Have you ever wanted to get away from the strife, complication, and corruption of modern society? Perhaps you’ve dreamed of escaping it all and living a simple, wholesome life on a chicken farm. Getting away from the excessive technology and pollution of modern life may seem like a 21st-century phenomenon, but escapism is nothing new. Bob MacDonald has the same idea after World War II in “The Egg and I” from 1947.
Directed by Chester Erskine, this Universal Picture stars Fred MacMurray and Claudette Colbert in their sixth of seven film pairings. Two of the co-stars include Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride, who originated their roles of Ma and Pa Kettle in this film. They would go on to play this comical pair of country bumpkins in nine more feature-length Kettle films over the next ten years.
This movie’s script was written by Fred F. Finklehoffe and Chester Erskine. It wasn’t an original fiction, however; it was based on a true story. It was adapted from the 1945 semi-autobiographical book of the same name by Betty MacDonald, in which she wrote about her real experiences living on a chicken farm years earlier.
An “Eggcelent” Story
When Bob MacDonald (MacMurray) gets back home after serving in World War II, he and Betty (Colbert) finally get married. Right after their wedding, the eager bridegroom informs his new wife that he has bought a chicken farm. Betty is happy with city life, but she bravely follows her husband into the wilderness to help him pursue his rural dreams. When she first sees their new home, Betty is dismayed by its state of disrepair, but Bob loves every inch of the land and every minute he spends working on his farm.Betty musters her courage and buckles down to help Bob get the farm in good shape again. It takes a lot of hard work and determination to fix up the house, tend the livestock, maintain the property, and begin producing enough eggs to get a selling contract. Along the way, they face torrential rains, fire, tree accidents, and deteriorating property at every turn. They also get to know the other residents of the local community, who live many miles apart but are aware of their neighbors’ business.
A Hopeless Optimist
Since this story comes from a book written by Betty MacDonald, it really focuses on the leading lady. The film opens with a little prologue on a train, in which Betty warns first a waiter and then the audience about what goes into the production of a single egg. She tells us, “I bet you think an egg is something you casually order for breakfast when you can’t think of anything else. Well, so did I once, but that was before the egg and I.” Then, we’re plunged into those experiences, following along with Betty as she tries to help her husband realize his dream of being a chicken farmer.
Bob MacDonald is such a hopeless optimist, his indefatigable enthusiasm for fixing up the farm almost seems like foolish naivete. Bob is no fool, however. It’s clear from the detailed information about chickens and farming practices that he did his research before “buying the farm.” His unwise decisions can be chalked up to his inexperience rather than a lack of intelligence or understanding. You can tell that this character was based on a real person, because no writer would make up a character like this. No matter what challenges they face, his spirits can’t be dampened. His attitude when they first walk through the decrepit farmhouse is hilarious. He sees every problem as an exciting challenge to tackle, completely unaware of his wife’s increasing doubtfulness. Not even for one minute does he entertain the thought that quitting his job and leaving civilization could have been a mistake. The one thing he doesn’t like, though, is a small light fixture which doesn’t fit his aesthetic taste, although the front door is currently unhinged!
Bob MacDonald isn’t just some dense goofball. He’s a man who believes in something with his whole heart and doesn’t look back. He made the life-altering decision to purchase a chicken farm after a lot of thought, and it’s just not in his nature to waste time with regrets or doubt. He just gets his hands dirty and works, loving every minute of it. At first, Betty isn’t sure she wants to be a farmer, carrying pails of water from the well, slopping the pig, and collecting eggs with her previously manicured hands. However, she wants to be a devoted wife, so she gives Bob’s dreams a chance.
A Crackup
I’ve seen most of this duo’s movies together, and “The Egg and I” is my favorite. It’s a delightful movie because it depicts serious topics in a funny way. The narrative of this story is rambling rather than having a story arc, reflecting the narrative style of a memoir. It’s similar to a fun early sitcom, since it’s a series of events which befall this young couple. As they laugh off one trial after another, we see them growing in strength, proficiency, and old-fashioned knowhow. They also continue developing into a stronger team, although Harriet Putnam is doing her best to undermine their relationship every chance she gets.I can’t imagine any actors who could have been better in these parts than those who were cast. Claudette Colbert is ideal as Betty MacDonald. She is very believable as a refined city woman, but she isn’t a vain, selfish glamour girl. She’s a very loving, sincere woman who wants to build a meaningful life with her husband. Miss Colbert brought just enough spunk to the role of the reluctant farm wife. Fred MacMurray is perfect as Bob, an adventurous man’s man with an impressive work ethic and a youthful spirit. He makes us love him right along with Betty, even as he bumbles his way around the farm. Marjorie Main was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Ma Kettle. She and Percy Kilbride have a great partnership here in this film, so you can see why this movie spawned the highly successful Ma and Pa Kettle series. In contrast, Louise Allbritton does a great job of making us hate her as the wily Harriet Putnam, who may be just friendly or may be a potential homewrecker! Some of the funniest characters are the uncredited country folks whom we see at the local dance.
Bob doesn’t talk much about why he wants to be a chicken farmer throughout the movie, but he reveals his reasons when first explaining his plans to Betty. He tells her that being in the trenches during the war made him think about the simple things in life, like growing things, new life, and chickens. If not for the traumatic experience of facing death daily in a war, Bob probably never would have had the inclination to leave his profitable job in the city for the country life. However, tumultuous times are often the inspiration for people to seek a simpler, more authentic life—for example, after the pandemic in this generation.
Finally, if increased egg prices are making you consider raising chickens, you might want to watch “The Egg and I” first!
