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The Farmer Takes a Wife

  • 1953
  • Approved
  • 1h 21m
IMDb RATING
5.2/10
198
YOUR RATING
Betty Grable and Dale Robertson in The Farmer Takes a Wife (1953)
ComedyMusicalRomance

A romantic triangle develops on Erie Canal boats in 1850.A romantic triangle develops on Erie Canal boats in 1850.A romantic triangle develops on Erie Canal boats in 1850.

  • Director
    • Henry Levin
  • Writers
    • Walter Bullock
    • Sally Benson
    • Joseph Fields
  • Stars
    • Betty Grable
    • Dale Robertson
    • Thelma Ritter
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.2/10
    198
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Henry Levin
    • Writers
      • Walter Bullock
      • Sally Benson
      • Joseph Fields
    • Stars
      • Betty Grable
      • Dale Robertson
      • Thelma Ritter
    • 12User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos10

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    Top cast72

    Edit
    Betty Grable
    Betty Grable
    • Molly Larkins
    Dale Robertson
    Dale Robertson
    • Dan Harrow
    Thelma Ritter
    Thelma Ritter
    • Lucy Cashdollar
    John Carroll
    John Carroll
    • Jotham Klore
    Eddie Foy Jr.
    Eddie Foy Jr.
    • Fortune Friendly
    Charlotte Austin
    Charlotte Austin
    • Pearl Dowd
    Kathleen Crowley
    Kathleen Crowley
    • Susanna
    Merry Anders
    Merry Anders
    • Hannah
    May Wynn
    May Wynn
    • Eva Gooch
    • (as Donna Lee Hickey)
    Abdullah Abbas
    • Townsman
    • (uncredited)
    Nancy Abbate
    • Little Girl
    • (uncredited)
    Robert Adler
    Robert Adler
    • Townsman
    • (uncredited)
    Fred Aldrich
    Fred Aldrich
    • Boater
    • (uncredited)
    Herman Boden
    • Specialty Dancer
    • (uncredited)
    John Butler
    John Butler
    • Drunk
    • (uncredited)
    Harry Carter
    Harry Carter
    • Boatman
    • (uncredited)
    John Close
    • Boater
    • (uncredited)
    Bud Cokes
    • Townsman
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Henry Levin
    • Writers
      • Walter Bullock
      • Sally Benson
      • Joseph Fields
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews12

    5.2198
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    Featured reviews

    10lora64

    Just enjoy this lighthearted musical

    It's easygoing, middle-of-the-road entertainment so no point taking it too serious or being critical. I happen to like Betty Grable films and this one is a lovely setting for her to shine in, a very photogenic lady.

    Dale Robertson, as Daniel, is the farmer who finds work on the canal to pay his way so he can join a ladylove and settle down to farming in future, but plans don't always work out as intended. I feel it's a lesser role for Dale compared to other movies of his I've seen such as Golden Girl (1951) which was a very good role for him to star in.

    Thelma Ritter too is a favorite of mine and here she plays the rich widow, Lucy Cashdollar, who plans on having a husband No. 6. She's beautifully dressed in all scenes, more so than I've ever seen her in other films, which of course fits her role here.

    There's the usual barroom mêlées or free-for-all fights, songs sung by the lead characters, and romance where as they say, Love always finds a way. It's just charming entertainment meant for a pleasant Saturday afternoon, and is a video I like to have for cheering up when needed.
    5bkoganbing

    Navigating On The Erie Canal

    It's sad that The Farmer Takes A Wife was owned by 20th Century Fox instead of Warner Brothers. Had Jack Warner been in charge he had the right person for the female lead in Doris Day. As it is this musical adaption of the Frank Elsner-Marc Connelly play has a most miscast Betty Grable doing a part that had Doris stamped all over it. When Betty says 'Uticky' it doesn't quite come out right.

    The original play ran for 104 performances in the 1934-35 season and was the vehicle that made Henry Fonda a star. In fact producer Walter Wanger took the highly unusual step in bringing Fonda to Hollywood to star in the role that made him. Playing the parts that Betty Grable and John Carroll have in this version are Janet Gaynor and Charles Bickford.

    Of course with this being changed to a musical and the billing reflecting it, the emphasis was changed from the male to the female lead. Seeing Dale Robertson as Dan Harrow though, he makes an admirable substitute for Fonda.

