State Fair ** (1962, Pat Boone, Bobby Darin, Pamela Tiffin, Tom Ewell, Alice Faye, Ann-Margret) – Classic Movie Review 2197

Remaking the 1933 and 1945 movies, director José Ferrer’s 1962 musical proves third time not so lucky as a film version of Philip Strong’s novel because there’s far too little zest or style up there screen on this time.

Adding elements of freshness, Richard Rodgers adds three new songs to the score he wrote with Oscar Hammerstein II for the 1945 movie version, which was their only original for the movies, and the story is moved from its original setting in Iowa to Texas for location filming at the Dallas Fair. But the plot’s essentially the same as a farming family head for the State Fair, with the parents are focused on winning the livestock and cooking competitions and their kids Margy (Pamela Tiffin) and Wayne (Pat Boone) meeting attractive new loves.

Tom Ewell and Alice Faye, coaxed out of a 17-year retirement, are very welcome presences and absolutely excellent as mum and dad Abel and Melissa Frake, relishing what in many ways have always been the piece’s best parts. But the younger performers Pamela Tiffin, Bobby Darin (aka Walden Robert Cassotto) and Pat Boone, though pleasant personalities, prove awfully dull as movie characters in the romantic drama.

It is extremely sweet, though, to see the very young Ann-Margret, who is spunky as singer Emily Porter, who tussles with Wayne Frake (Boone). It is Ann-Margret’s first feature film, shot before but released after Pocketful of Miracles (1961).

Meat Loaf allegedly appears as a boy in the stands! Tiffin’s singing voice is dubbed by Anita Gordon.

One of the Rodgers and Hammerstein songs from the 1945 movie score could not be used – ‘All I Owe Ioway’ as the state fair had been transplanted from Iowa to Texas. So Rodgers provides both music and lyrics for an equivalent number, ‘The Little Things in Texas’, sung by Faye, Ewell and a children’s chorus.

A stage version of State Fair opened at the Music Box Theatre on March 27 1996 and ran for 110 performances.

Ferrer‘s son Gabriel later married Boone’s daughter Debbie.

Some still existing test footage and exterior shots were filmed in 65mm, but there was a last-minute change to 35mm Cinemascope.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2197

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