Meet Me at the Fair

This tuneful, rosily nostalgic slice of Americana is greatly enhanced by Sirk's sophisticated sensibility. Set at the turn of the century, it follows a runaway orphan boy who joins up with a traveling medicine-show huckster (ebullient song-and-dance man Dan Dailey) and his sidekick, played by the legendary Scatman Crothers (in his feature-film debut). Though Sirk more than delivers on the requisite charm, he also, as usual, emphasizes the story's strong social critique: politicians are revealed to be corrupt charlatans, while it's the professional con man who displays true character.