Wonderful character development!

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

I love the premise of this movie - not only is a woman running for Congress, but she's the daughter of an immigrant, and on top of it, she is currently employed as a maid! Talk about aspirations and dreaming big! Not too bad considering women just won the right to vote in 1920 and this movie was released in 1947. "Women's participation in national political life remained low long after the right to vote was gained in 1920. No more than two women served in the Senate at any time until 1994, and fewer than a dozen were Congressional Representatives until 1955. Current representation is 16 senators and 67 representatives, around 15% of the United States Congress." (Wikipedia - History of Women in The U.S.) And here we are some 60+ years since this movie and we have a woman running for President!But I think this film was ahead of its time showing a woman running for Congress in the 40's. I'm sure it must have raised a few eyebrows in spite of its success and awards. I'm sure there were detractors in its day that dismissed the premise as foolishness or pure Hollywood fantasy. Either way, it is a great movie that stands the test of time and is just as relevant today (especially being an election year).Happy viewing!

Loretta Young plays a Swedish "Cinderella" who rises from poor Minnesota farm girl to potential Washington official. This is very much a "Star Vehicle" for Ms. Young, and she is remarkable - lifting the routine rags-to-riches story far above the expected. Some of the supporting players seem a little silly - maybe playing caricatures - but, Ethel Barrymore and Charles Bickford are recommended viewing; and, Young is admirably assisted by Joseph Cotton as "leading man".There were some surprises in the predictably - at one time, the film looks like it's going to end poorly, but turns around nicely. The production values are relatively high, so ignore the fake snow scene. Surprisingly, the behind-the-scenes political dealings pulled few punches, with Ms. Barrymore's presence strongly felt. A much better film than expected. ******** The Farmer's Daughter (3/25/47) H.C. Potter ~ Loretta Young, Joseph Cotten, Ethel Barrymore

Perhaps this is Loretta Young's best film ever, and best performance ever. This attractive B/W classic satire stars Joseph Cotten as her handsome politico boss, Ethel Barrymore as his understanding mother, and an outstanding cast who support their political and romantic involvements. But Katie Holstrom does not begin this film as a candidate nor anyone's fiancée; she begins it on a farm with her large family with a plan to go to school as a nurse in the big city.What happens next is she leaves, and within one day has been bilked of her savings. The need for a job drives her to seek employment as housemaid to a Congressman, Glenn Morley, played by Cotten, and his mother. Ethel Barrymore. Under the house major-domo Charles Bickford, she proves herself to be possessed of charm, common sense, lively intelligence and honesty--qualities which please well when they are not exasperating her employers, unused to such qualities in a world of politicians. Katrin and Glenn find themselves attracted, despite his having a fiancée (Rose Hobart). But when the party's candidate for Congress has to be dumped, it is Katie who somehow gets chosen to run, and wins. The film's climax is Katie's victory, the ending is the romantic pair's arrival in Washington. The values of this award- winning films are not hidden ones. Milton S. Krasner, cinematography, sets by Darrell Silvers and Harley Miller , Edith Head's costumes and many more contribute to the overall effect. The lighting throughout is like a sunny outdoors; and the actors are outstanding. Along with the leads, the director, H.C. Potter, featured Harry Shannon and Anna Q. Nilsson as Katie's parents, Lex Barker, James Arness and Keith Andes as her brawny brothers, Art Baker, Rhys Williams, William Harrigan, Tom Powers, Thurston Hall and many others. The script by Allen Rivin and Laura Kerr adapts Juhani Tervapää's delightful play seamlessly to the screen. The film's pace is interestingly steady and unhurried, its dialogue good or better at all points. The theme of the plot it to be true to oneself; and the story develops this in terms of a time when an individual could be offered as a candidate on the basis of his/her attributes, not of inherited millions. As refreshing as a summer breeze, and often as delightful. This is a classic of anti- Establishment thinking that is only occasionally political at all. Dservedly popular achievement.

I was truly impressed with this movie. It entertainingly told us how important our votes are. It was not heavy handed, but showed us how important each and every voice is. How anyone can run for public office and represent certain values. It showed us how ugly politics can get, the smear campaigns, the lying and payoffs. It is something many of today's voters are painfully unaware of. In this day of apathy, it is time for films such as these to be released and remind us of how wonderful this country is, and how important a single vote is. It is a personal right, a way of running our own government, something that is woefully ignored in today's filmmaking. Capra said it many times over in films such as "Meet John Doe" and "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington" -- they were big hits. Hollywood -- it is time to do something right for our country!