State Fair

A lovely little slice of musical Americana. Obviously the acting is the stilted over-expressive method of the times, but the story is cute and the timelessness of finding love in small-town Americana still rings true today. The music is not particularly memorable, but serves the film. PSI: 84

As someone who doesn't usually like musicals, I found this one surprisingly tolerable.

I wasn't a major fan of State Fair (1933) and the story doesn't really hit home with me for the remake, but the State Fair (1945) looked a lot more attractive in full Technicolor!

Pretty pointless musical. The most likable song is the already quite familiar "Might As Well Be Spring" which to my surprise Dick Haymes does not sing in this movie! Dick Haymes' romance storyline seems to die without being resolved; he just gives up and settles for his hometown sweetheart after all? I guess that's realistic if not particularly edifying.

Pauline Kael: "Cheerful is probably the word for it--if you're in the mood for cheerful. Everything is too clean and bright and smiley; it all reeks of manufacture, especially Charles Winninger. The score includes "It's a Grand Night for Singing." It would have been a better musical if the lyricist (Hammerstein, who also wrote the script) hadn't been fond of words like 'grand.'" As usual, she's right. It's harmless enough, I suppose. For you connoisseurs of good singing, two words: Dick Haymes!

The parents were the best part. The film is full of color and set pieces. The songs aren't that memorable and I found this to be one of the lower tier Rogers & Hammerstein musicals. Still fun but not my favorite.