The Farmer's Daughter

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The Farmer's Daughter
The Farmer's Daughter VHS cover
Directed by	H. C. Potter
Produced by	Dore Schary
Written by	Hella Wuolijoki (play) Allen Rivkin Larua Kerr
Starring	Loretta Young Joseph Cotten Ethel Barrymore Charles Bickford
Music by	Leigh Harline
Distributed by	RKO Radio Pictures Inc.
Release date(s)	March 25, 1947 (U.S. release)
Running time	97 min
Language	English
IMDb profile

The Farmer's Daughter is a 1947 movie which tells the story of a Minnesota farmgirl who ends up working as a maid for a Congressman and his politically-connected mother. It stars Loretta Young, Joseph Cotten, Ethel Barrymore, Charles Bickford, Rose Hobart, Lex Barker, Keith Andes and James Arness.

The movie was adapted by Allen Rivkin and Laura Kerr from the play Juhani Tervapää, by Hella Wuolijoki. It was directed by H.C. Potter.

It won the Academy Award for Best Actress (Loretta Young) and was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Charles Bickford).

The movie was based on the 1937 Finnish language movie, Juurakon Hulda.

In 1963, a television version was produced, starring Inger Stevens, Cathleen Nesbitt and William Windom.

[edit] Plot

Katie Holstrom (Loretta Young), a Swedish-American from Minnesota, leaves the family farm to go to nursing school in St. Paul. After being robbed of her money, she talks political power broker Agatha Morley (Ethel Barrymore) and her son, Congressman Glenn Morley (Joseph Cotton), into hiring her as a maid. Soon, she impresses Agatha and her loyal majordomo Joseph Clancey (Charles Bickford) with her refreshing, down-to-earth common sense and Glenn with her other charms.

Unexpected problems arise when the Morleys and their cronies gather to select a replacement for a deceased congressman; they pick the unscrupulous Anders J. Finley (Art Baker). Knowing of the man, Katie strongly disapproves of their choice. She attends a public meeting arranged to introduce Finley and begins asking pointed, embarrassing questions. The leaders of the reform party are impressed and offer her their backing in the coming election. As she is running for the opposition, Katie reluctantly quits her job with the Morleys, much to Glenn's annoyance.

When the polls show Katie gaining rapidly on Finley, he resorts to smearing her reputation. He pays Adolph Petree (Rhys Williams) to slander her. As a result, she becomes so distraught, she runs home. Glenn learns of the chicanery, follows her back to Minnesota and proposes to her. With the help of her three big, strapping brothers (James Arness, Lex Barker, Keith Andes), he tracks Petree down, takes him away from the goons Finley assigned to watch him, and makes him confess over the radio. When Agatha hears the news, she throws the support of her own party behind Katie, ensuring her election.