The Farmer Takes a Wife (1935)

THE FARMER TAKES A WIFE (Fox, 1935), directed by Victor Fleming, stars Janet Gaynor in one of her finer film roles of her latter-day career at her home studio. Often teamed opposite Charles Farrell in as many as twelve feature films that began in 1927, the role of the farmer didn't go to Farrell this time, now that Farrell's career has already past its prime, but to a newcomer to the motion picture screen by the name of Henry Fonda (1905-1982). An appropriate choice considering it was Fonda who starred in the original stage production in 1934, a role that earned him recognition, enough to be selected the lead for his movie debut. As much as Fonda didn't receive any special screen introduction in the opening credits, a common practice that would occur in later years, at least he did have his name placed below his leading lady and above the title, which is an honor in itself.The setting takes place in New York State around the year 1850, where the Erie Canal is the most important means of transportation route through the area. Yet there is new means of progress that's to change all this, and that's the railroad rumored to become its rival force. Molly Larkin (Janet Gaynor), an Irish-spirited girl who comes from a long line of fighters, works as a cook on the boat "Emma" for Jotham Klore (Charles Bickford), known to many as both "the bully of the canal" and roughneck who's never lost a fight in his life. Entering the scene is Dan Harrow (Henry Fonda) who arrives in time to stop a fight between two men on the street, much to the dismay of Molly. Eventually Molly becomes acquainted with the quaint but soft-spoken Dan, who's come looking for work on the canal in order to earn enough money to buy a farm. He is soon hired as a driver boy of the "Starsey Sal" boat for Samson Weaver (Roger Imhof). After Klore becomes drunk and unruly towards Molly, she quits his employ and goes to work on Weaver's boat. Now sober, Klore learns about Molly leaving him, thus becoming violent enough to go after Dan. Before carrying on his threat, Klore is taken to jail for where he spends three months to think things over. After Weaver wins a $5,000 lottery, he makes Dan captain, offering him half interest on the boat, which would help him earn enough money to buy a farm within the year. Because of his good fortune, Dan, who thinks of nothing but Molly, proposes marriage to her. Her reply is that she will marry him in due time on the promise she not talk about the canal while he not talk about farming for an entire year. As the year passes, Dan goes against her wishes by buying a farm from Mr. Butterworth (Frederick Burton). While this upsets Molly, nothing can further get her Irish blood boiling when she comes to believe Dan is a coward for leaving for his farm rather than fight with Klore, who's come looking for him to settle a score.Other members of the cast include: Andy Devine (Elmer Otway); Sig Rumann (The Blacksmith); Margaret Hamilton (Lucy Gurget); and John Qualen (Sol Tinker). Slim Summerville, then a new resident of Fox Films from Universal, offers some comedy relief as Fortune Friendly, a dentist, who, in his opening sequence with the apple on a stick eating Della (Jane Withers), explaining through the map of the process of the railroad, allowing himself to pull the wrong tooth from Ivy (Kitty Kelly), one of his first patients (or victims). There's even one moment of amusement where he's seen examining the teeth of a horse. Summerville comes in and out of the story with some more comedy relief, even to the point of getting Dan to break away from his farm to fight for Molly's honor.Leisurely paced and traditional Fox Films production of early America with songs and background music as "Oh, Susannah" and "I've Been Working on the Railroad" to reflect the spirit of the times. Because Fonda has worked his way to a long range of motion pictures that ended shortly before his death in 1982, earning a Best Actor Academy Award for his final motion picture of ON GOLDEN POND (1981) indicates how such a performer had the rare distinction of starring in both his first and last movie in the span of 45 years. Even if Fonda made this this his one and only movie, somehow there would be something about his presence that would continue to stand out, even today. With Gaynor and Fonda being a good combination, this was to be the only time they worked together.Remade as a Technicolor musical by 20th Century-Fox (1953) starring Betty Grable and Dale Robertson, the remake was fine but didn't seem to have the lasting appeal as the 1935 original. Regardless of its then success, the original THE FARMER TAKES A WIFE, never distributed to video cassette during the home video era of the 1980s and 90s, has become one of those rarely seen products, at least not until cable television resurrected it briefly in 1983 on Cinemax, and decades later on Turner Classic Movies (TCM premiere: August 1, 2009).This is where the legend of Henry Fonda begins. It's also a look back into the near forgotten career of both Janet Gaynor back in the days before the old Fox studio converted to 20th Century-Fox the year of its release. (***)

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.

