THE FARMER'S DAUGHTER: Blu-ray (RKO, 1947) Kino Lorber

Politics in movies has always made for some strange bedfellows, perhaps never more astutely balanced than in H.C. Potter’s The Farmer’s Daughter (1947); an improbable little charmer of the ‘Mrs.’ Smith goes to Washington ilk that takes an extremely progressive view of early first-wave feminism, long before its second Steinem-esque tsunami of disdain for the ‘male patriarchy’ took hold in the mid-sixties. The circumstances by which a little-regarded, if fresh-faced farm fräulein makes her debut from aspiring nurse, to housemaid in the great house of a basically earnest politico, and then, with even more unlikely aplomb, enters the political arena on her own terms as a direct opponent against the straw-dog candidate being backed by him, is the fanciful stuff of idealized democracy at work – and, at play.  Our heroine, Katie Holstrom (Loretta Young in an Oscar-winning role) is as forthright as she is naïve, openly informing Thurston Hall’s blustery ole windbag of a senator, Wilbur Johnson that if she had cast a ballot in the prior election it most certainly would not have been in support of his nomination, and furthermore, telling her employer, Senator Glenn Morely (Joseph Cotten) the incumbent he and his backers are promoting, Anders J. Finley (Art Baker) is little more than a two-faced hypocrite comes with its own unanticipated set of repercussions. Indeed, there is far more than meets the eye to this braided-hair Swede, who initially finds the politics of politics bewildering at best and downright shameful at its worst. 

For all its social commentary, The Farmer’s Daughter is an exceptionally lithe and engaging entertainment – joyfully green in its impressions of the American party-political machinery that fuels and fumbles the daily operations of this greatest democracy on earth with a precarious sense of entitlement by those enterprising few who dare manipulate, if only to tug at the reigns of its unwieldy power. In light of the Brett Kavanagh hearings, the timing of this Blu-ray release, not to mention the fate, as yet, to befall our Ms. Holstrom is sort of uncannily apropos – if, just as distasteful; Katie’s innocent aspirations to run for a senatorial seat put in reverse after an innocuous ride into town with barn-painter, Adolph Petree (Rhys Williams) turns into an ugly and highly publicized sex scandal after Petree, a notorious lecher, claims an inappropriate liaison that, in reality, never happened. At its core, The Farmer’s Daughter is a winsome tale of faith – in one’s self, family, a personal sense of morality, and above all else, one’s ability to stand up and be counted for the greater good – especially, when the chips are down. 

Given RKO’s precarious decline in profitability, The Farmer’s Daughter is an exceptionally well-heeled and well-stacked programmer, with the likes of Hollywood alumni and stage legend, Ethel Barrymore (as Senator Glenn’s mama, Agatha), Charles Bickford (the family’s occasionally caustic majordomo, Joseph Clancey), Harry Davenport (kindly Doc Matthew Sulven) and movie-land’s future Tarzan, Lex Barker (as one of Katie’s strapping elder brothers, Olaf) on tap to lend it credence. The Allen Rivkin/Laura Kerr screenplay is, itself, loosely based on the Finnish play, Juurakon Hulda by Juhani Tervapää (misspelled in the credits as Juhni Tervataa). Add to this, some truly first-rate and lavish production values by Albert S. D'Agostino and Feild M. Gray, gorgeously augmented by Harley Miller and Darrell Silvera set decorations, - all of it magnificently photographed in B&W by cinematographer, Milton R. Krasner - and the picture is a cornucopia of ole-time/big-time Hollywood know-how on full display. Yet for all its virtuosity, The Farmer’s Daughter is a decidedly little gem in the pantheon of all-time greats – wonderfully astute in its observations, but hardly as memorable once the house lights have come up. Loretta Young’s Oscar win as Best Actress was then considered a huge upset. The odds-on favorite was Rosalind Russell for Morning Becomes Electra. Yet, even though Young’s doe-eyed/bright eyed performance is unimpeachable, it nevertheless remains something of an afterthought in our lingering repository of legendary star turns.

Our story begins in earnest on a farm some 86 miles outside of Capitol City. Katie Holstrom, a corn-fed girl from the sticks is currently bidding her family a tearful goodbye. Katie’s father (Harry Shannon) is the forthright kind of pa you would expect – stern, but proud, and devoted to his brood. This includes his wife (Anna Q. Nilsson) and Katie’s three brothers, Sven (Keith Andes), Nordick (Tom Powers) and Olaf. The boys give their little sister a big send-off; Katie chaperoned to the bus depot by Dr. Mattsen (Sven Hugo Borg) who has made her promise at least part of her internship at his nearby hospital, serving the community of her youth. Alas, leaving the girl at the depot spells disaster as she immediately falls prey to barn painter, Adolph Petree who invites her to a ‘free’ ride the rest of the way, but instead manages an auto wreck and night’s stay at a nearby motor lodge, still some 65 miles shy of Katie’s destination. Petree asks Katie to loan him the money for both the rent and the repair on his car. Hence, her $2.00 bus ride has quickly blossomed into a $75 expense that wipes out her personal finances.

