The Farmer's Wife is a 1941 British comedy drama film directed by Norman Lee and Leslie Arliss and starring Basil Sydney, Wilfrid Lawson and Nora Swinburne.[1] It is based on the play The Farmer's Wife by Eden Phillpotts which had previously been adapted by Alfred Hitchcock for a 1928 film of the same name.[2][3] It was produced by ABPC at Welwyn Studios, at a time when the company's main Elstree Studios had been requisitioned for wartime use.

The Farmer's Wife
Original trade ad
Directed by	Norman Lee Leslie Arliss
Written by	Leslie Arliss J.E.Hunter Norman Lee
Based on	The Farmer's Wife by Eden Phillpotts
Produced by	Walter C. Mycroft
Starring	Basil Sydney Wilfrid Lawson Nora Swinburne
Cinematography	Claude Friese-Greene
Edited by	Flora Newton
Music by	Guy Jones
Production company	Associated British Pictures Corporation
Distributed by	Pathé Pictures
Release date	24 January 1941
Running time	81 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Synopsis

Farmer Samuel Sweetland, a widower with two daughters, buys a large neighbouring farm that he has coveted all his life. Now convinced that he needs to remarry to provide his new estate with a proper mistress he draws up a list of three possible candidates with the assistance of his housekeeper Araminta Grey. They are Louisa Windeatt, a wealthy and spirited fox-hunting widow, Thirza Tapper, a prim unmarried lady who owns a nearby cottage and Mary Hearne, an attractive barmaid from London.

Meanwhile Sweetland's daughters, the forceful, coquettish Petronell and the shyer Sibley, have their own romantic entanglements of the young men of the area. Petronell tips her hat at Richard Coaker, only to discover that he is in love her younger sister. She finds eventual comfort in the arms of another suitor George. Sweetland's own courtships go badly as for one reason or another each of the women reject his offer of marriage. Dejected it is only then that he realises it his faithful housekeeper Araminta who he really loves.

Cast

• Basil Sydney as Samuel Sweetland
• Wilfrid Lawson as Churdles Ash
• Nora Swinburne as Araminta Grey
• Patricia Roc as Sibley
• Michael Wilding as Richard Coaker
• Bunty Payne as Petronell
• Enid Stamp-Taylor as Mary Hearne
• Betty Warren as Louisa Windeatt
• Viola Lyel as Thirza Tapper
• Edward Rigby as Tom Gurney
• Kenneth Griffith as George Smerdon
• A. Bromley Davenport as Henry Coaker
• Jimmy Godden as Sergeant
• Gilbert Gunn as Pianist
• James Harcourt as Valiant Dunnybrigg
• Mark Daly as P. C. Chave
• Davina Craig as Susie
• Hilda Bayley as Mrs. Rundle
• David Keir as Auctioneer
• Patrick Ludlow as Curate
• John Salew as Mr. Rundle
• Olga Slade as Minor role

References

Bibliography

• Strauss, Marc Raymond. Alfred Hitchcock's Silent Films. McFarland, 2015.

External links

• The Farmer's Wife at IMDb

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