Based on Walter D. Edmond's novel Rome Haul, The Farmer Takes a Wife costars Henry Fonda in his big-screen debut, reprising the role that had won him acclaim on the Broadway stage. Fonda plays a soft-spoken, progress-minded farmer who falls in love with the feisty cook (Gaynor) aboard a working canal barge. Gaynor was a top box-office attraction at this point, but felt she was fast outgrowing her ingénue period. “I wanted to qualify as an actress capable of portraying mature women and their problems,” she explained. Her forthright, spunky role in The Farmer Takes a Wife enabled her to stretch her wholesome star persona into fresh territory. Studio pro Victor Fleming coaxed honest, naturalistic performances from both of his leads in what proved to be a key transitional film for Gaynor and a breakout vehicle for rising star Fonda.