The Farmer’s Daughter 1947

Swedish-American Katie Holstrom [Loretta Young] leaves the family farm to attend nursing school in Capitol City, eager to build a life beyond the fields. When barn painter Adolph Petree [Rhys Williams] offers her a ride, he quickly turns selfish, stealing her money along the way and forcing her to confront hardship on her own. Rather than ask her family for help, she takes a steady, independent path and finds work as a maid for political power broker Agatha Morley [Ethel Barrymore] and her son, U.S. Representative Glenn Morley [Joseph Cotten]. Katie’s unpretentious, down-to-earth common sense quickly earns Agatha’s respect and the discreet approval of the loyal butler Joseph Clancy [Charles Bickford], while Glenn is struck by her charm and resolve.

When their party must name a replacement for a deceased congressman, they choose the unscrupulous Anders J. Finley [Art Baker]. Katie’s sharp questions at a public meeting reveal Finley’s troubling true nature, and her fearless probing earns the sympathy and backing of the opposition, who offer to support her in the upcoming election. Katie makes the difficult choice to quit her job, a move that leaves Glenn torn between his political career and his growing affection for her.

As Katie’s campaign gains momentum—with Glenn quietly guiding her strategy—Finley retaliates with a smear, bribing Petree to claim Katie spent the night with him after he gave her a ride. Devastated, Katie returns home, and Glenn, ever supportive, follows and proposes, trusting in their shared future.

The opposition, led by Agatha and Joseph, presses the pressure further. Finley, drunk and exposed, reveals he is part of an extremist native-aligned faction and admits the bribery scheme, while Petree remains hidden at a remote lodge. Katie’s brothers—[James Arness], [Lex Barker], and [Keith Andes]—join Glenn in a daring operation to recover Petree, force a confession on the air, and turn public opinion toward Katie. As the confession unfolds on the radio, Agatha withdraws her support for Finley and publicly endorses Katie, sealing her political victory.

In the final, moving scene, Glenn carries Katie across the threshold into the United States House of Representatives, a quiet testament to resilience, integrity, and the power of principled leadership.