Product Details

• Actors: Jameson Thomas, Lillian Hall-Davis, Gordon Harker, Gibb McLaughlin, Maud Gill
• Directors: Alfred Hitchcock
• Writers: Alfred Hitchcock, Eden Phillpotts, Eliot Stannard, J.E. Hunter, Leslie Arliss
• Format: Black & White, EP, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Republic Pictures
• VHS Release Date: May 19, 1998
• Run Time: 129 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6303073778
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #445,714 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Essentially a one-joke story line based on Eden Philpotts's comic play, the 1928 silent film The Farmer's Wife makes up for its lack of substantive material with a noticeable leap in Alfred Hitchcock's cinematic skills. Jameson Thomas stars as a rustic farmer named Sweetland whose recently deceased wife has left a hole in his home and life. The subsequent marriage of his daughter inspires Sweetland to contemplate the altar again, and he enlists the aid of his lovely housekeeper, Minta (Lillian Hall-Davies), to draw up a list of available if ill-considered candidates. One by one, Sweetland proposes to the ladies and is rebuffed, then huffs his way home to a warm reception by the woman he should obviously be with: Minta. In almost anyone else's hands, this slight and silly tale would instantly evaporate, but Hitchcock takes it as an opportunity to make a lively, good-looking film full of delightful transitions (this is the kind of movie where a wordless exchanged glance leads us from one world and into another), at least one early experiment with a rapid dolly shot (all roads lead to Vertigo, don't you know), and a remarkable amount of suggestively grim humor. One paving stone on the path to Hitchcock's full, brilliant career, The Farmer's Wife reveals a great talent still growing. Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Wrong running time, January 21, 2001

By 

keviny01 - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Farmer's Wife (DVD)

Even though the film originally ran about 97 minutes, and even though Amazon's info shows the running time to be 93 minutes, this Laserlight's DVD version of THE FARMER'S WIFE runs 129 minutes. Apparently, the wrong film speed was used in transferring the film to DVD, stretching the film by an additional half hour. The film's tempo is therefore slowed down a great deal, and the pacing and timing of the various comedy scenes are very much ruined. The DVD does have decent picture and sound (mono) quality.

This dated and predictable film was nevertheless well-acted by Jameson Thomas as the farmer and Lillian Hall-Davis as his housekeeper. Hall-Davis also starred in another Hitchcock's silent comedy "The Ring" (a much better film), also available as a Laserlight DVD.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a bargain for aficianados, June 18, 2000

By 

Keith Nelson "neighbor" (Monmouth, NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Alfred Hitchcock: The Collection (The Lady Vanishes / The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) / Blackmail / The Farmer's Wife / Murder! / Sabotage / The Lodger / Easy Virtue / Rich and Strange / The Sorcer's Apprentice [TV Episode]) (DVD)

For the hard-core Hitchcock fan, I recommend getting this set of eight of his early films plus an episode of the TV show. The best of these (39 Steps, Lady Vanishes, Blackmail) all bear the Hitchcock stamp of his finest work inthe 50s and 60s. I especially enjoyed Easy Virtue (1927), an unremarkable film on its own - I had never seen it before, yet could start seeing signs of his masterpieces to come. Although none in this collection is as excellent as North by Northwest or Psycho (although 39 steps isn't far off), where else can you get this much Hitchcock for $30? Buy it!

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A Hitchcock Film In Name Only That Goes On For Ever, June 25, 2000

By 

Jesmat (West Midlands, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Farmer's Wife (DVD)

I have nothing against silent films. In fact Clara Bow's 'It', Lon Chaney's 'The Phantom of The Opera' and Louise Brooks's 'Pandora's Box' are amongst my all-time favourites. But with the exception of 'The Lodger', Hitchcock never really got going in silent films. 'The Farmer's Wife' certainly had the potential for an easy going, enjoyable comedy, but NOT when it lasts over 2 hours. I challenge anyone to watch this film in one sitting without their eyelids feeling increasingly heavy. On the plus points, Laserlight has dispensed with one of those embarrassing Tony Curtis introductions, and has provided us with a newly recorded (and very good) score. The picture quality is also very good. If you're tempted to buy this DVD because it's a Hitchcock film, I'd say don't. It is only worth a look to anyone with an interest in silent films or a genuine Hitchcock enthusiast.