The Farmer's Daughter (1940) DVD-R

Starring Martha Raye, Charles Ruggles, Richard Denning, Gertrude Michael, William Frawley
Directed by James P. Hogan

Print: black/white
Runtime: 60 min.
Genre: comedy
Print Quality: B

Imagine the dismay of those hapless TV station managers who've booked the 1940 Martha
Raye vehicle The Farmer's Daughter in the belief that they've actually gotten hold of the
same-named 1947 Loretta Young picture. Hardly in the same league as its namesake, the
1940 film casts Raye as Patience Bingham, a starstruck rural gal who hopes to land a part
in a musical show being staged in a reconverted barn. The show is being financed by
millionaire Nicksie North (Charlie Ruggles) as a vehicle for his untalented girl friend Clarice
Sheldon (Gertrude Michael). That's right, folks: Clarice walks off the show on opening night,
forcing her understudy-who else but Patience?—to appear in her stead. As a bonus,
Patience lands leading man Dennis Crane (Richard Denning) as a husband, to the surprise
of no one but Dennis.