State Fair is a 1933 American comedy-drama film directed by
Henry King and starring
Janet Gaynor,
Will Rogers and
Lew Ayres. It was based on the 1932 bestselling novel
State Fair by
Phil Stong. The picture tells the story of a farm family's multi-day visit to the
Iowa State Fair, where the parents seek to win prizes in agricultural and cooking competitions, and their teenage daughter and son each find unexpected romance. The film was made in
pre-Code Hollywood and, despite its seemingly tame plot, had some scenes that were censored in a re-release a few years later, after the
Production Code took effect. Cut scenes include a view of a disheveled bed and a
negligee on the floor, and a sexual relationship between the daughter and a reporter, but the son's seduction by a trapeze artist was kept. The film was nominated for an
Academy Award for Best Picture and was the first of three film versions of the novel released to theaters, the others being
movie musicals released in 1945 and
in 1962. This poster was produced for the 1933 theatrical release of
State Fair.
Poster credit: unknown; restored by Adam Cuerden