Musical Movie Review: State Fair

I finally sat down to watch this movie, an found it delightful.  Jeanne Crain stars as Margy Frake, a young woman who just knows there is something better than her expected life with the farmer next door, and perhaps at the fair she will meet someone; and her brother Wayne (Dick Haynes) who is let down as his girl can't go to the fair.  I love the portrayal of their parents as they participate at the fair.  Mrs. Frake in the mince meat and pickle contest, and her husband in the swine contest.  It provides a very nice background.  Well of course both siblings meet people at the fair.  Margy meets Pat Gilbert (Dana Andrews) a reporter who is covering the fair, and writes about the mince meat competition.  Wayne meets Emily Edwards (Vivian Blake) a singer with a traveling group at the fair.  Harry Morgan, portraying a fair barker is instrumental in their meeting.   Wayne learns that sometimes city life and country life don't mix, as there are different values.  Only one relationship spills over into a relationship that lasts after the fair, which shows that sometimes things work out, and sometimes they don't.  However, this may be for the best as Wayne meets up with his girl.  Some of the music for this Rodgers and Hammerstein musical is lovely.  "Our State Fair" leads off, but then there is also "It Might As Well Be Spring" in which Margy sings of her expectation that something new is coming.  "It's a Grand Night for Singing" is a favorite.