Henry Fonda was imported from the original Broadway cast (104 performances) to make his screen debut opposite winsome Janet Gaynor and learned an important lesson in screen technique. Director Victor Fleming pointed out after the first day that Fonda was mugging - the ultimate insult that can be made to an actor. But, of course, as a stage actor he was playing to the back row and he was always grateful to Fleming for setting him straight. Henry is pretty near perfect as the shy, softly spoken young man who is quite determined that feisty Molly Larkin (Gaynor) will become his wife but just as determined to become a farmer. When he tries to explain to Molly that the earth means life, his sincerity makes you believe in him and when he becomes exasperated at her love of the Erie Canal, he says "I never spoke so much in my life" - the audience must have laughed.Walter D. Edmond's rustic comedy drama (based on his book "Rome Haul") about life along the Erie Canal fitted Henry Fonda's talents like a comfy slipper. He did two more Edmonds based movies, "Drums Along the Mohawk" and the enchanting, under rated "Chad Hanna". The Erie Canal was an important waterway that officially opened in 1825 but the film is set during a tenuous time in the late 1840s when the canal was threatened by the encroaching railway. The film also incorporated a few folk songs as well.The time frame is established by the only chilling scene in this folksy movie. A visiting actor's son spends a day aboard a canal boat and overhears a couple of old timers talking about up and coming senator Abraham Lincoln - how people are going to hear of him etc. He pipes up and claims he has never heard of him (Lincoln) but everyone is going to hear of him someday - of course he is John Wilkes Booth!!!Apart from Fonda and Gaynor, the film's biggest drawcard is it's homespun characters who populate the water front where the most popular entertainment are the fights that frequently occur between rival boat owners. A man is measured by how eagerly he wants to engage in a brawl, so when Dan Harrow (Fonda) leaves the river on business just at the moment fighting Jotham Klore (fantastic Charles Bickford) is looking for him, Molly is left shamed and snubbed by the townsfolk. Bickford attacked every role he was given with gusto and this part was no exception. His Klore is always the centre of attention whether walking alone drunk, in the centre of a crowd or commanding Molly to fix him some food (she was originally his cook). The anticipated brawl between Dan and Klore is over all too quickly but from what you see, Dan seems to be on the receiving end of some ferocious punches.As well as Bickford, there is Slim Summerville as Fortune Friendly, a newly qualified dentist badly in need of some patients, Andy Devine as a "hog carrier", Jane Withers as Della, a pesky little girl always in the front row whenever a fight is announced and Kitty Kelly as Fortune's first unfortunate patient. Also Margaret Hamilton as a no nonsense towns woman who is Molly's good friend and last but not least that beautiful "starry" dapple grey horse (it looked like the horses coat was covered with stars).Janet Gaynor had finally found her niche after years of being a sweet young thing in films such as "Delicious", "Adorable" and worse. She had always fought for roles with more depth and after "State Fair" (a film she was reluctant to do) she got her wish. Her peppery Molly Larkin was just the perfect contrast to Fonda's bashful Dan Harrow - she would pace up and down as word went around "Molly's got her dander up". But after "A Star is Born" she didn't take any more chances and retired at the top.

"The Farmer Takes a Wife" is remembered as Henry Fonda's film debut. He had previously starred in this story as a Broadway play. Reportedly, when Fonda met this film's director (Victor Fleming) for the first time during pre-production, Fonda asked Fleming why so many scenes featured a woman named Dolly who never said anything. Fonda then showed Fleming a line in the shooting script: "Dan and Molly cross the field. Dolly with them." He didn't know that this refers to a camera's dolly shot!The film and play are based on a novel by Walter D Edmonds, who specialised in novels about the early history of the United States. Here, we're on the Erie Canal in 1853. For nearly 30 years, the river people have prospered from the canal, which enabled easy transport between New York City and the Great Lakes. But now the railroads are coming, and the river barges may become obsolete...This film splendidly conveys that transitional moment in history, with only a few historic errors (Amerindians in New York State didn't wear Sioux war bonnets) and a few awkward examples of phony prole dialogue: I doubt that anyone ever actually referred to Utica as "Yoot-ickey".Fonda and Janet Gaynor give excellent performances, with splendid chemistry between them. Slim Summerville gives an astonishingly nuanced performance, and even perennial scene-chewers Charles Bickford and Jane Withers are good here.Margaret Hamilton, who was in the Broadway play with Fonda, repeats her stage role here: for once, she portrays a sympathetic character. I never thought I'd describe Hamilton as "pretty", but in this movie -- wearing a frilly gingham frock and an elaborate hairstyle -- she seems almost attractive for once.SLIGHT SPOILERS. There's one wince-worthy scene in this film (it wasn't in the novel or the play) when the bargees meet touring actor Junius Brutus Booth and his 15-year-old son John Wilkes Booth. The boy reads a newspaper article about a rising politician named Abraham Lincoln, and vows to become just as famous one day. Here's the truth: although Junius Booth toured with his elder son Edwin, younger son John Wilkes was kept home in Virginia ... and this is one reason why, in adulthood, the embittered John Wilkes Booth was inspired to commit the assassination that would make him more famous than his brother and their father.I also cringed at a scene when Andy Devine calls out to Janet Gaynor and she asks who's there. (Their characters have already met.) Devine had one of the most distinctive (and most annoying) voices in Hollywood, so Gaynor shouldn't have to ask him to identify himself.My all-time favourite character actress, Eily Malyon, is seen here in a very brief role ... and she actually sings, for perhaps the only time in her long acting career.There are many delights in this movie; I only regret that this is one more film in which a man must prove his manhood by getting into a brawl. I'll rate 'The Farmer Takes a Wife' 9 out of 10.