The Farmer Takes a Wife

In 1934, a new actor named Henry Fonda was receiving glowing reviews on Broadway for his performance in the play The Farmer Takes a Wife. Based on the 1929 novel Rome Haul by Walter D. Edmunds, Farmer was the tale of love and conflict along the Eerie Canal during the mid 19th century. Fonda, under contract to Walter Wanger, was called to Hollywood to reprise his role when Fox Film Corp. decided not to use Gary Cooper or Joel McCrea in the role of farmer Dan Harrow for their upcoming film version. Fonda's engaging naturalism and classically humble style in the film version would pave the way for his quick meteoric rise as the great "All-American" star. Declared the top box-office attraction in 1934, Janet Gaynor was wisely as the female lead. The Character Molly Larkins would allow Gaynor to stray a bit from her diminutively wholesome reputation into a meatier role with forthright spunkiness. Character actress Margaret Hamilton reprised her Broadway role as the character Lucy Gurget.

The film's Producer, Winfield Sheehan, had a very successful career producing and supervising such Fox hits as CALVALCADE, STATE FAIR, and CHANGE OF HEART. In 1935 alone, Sheehan would produce a total of five films for Fox. Before the shooting date arrived, the crew completed the one set that was to be used on the film with fastidious period detail. Sheehan would repeat this technique the same year with WAY DOWN EAST, also with Fonda.

Although he never received the great successes or recognition of other directors, Victor Fleming consistently and successfully delivered solid, well-crafted films. His work on FARMER and throughout the 1930's reflected his professionalism and ability to get sensible and honest performances from his actors. He would finish the decade overseeing two of the most memorable motion pictures in Hollywood history, GONE WITH THE WIND and THE WIZARD OF OZ.

In 1853 upstate New York, sweet 'n' bossy Janet Gaynor (as Molly Larkins) admires boatmen laboring along the Erie Canal, but frowns upon railroad-loving farmers like handsome Henry Fonda (as Dan Harrow), who only wants to work on the canal until he can buy a farm. Despite their differences, Mr. Fonda and Ms. Gaynor are obviously smitten with each other. Fonda wants Gaynor to cook for him, rather than boozy boating rival Charles Bickford (as Jotham Klore). But, Gaynor wants Fonda show he can be strong 'n' rough.

The crew at Fox created Award-worthy sets and locations for this film, which photographer Ernest Palmer and director Victor Fleming display beautifully. More about gender roles than farm and boatmen, the story is very silly. Yet, Gaynor elevates it by using cooking as a metaphor for sex. She and Fonda, reprising his stage success as a debut film appearance, are a radiant couple. And, the supporting cast is excellent. Watch out for veteran actor Robert Warwick (as Junius Brutus Booth) and his politically-interested young son.

******* The Farmer Takes a Wife (8/2/35) Victor Fleming ~ Janet Gaynor, Henry Fonda, Charles Bickford, Slim Summerville

I wasn't intending to watch this film when I turned on TCM early this morning to see what was on, but as a classic film buff found it interesting enough to sit down and see. What grabbed my interest was not the hokey, homespun, highly predictable story. It was that unlike most films of it's day, much of the film was shot outdoors with highly mobile and fluid camera-work. The outdoor back lot sets were fairly elaborate, and the scenes at the hero's farm were shot on location in a beautiful rural area (I'm pretty sure the same area was used by Fox several years later for Drums Along The Mohawk).

I strongly suspect that the large supporting role played by Slim Summerville was intended for Fox star Will Rogers, who died in a plane crash in 1935.

In the 1930's a high percentage of Fox films were aimed at rural and small town audiences, unlike most of the films of the other major studios. I've read that this was because a large percentage of the theaters that Fox owned were in those areas, rather than urban ones.

Sure, Henry Fonda is amazing in his first film role, Janet Gaynor displays spunky charm, and the supporting cast is six-deep with favourites from John Qualen and Slim Summerville to Sig Rumen and Margaret Hamilton, plus Vince Barnett as a crystal ball gazing "Hindu Prophet" ... but there is no movie to compare with this for the sheer glory of the horses assembled by Yakima Canutt . He outdid himself for this film.

The all-out star is the star-spangled grey Percheron. WHAT A HORSE. I cannot say enough about this calm, perfectly mannered draft animal. You will never see another like him, i guarantee.

Then we have Canutt's usual "stage coach stunt" wagon team -- and a cool stunt where they hear a loud noise and take off running. Play it back and see if you can figure where Canutt is hiding, driving them on long reins.

There are some other great draft horses too -- a white one pulling a plow is out standing in his field.

As if that weren't enough. There is entire herd of lithe ponies being ridden by genuine Native Americans, just in from a wild west show -- and their horses are all glossy and alert.

Slim Summerville drives a buggy horse who steps out lightly, and there are dozens more horses towing barges pulling wagons, getting shod, and being led through the streets.

And amazingly, while all of these these magnificent animals are in action, not a one is shown being stressed, other than the bolting wagon team -- but they knew that routine from a hundred Westerns.

The Erie canal scenes are gorgeous set pieces, filmed with perfect lighting and a true eye for artistic compositition. The costumes are period-perfect. The male chorus is manly, and it is a pleasure to hear Janet Gaynor whistling "Oh, Don't You Remember Sweet Alice, Ben Bolt?," and then to hear it played on a genuine old music box. Such attention to detail!!

And as if all of this were not enough, Yak also stunts for Henry Fonda! My gosh, it can't get any better than that.

Oh, there's a plot. Folks fall in love. Complications ensue. A resolution may or may not be achieved. But who cares -- THAT BEAUTIFUL HORSE steals the entire show.

Bucolic and slow-moving in the '30s Fox tradition, this comedy-drama from a mild Broadway hit preserves what was probably best about it--Henry Fonda, in his film debut--and adds some beautiful photography that may be back-lot but sure looks like the real Erie Canal in the 1850s, complete with morning haze, small-town unpaved streets, and modest canal skiffs. Not a lot happens as would-be farmer Fonda romances a proud Canal gal (Janet Gaynor, feistier and less goody-goody than usual), but it gets by on mood and a gallery of vivid supporting roles, ably handled by Charles Bickford, Slim Summerville, Andy Devine, Margaret Hamilton, and the appealingly un-cute child actress Jane Withers. Victor Fleming brought a lot of feeling to this, and Alfred Newman's scoring, for a change, isn't overemphatic. It's a lazy, outdoorsy movie that builds nicely to an unsurprising, satisfying conclusion.