    Too bad that Harold Arlen and Dorothy Fields didn't write anything memorable in the score. And for the life of me I can't figure why John Carroll who does sing well, wasn't given more to do musically.

    The story is an old fashioned rustic one set during the final days of the Erie Canal. Everyone but Betty seems to realize the railroad will eventually put the canal out of business as the major venue of transportation. Still she and soft spoken farmer Robertson do eventually come together as Robertson wins her over Carroll who is a real lout in this film. I can readily see Charles Bickford in that part in the first film version.

    At the same time Betty was doing this, Doris Day was doing Calamity Jane over at Warner Brothers in a similar role with much better songs. Maybe with a better score, The Farmer Takes A Wife would have been more memorable.

    Still I think it would have needed Doris Day.
    pokey-46546

    Too much lipstick and electric lights!

    Typical 1950's Hollywood production. Costumes are not period, zippers, high heeled pumps and pony tails were not part of the 1850's. The men wear dinner jackets with bow ties and everyone's outfit is sparkling clean and starched, despite the fact that they have been working all day plowing, washing and cleaning. Penciled in eyebrows, eyeliner and lipstick a hundred years too early. Betty Grable still looks like a a pin up girl, and Dale Robertson has a pompadour hair style, also why are they using southern accents in Rome NY? This movie is cute but not Betty Grable's best picture by far. Lovely 1950's period piece in long skirts.
    6Bob-45

    Charming, Forgettable Piece of Fluff

    "The Farmer Takes a Wife" is a charming, forgettable piece of fluff of the "Boy meets girl; boy loses girl; boy gets girl back" school of film musical. Fox musicals were almost always rather forgettable, with their insipid songs and frequently bad singing. However, they were also bright and colorful, since Fox used Technicolor longer and more frequently than the "Tiffany" studio, MGM. "The Farmer Takes a Wife" is especially charming in costume, art and set decoration.

    Betty Grable is, well, Betty Grable, and if you adore her (and I do), you're likely to adore "The Farmer Takes a Wife". Betty's ably supported by Dale Robertson, John Carroll, Eddie Foy, Jr. and, the always wonderful Thelma Ritter. I won't pretend it's a great movie, or even a good movie, but "The Farmer Takes a Wife" is a "Betty Grable" movie, and that's good enough for me. I give "The Farmer Takes a Wife" a "6".
    5planktonrules

    A relatively bland remake of a rather bland film.

    The one thing you'll no doubt notice when this film begins is that Betty is clearly older. She's 37 and playing a part designed for a teenager or perhaps a woman of 20...plus she simply looks older than 37. She also apparently had far less clout by 1953, as she was cast along with Dale Robertson--not exactly a household name. RObertson wasn't bad in the film, mind you...but he was a big comedown from folks like Don Ameche or Victor Mature in the 30s or 40s. Studio veterans John Carroll and Thelma Ritter are on hand to lend support. This loss in popularity also might help to explain why the once big star was forced to do a remake of a completely unremarkable film. The 1935 version was only fair and here almost two decades later it's essentially the same film but with music and Technicolor. This remake is certainly no better due to the miscasting of Grable, a few very unremarkable songs and a plot that just seemed to drag. Not a bad film but one that clearly showed that Grable's days as a star were nearly passed. Watch it if you'd like but it's only a time- passer and nothing more.

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    Related interests

    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music (1965)
    Musical
    Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)
    Romance

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The press book mentions that a 1-reel production number that was rehearsed for a month and filmed with Betty Grable was cut before release.
    • Quotes

      Lucy Cashdollar: Don't forget, I'm a five-time widow, and when they died they all left me everything they owned. Rest their souls.

      Fortune Friendly: What do you want with me? I'm broke.

      Lucy Cashdollar: Well, I figure after five rich husbands, the next one would be on the house.

    • Connections
      Featured in Merely Marvelous: The Dancing Genius of Gwen Verdon (2019)
    • Soundtracks
      Opening
      (1953) (uncredited)

      Written by Harold Arlen

      Lyrics by Dorothy Fields

      Sung by chorus

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 1953 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Âşıklar Gemisi
    • Filming locations
      • 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production company
      • Twentieth Century Fox
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $1,860,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 21m(81 min)
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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