Wonderful! This first and best of Fox's three State Fairs certainly whets my appetite for more King films of this vintage. I always thought of him as a rather stodgy director. And certainly the scenes with Will Rogers and Blue Boy are handled in what I would term as typically lethargic fashion. Fortunately, they succeed because Rogers infuses them with his own gracious charisma, but from a purely filmic point of view, they are dull, static and uninteresting. But what a contrast with Miss Gaynor's scenes, with the camera tracking madly to disclose all the bizarre wonders of the fair! King's powerfully rapid pacing, his evocative sense of atmosphere, his masterful ability to punch the drama home, his documentary-like feeling for vivid realism are all in marvelous evidence here.
And what great performances from many in the support cast, including Sally Eilers as the trapeze girl, Norman Foster as the awakened rube, and Victor Jory as the con artist of the hoopla! But it is Miss Gaynor's picture. Hers is a beautifully poignant, translucent performance. She portrays her Margy with a touching simplicity and honesty, far removed from the usual Hollywood trappings of glamour. Unattractively styled and made up, dowdily dressed, she transforms her heart-struck little farm girl into an ethereal creature of rare beauty and absolutely captivating naturalness. Lew Ayres is good too.
Interestingly, King was first choice to direct the 1962 remake. He declined. A wise decision, as there was no way he could better his magnificent achievement with this one. Despite the film's disappointing reception in New York, it managed to gross a whopping $1.8 million in rentals throughout the U.S. and Canada in 1933, making it equal seventh of the domestic market's top movies for the year.
And what great performances from many in the support cast, including Sally Eilers as the trapeze girl, Norman Foster as the awakened rube, and Victor Jory as the con artist of the hoopla! But it is Miss Gaynor's picture. Hers is a beautifully poignant, translucent performance. She portrays her Margy with a touching simplicity and honesty, far removed from the usual Hollywood trappings of glamour. Unattractively styled and made up, dowdily dressed, she transforms her heart-struck little farm girl into an ethereal creature of rare beauty and absolutely captivating naturalness. Lew Ayres is good too.
Interestingly, King was first choice to direct the 1962 remake. He declined. A wise decision, as there was no way he could better his magnificent achievement with this one. Despite the film's disappointing reception in New York, it managed to gross a whopping $1.8 million in rentals throughout the U.S. and Canada in 1933, making it equal seventh of the domestic market's top movies for the year.