State Fair (1933 film)

State Fair (1933) is an American pre-Code comedy-drama film directed by Henry King and starring Janet Gaynor, Will Rogers, and Lew Ayres. The picture tells the story of a farm family's multi-day visit to the Iowa State Fair, where the parents seek to win prizes in agricultural and cooking competitions, and their teenage daughter and son each find unexpected romance. Based on the bestselling 1932 novel by Phil Stong, this was the first of three film versions of the novel released to theaters, the others being the movie musicals State Fair (1945) starring Jeanne Crain and Dana Andrews, and State Fair (1962) starring Ann-Margret and Pat Boone.

State Fair
Theatrical release poster
Directed byHenry King
Screenplay bySonya Levien
Paul Green
Based onState Fair
by Phil Stong
Produced byHenry King
StarringJanet Gaynor
Will Rogers
Lew Ayres
CinematographyHal Mohr
Edited byRobert Bischoff
Music byLouis De Francesco
Distributed byFox Film Corporation
Release date
  • February 10, 1933 (1933-02-10)
Running time
97 minutes
Budget$600,000[1]
Box office$1,208,000 (rentals)[2]

The 1933 version was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. The film, made pre-Code and despite its seemingly tame plot, has some scenes that were censored a few years later, when it was re-released due to the Breen Office's Production Code that took effect in 1934. One scene that was cut showed a disheveled bed and a negligee on the floor while Norman Foster and Sally Eilers are heard speaking off-screen. Additionally, a sexual relationship between the daughter and a reporter was eliminated in the adaptation, however the son's seduction by a trapeze artist was kept.[3]

Rogers was accorded top billing on some posters, but Gaynor was billed above Rogers in the film itself.

Victor Jory also appears as the hoop toss barker at the carnival, at the beginning of a screen career spanning 57 years.

In 2014, State Fair was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.[4][5]

Cast

References
  1. "Film Costs Hit Both Extremes: Poverty Row Spends Less, Big Studios More Million-dollar Features 'Shoot the Works' Inexpensive 'Arty' Hit Due to Make Appearance" Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times, October 16, 1932: B13.
  2. "All-Time Film Rental Champs". Variety. October 15, 1990. p. M150.
  3. "State Fair (1933)". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
  4. "Cinematic Treasures Named to National Film Registry". Loc.gov. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
  5. "Complete National Film Registry Listing". Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
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