Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair

The Frakes of Iowa and the Kettles of the Ozarks have a lot in common. Every member of the Frake family has a betting interest in State Fair in some event at the fair and the Kettles are heavy into gambling at a few events in their county fair. Between Percy Kilbride's horse race and Marjorie Main's cooking they're heavily invested.

There's a sudden need for money in the Kettle household as oldest daughter Lori Nelson wants to go to college. Of course a lot of family problems would be solved if Kilbride would just get a job. But he wouldn't be Pa Kettle then.

Marjorie Main's rival Esther Dale is also spouting off and saying she'll rub Ma's nose in it again. Of course Kettle resourcefulness and luck triumph in the end. Did you think it wouldn't.

This one's good entry in the Kettle series, nice story, nice people and a bit of a surprise from one of the regulars in the Kettle series.

I grew up in a harness racing family. We spent summers racing at county fairs in the northeast. It seems that often harness racing doesn't get nearly the attention and credit that thoroughbred racing gets. And yet, harness racing is where it all started in this country. A true American Breed for a true American Sport. Thanks Ma and Pa Kettle for keeping harness racing in the public's eye; at least during the few times a year this film is broadcast.

Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride in "Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair" have suddenly acquired an attractive, well-spoken college-bound daughter, with the arrival of pretty blonde Lori Nelson (as Rosie Kettle). She and handsome boyfriend James Best (as Marvin Johnson) are obviously cast as replacements for eldest son "Tom" and wife "Kim" (who have moved to another town). To raise money for their sprouted daughter's education, "Ma" wants to enter her jam in the annual "Cape Flattery County Fair" contest. But, in a mix-up, she enters her name in a horse-racing event. Now, "Pa" must get tired old "Emma" ready to race.

This unusually routine "Ma and Pa Kettle" film series entry has none of the satirical culture clashing situations which made the earlier films so funny, though there are a few good gags. Also notably absent are the brood of wild, rambunctious children; herein, they've been practically tamed. The "childrun" we were previously advised to "beware of" now turn off the television and go to bed when asked, and sweetly sing "Bringing in the Sheaves" in church. One of the film's best bits is how the Kettle kids drop coins in the church collection plate; it almost serves as a protest against the script, which offers only a little fun.

***** Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair (7/11/52) Charles Barton ~ Marjorie Main, Percy Kilbride, Lori Nelson, James Best

"Ma & Pa Kettle at the Fair" is a fun movie. This movie has more smiles than actual laughs (even though I did laugh-out-loud a few times) but that's okay. It has solid cast. Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride are both terrific. "Ma & Pa Kettle at the Fair" is a solid installment in the Ma & Pa series. Honorable mention: Pa's sermon.

I have seen most of the Ma & Pa Kettle films and so I can see that compared to the earlier films, "Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair" is a sub-par entry into the series. It's not terrible....but it's also not particularly good. Much of this is because the jobs seemed much more limp than usual--especially Pa's American Indian friends.

As usual, Pa Kettle is scheming and spends most of the film trying to manipulate folks into giving him money. He COULD use all this energy getting a job, but this IS Pa Kettle! However, again and again, his schemes seem to backfire--and end up costing Ma the Jelly and Jam contest as well as the bread baking contest at the fair. Can Pa finally redeem himself at the big horse race at the end of the fair? Maybe...and maybe not.

This film is pretty much what you'd expect from a film in the series, although the oldest son (Richard Long) is no where to be seen and the little Kettles only make a couple brief token appearances. As I mentioned above, the Indian sidekicks are a minor issue. They are more important to the film and their charm wears thin after a bit. Inoffensive but also very, very slight overall.