Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair

In only her second role, we see 19 year old Lori Nelson as the oldest Kettle child "Rosie". The film opens with Pa Kettle trying on the dress that Ma Kettle is "fixin" for Rosie's graduation. This chapter of the Kettles is directed by Charles Barton, who had also directed several Abbott & Costello and the "Peppers" series of films. At one point, the Native Americans (who appear in all the Kettle films) even say "Who are you, Abbott & Costello?" Keep an eye out for James Best as "Marvin Johnson".. he was the sheriff on the "Dukes of Hazzard" TV series. In this one, Pa is sure he can solve all their money troubles if Ma wins the big prize for her crab apple plum jam... they need to raise money for Rosie to go to college. Another money-making scheme Pa tries is to get their tired, old horse to win a race at the county fair. Somehow this episode of the "Kettles" doesn't measure up to the first couple..I guess that happens with most sequels. There would be five more chapters of the Kettles, but it seems like they were milking the premise for all the easy money they could get out of it. As they continued making the films, note that more of the original actors started dropping out. As usual, Marjorie Main carries the show with her down-home blustery, whoopin' and hollerin' and bossing Pa around.

"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 watched "Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair" again yesterday, as I do every year at fair time. Do not expect a profound masterpiece here; the humor is corny and some of the jokes are telegraphed, but you will laugh your head off anyway. Pa thinks up several ways to earn money to help his daughter, Rosie, with her college expenses. Probably the funniest is when he gets the bright idea to apply for unemployment. Rosie reminds her pa that one has to have worked before one can get unemployment. Apparently the only work Pa has ever done is to sire his brood of 14 children ha. The broken-down old mare that Pa has been tricked into "purchasing" has a secret that turns her into a real terror, and here we find one of those "telegraphed" jokes. "Emma" runs away with Ma at the reins, and they charge across a plowed field straight toward a scarecrow. You will just know what is going to happen, but I just about collapse in gales of laughter when it does--twice! The writers of this series used similar situations more than once, such as in one where the farm animals get into the moonshine, and, in this case, when a couple of crows pick at Ma's cement-baked loaves of bread and the obvious happens here, too! "Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair" is a worthy member in the series, so just settle back and enjoy the yuks!

The Ma and Pa Kettle series was very consistent for its first three movies after the characters were introduced in The Egg and I. This fourth entry in the series is a departure from the rest, but just as good as its predecessors.

Oldest son Tom is mentioned briefly, but no longer part of the story. The gags about the Kettles' old and new houses were discarded. Birdie Hicks returns as Ma's biggest rival for prizes at the fair. Introduced to the series is daughter Rosie, played by Lori Nelson.

Rosie hopes to go to college, but the family cannot afford to send her. That starts Pa thinking of ways to raise money, and in the process brings up new trouble and a new adventure. Eventually everything hinges on Pa winning a harness race with a horse that is past her prime as a trotter.

Even if it were not known that Director Charles Barton and some of the writers had worked with Abbott and Costello, the change in the feel of the jokes is obvious. Crowbar and Geoduck definitely play a scene that has A&C written all over it, and even make reference to them. Ma and Pa even change a little bit. In the previous movies Ma was grounded as a real person with some depth to her character. There is only one good, but brief, scene in which Ma shows some sincere feelings with Rosie as they talk about Pa. The majority of the time they are on screen, Ma and Pa are purely there for comedy. Near the end of the movie Ma makes a decision that again shows her to be a conscientious and caring person, but that is quickly followed by even more comedy.

After five movies together, Ma and Pa were going strong without a slump.

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