The Farmers Wife

Eden Philpotts provincial comic novel and play The Farmers Wife was first filmed in the silent era by Alfred Hitchcock The 1940 talkie version was directed by Leslie Arliss son of stage star George Arliss The story remained the same A middleaged widower attempts to select a wife from his rural districts eligible females Basil Sydney Three unsuccessful dalliances later the farmer settles for his housekeeper whom the audience has been rooting for all along The Farmers Wife is a prime example of the sort of fare that struck a proper chord with British filmgoers but whose appeal would be lost to any other nationality