Feira de Ilusões

I was in the 2nd grade at Lakewood Elementary and I can remember a man coming into our classroom and telling us he was going to make a movie at the State Fair and he needed kids to ride the merry-go-round, and who wanted to be in it? We all raised our hands. I ran all the way home from school and ran into the house shouting to my Mom that "I am going to be in a movie". And I was! Our job was to ride the merry-go-round and sing. We sat underneath a tent, while we were taught the words to the song (of course professional child singers were who you heard). I can name almost every one of the kids you see in the move, including me.

My Dad had to get me a social security number so I could get paid $25.00 per night for two nights. The cool thing is that my social security number is listed out of California. My Mom took me shopping and let me buy a doll with the money I made.

Oh, the memories! Our State Fair is a great State Fair, don't miss it, don't even be late. Its dollars to donuts that our State Fair is the best State Fair in our State! Vicki A.

I think this 62' remake of STATE FAIR doesn't deserve the bad rap it's been getting and has in the past. While it is not a great musical, it certainly has its credits. Yes, the original is better, but let's give credit where credit is due for this re-make. First of all it was great to see Alice Faye back on screen. She did a more than admirable job, as did Tom Ewell as Abel. They are definitely on par with the orginials. Pat Boone is quite wonderful as Wayne, better that Dick Haymes. Bobby Darin was his usual egotistical self which fits the character well, although I like Dana Andrews a bit more. The real standout is Ann-Margret. Not only is her one splashy number great, but she really shows her acting chops, especially in her final scene with Pat Boone. You can certainly see why she became a huge star and has been working for over 40 years and still is. Sorry to see her in her drunken frumpy roles, however. The only real disappointment is Pamela Tiffin. She looks the role but is unlovable as Margy. She looks and acts a bit snooty. Jeanne Crain was terrific in the original. The new songs that were added were good to great. The story changes were also interesting, although it looks like bits and pieces might have landed on the cutting room floor. Interesting that in both versions of the film, the parents never meet or have scenes with the kids boy/girlfriends. Now that this movie is on DVD, it should be a must seeing for all fans of STATE FAIR. Stero sound, wide screen a real fair as opposed to the orginals matte studio sets. A nice commentary by Mr. Boone as well.

I know this film received less than favorable reviews at the time of its release, but I have always enjoyed it and watch it at least once or twice a year....there is something about the hominess and wonderful music that draw me to it in this day of mostly special effects in movies.

It is a tired old story and as others have stated, it has been filmed several times before, although, I think the array of young stars and their talents are well displayed and it was nice to see a couple of "old timers" like Tom Ewell and Alice Faye liven up the proceedings, which concern a family's adventure at the Texas State Fair; when I do compare it to the 1945 version, both seem very appropriate for the time they were filmed; Vivian Blaine made a wonderful Emily, as Ann-Margret does in the 1962 version, and both are "knockouts." Ann-Margret holds a special place in my heart, as she is originally from the Chicago area, and went to high-school with a good friend of the family; he told us that all eyes would turn when she entered a classroom, as she was such an imposing radiant figure and this was at seventeen or eighteen years of age....

The third and probably the last remake of State Fair is this one which came out in 1962 and starred current pop stars Pat Boone, Bobby Darin, Ann-Margret, and Pamela Tiffin. The first three did their own singing, Anita Gordon's voice dubbed Tiffin. That continues a tradition from the second State Fair where Jeanne Crain's voice was also dubbed.

The Frake family changes states in this one though. The first two films had them in Iowa, but here they're Texans and they go to the State Fairgounds in Dallas. The change in states also necessitates a new song for the score with the parents played here by Tom Ewell and Alice Faye. The Little Things In Texas is done with grace and style by these two veteran performers. Alice who has aged gracefully into the mother role also has a solo where she gives her daughter Tiffin some sage advice about handling the new man in her life Bobby Darin. Never Say No To A Man, but definitely keep him guessing.

The main body of the score that Rodgers&Hammerstein wrote for the 1945 version is kept intact though. Again ironic that the Oscar winning song from the 1945 version is again dubbed. It Might As Well Be Spring comes out of the mouth of Tiffin as it did with Jeanne Crain. Maybe one day someone will sing it for real on screen.

My favorite song from the score is It's A Grand Night For Singing which is one of those numbers that just leaves you with a glow. It's sung by the entire cast, both generations who are just celebrating life and love at the State Fair. It's sung by the main players wherever they are at the moment in the case of Bobby Darin and Pamela Tiffin on the Ferris Wheel at the Fair, the same as Dana Andrews and Jeanne Crain did in the 1945 version.

Recently I learned that Andrews was a good singer, but kept that fact from 20th Century Fox lest he be cast in silly musicals. So all we get of him is a few lines with Crain and the chorus pretty much drowning him out. However with a real singer in Bobby Darin that necessitated writing one good number for him. Richard Rodgers who did both the music and lyrics as he did for No Strings on Broadway wrote for Darin a rather plaintive ballad This Isn't Heaven which Bobby sings well.

With musical tastes changing I doubt we'll see another remake of State Fair. Where are the voices to sing the songs? So I would say take the advice that opening number, it's a great state fair, don't miss it don't even be late.

I liked it, although it is not up to par with it's 1945's predecessor. The 1945 film was absolutely charming, and this one does fall short in some areas. The romances do not seem quite as fulfilling as in the earlier version, yet the musical numbers are something to gawk at.

Ann-Margret is stunning at the beginning of her career and practically steals the show. Pamela Tiffin is charming and surprisingly manages a southern accent very well, while the hopelessly miscast Pat Boone is giving it his all to be a Texas farm boy and it just doesn't seem to work out. However Bobby Darin is darling as a self - centered reporter who falls for Tiffin without realizing it. The remake uses all of the songs from the original musical, minus "I Owe Iowa" which was replaced with "The Little Things in Texas" due to the change in setting. Its new songs are very good, and while Margret's jazzy remake of "Isn't it Kinda Fun?" raised a few eyebrows, the musical direction is very well done and fully satisfying.

Really the only drawback to this production is in comparison with its two earlier versions. The love stories in the 1945 version were more complete, the acting a little more sincere, and the story more innocent. This 1962 version obviously had a much bigger budget to work with and it comes across in the musical numbers. It is a worthwhile production and a good movie.