘Henry Morgan’ as he’s credited in the film, and I’ve seen him in ‘Orchestra Wives’ and ‘The Glenn Miller Story’) as the barker that runs the ring toss booth.

Some of the cast I’ve seen in other films like Frank McHugh, who’s been in ‘The Roaring Twenties’ with James Cagney, and Donald Meek has been in one of Frank Capra’s films – ‘You Can’t Take It with You’, I believe. ‘State Fair’ might be the first time I’ve seen some of these actors.

The film’s musical numbers are very good, including ‘Our State Fair’, ‘It Might as Well Be Spring’, ‘That’s for Me’, ‘It’s a Grand Night for Singing’, ‘Isn’t It Kind of Fun?’ and ‘All I Owe Ioway’. The musical numbers don’t distract whilst you’re enjoying the story and characters. 🙂

I’m very pleased I’ve seen ‘State Fair’ recently and that I purchased it for my Dad via its 2-disc collector’s edition DVD on his birthday this year. It’s a heartwarming and endearing film that has plenty of musical moments, romance and enjoyable comedy throughout. 🙂

The Blue Boy scenes are particularly funny, especially when he meets his own love interest in Esmeralda, a sow pig. 😀 I don’t know if I’ll revisit the 1945 film with an in-depth review in future, but I’m pleased I’ve been able to share my thoughts on it today, as it’s a lovely film.

Thanks for reading!

Bye for now!

Tim 🙂