Promising to pay her back the moment they get into town, Katie instead spends the night alone at the motor lodge; Petree, disappearing at dawn’s early light back to his flat, leaving Katie to lump it the rest of the way to Capitol City. Determined, Katie manages to locate Petree. Only now, he suggests the money she paid out was her responsibility. Frustrated, Katie dashes a cold pitcher in Petree’s face before departing in a huff. Almost immediately, she finds work through a labor agency in the stately abode of political power broker, Agatha Morley whose son, U.S. Representative Glenn Morley, has an aspiration to live up to his late father’s legacy. Katie’s forthright good nature, coupled with her formidable domestic skills learned on the farm, impresses both Agatha and the house’s crusty majordomo, Joseph Clancey. Katie’s no-nonsense attitude towards life is refreshing to the family. She completely wins over Glenn who daily finds reasons to delay his plans to spend more time with her. The couple go ice-skating under Agatha and Clancey’s watchful eye; each, betting the other as to the outcome of the ‘date’. When Glenn takes a tumble into icy waters, he is nursed back to health by Katie with a stiff alcoholic elixir and strong massage. While Katie’s verve for healing works wonders on Glenn, it fairly raises the specter of jealousy in Virginia (Rose Hobart); a newspaper journalist the Morelys have in their pocket, who also has designs on landing Glenn for herself.

When Congressman Wilbur Johnson unexpectedly passes away, the Morleys, along with their political entourage, plot his replacement; Anders J. Finley. Ignoring good sense and the fact Finley is a political hack, the Morelys are chagrined when Katie proposes a scathing question to their candidate regarding his competency to serve, citing his previous checkered record, during Finley’s first political rally. While the audience is slightly amused by the inquiry, members of the opposition seize upon the opportunity to promote Katie as their candidate of choice to run against Finley in the upcoming election. Unable to see the politics behind this nomination, and fervently believing she could do for the constituency what Finley cannot, Katie’s acceptance of the nomination means she can no longer work for the Morelys. Much to Glenn’s regret, Katie resigns and embarks upon her campaign for office. Unable to shed his affections for her, Glenn secretly coaches Katie in preparation for her first public address, with Olaf, Sven and Nordick in attendance. Much to Finley’s discontent, Katie’s message rings true for voters and her numbers incrementally rise in the polls.

Alas, things reach a stalemate when Finley smears Katie’s reputation by suggesting she is unfit to serve. Finley pays Petree to go public with the innuendo he and Katie spent the night together at the motor lodge. Devastated, Katie retreats to the farm. Mr. Holstrom is unwavering in his faith. His daughter is a good girl and he knows it. It is time the rest of the world knew it too. Moreover, Katie is no quitter. Meanwhile, Glenn unearths Petree’s whereabouts, stashed at Finley’s rustic hunting lodge until after the election is over to keep him from talking. With Olaf, Sven, Nordick and Katie in tow, Glenn arrives at the hunting lodge. The boys challenge Finley’s thug muscle in a dazzling display of fisticuffs. The cowardly Petree attempts escape from a second-story window but is defeated by Katie, who knocks him unconscious with a log. By now, madly in love with Katie, Glenn proposes marriage. Agatha withdraws her support from Finley. He is forced to recant his part in the plotted fraud against his opponent on live radio before stepping down. Katie and Glenn are wed. Newly exonerated of the sex scandal, Katie wins her seat on Capitol Hill. In the final moments, Glenn carries his new bride over the threshold of the United States House of Representatives.

The Farmer’s Daughter is effervescent entertainment – bright-eyed and bubbly. Yet, its sweetness never turns to saccharine treacle by default. Loretta Young and Joseph Cotten have genuine on-screen chemistry. Cotten, then, was rumored to be having a torrid liaison with Ingrid Bergman; director, Potter’s first choice to star. Viewing Young as the amiable Swede today, it is virtually impossible to imagine even the luminous Bergman – a native Swede - pulling off such a coup. Young infuses the part with such genuine charm, anchored to an unannounced, but quietly infectious sense of morality that never becomes preachy or stale. We can believe in the fairy tale of this good woman invading the congressional cesspool on sheer willpower and faith in humanity alone because Young’s performance is just that good. Personally, I have never quite understood the appeal of Ethel Barrymore – at least, not in films. She possesses an appropriate matronly stature here, though none of its warmth. Nevertheless, Barrymore and Cotten have some good mother/son chemistry – enough to find them convincing. Cotten is, as always, the congenial sort of ‘every man’ anyone would cherish to invite in for tea. His well-to-do Southern upbringing is an asset in this pantomime and he carries with him a staunch graciousness that is invigorating at a glance, if less ‘butch’ as the typically appealing and overtly masculine leading man. In the end, The Farmer’s Daughter is a delightful escapism from the woes of life in general, and political life in particular. A great little movie with plenty of heart and good solid acting on display besides.

Kino’s new to Blu incarnation is a tad disappointing. Okay. Okay. I am used to seeing the Warner Archive’s stellar commitment to B&W masterpieces. All unfair comparisons aside (and to be clear, Warner had nothing to do with this transfer, it is part of the Selznick library acquisition/distribution deal presently controlled by ABC/Disney) The Farmer’s Daughter on Blu-ray is grainier than anticipated, shows slight age-related damage intermittently, and a rather abysmal amount of halo and edge effects scattered throughout. Combined, they conspire to detract somewhat from the overall joy of seeing this movie again in a quality that is less than what it might have been if only Disney Inc. had paid a little more attention in their remastering efforts. To be clear again, it does not appear as though any ‘restoration’ work has been done on this deep catalog title. Tonality is very solid, the gray scale nicely represented with deep blacks and some sharp shadow detail. The grain, to my eyes however, is unrefined rather than smoothly represented as indigenous to its source. The DTS 1.0 mono audio fares better. We get an audio commentary by film historian, Lee Gambin. It’s interesting, in spots, and rambling in others. There is also a theatrical trailer, badly worn. Bottom line: highly recommended for content. The Blu-ray is merely adequate rather than exceptional. Regrets.

FILM RATING (out of 5 – 5 being the best)

4.5

VIDEO/AUDIO

3

EXTRAS

1