ironhorse_iv Review of Oklahoma!

Oklahoma! (1955)

Oklahoma was OK at the time, but now, it's pretty mediocre.

[6/10 · 19 September 2015]

Oh what a beautiful morning! Yes, what a wonderful day! You know, I've got a beautiful feeling! Everything's, everything's going my way! Yes, indeed, it's a great time to talk about this classic musical. Based on Lynn Riggs' 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs, and turn into a Broadway musical in 1943 by a team of composers, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. In return, the stage play was turn into a 1955 movie musical, which itself was a box-office smash, not only with audiences, but with critics. The film won several Academy Awards that year. Set in 1906 Oklahoma, the movie tells the story of cowboy Curly McLain (Gordon MacRae) looking forward to asking his long-time, off and on, girlfriend, farm girl Laurey Williams (Shirley Jones) to the box social dance. Only to find out, that her creepy farm hand, Jud Fry (Rod Steiger) has ask her out, first. Laurey accept his hand, only to regret it, later, when he tries to committed unlawful advantages toward her. Now Curly must find a way to rescue his girl from this brute, before it's too late. Can Curly save Laurey or will Curly and Laurey end up getting burn? Watch the movie to find out! Without spoiling the movie, too much; I have to say, that this film was very disappointing to me. I thought, some of the songs were somewhat too generic peachy & All-American bland. A good example is the love ballad, 'People Will Say we're in Love'. I was really, hoping for a stronger, more risky love piece. Another thins that kinda upset me about the songs used in the film is the censorships. I don't like, how the song, "Kansas City' was rewritten to make it, more family-friendly, yet they have songs like 'Poor Jud is daid', being allowed. I found that song, in which the hero try to suggest the villain to commit suicide to be out of character, crude, and disturbing. I really don't get, how Curly can be, call a hero, after that!? I don't like, how the film omit, some songs like "It's a Scandal, It's an Outrage" and "Lonely Room". "Lonely Room" more, because that song gave Jud, so much, more depth that was really needed. Songs like "The Farmer and the Cowman" are just awful. First off, it does not further the plot, at all. Second off, the lyrics are repetitive, corny, annoying, and childish uninspiring. Last, I dislike how the song end, mid-through, because of a fight, only to continue after worth. It was a waste of time. Talking about waste of time, any of the songs that Will Parker (Gene Nelson) & Ado Annie (Gloria Grahame) had to sing, felt like filler. I really didn't care about their love subplot, at all, due to their horrible acting. I really didn't like, how Gloria Grahame plays Ado Annie at all. She seem more like a clueless naïve asexual bookworm, than a floozy. Also, she sings as if she's about pee her pants. I really don't get, why they hired a tone-deaf actress for this role!? Honestly, most of the characters seem, underdeveloped and unlikeable. I really can't like, Curly, because he's the one that kinda leaded Laurey into making stupid decision. Second off, I can't really, feel bad for Laurey, because her troubles began when she was trying to spite Curly. It's her damn fault! The few characters that I seem to like, was Jud. The reason, why is because Rod Steiger really play him, wonderful. Also as creepy as Jud is, it's hard not to feel at least a little sorry for him, with the way he's ostracized by the town and seems to be completely starved for affection. He had the most character development, and by far, had one of the better singing voices in the film. I just hate, the film ends him, very anticlimax. Another character that I love, is Aunt Eller (Charlotte Greenwood). She had some of the best funny one-liners in the film. The songs that I love are, 'Oklahoma', 'Oh, What a beautiful Morning', & 'The Surrey with the Fringe on Top". They're by far, the most entertaining parts of the film. It's also nice to hear that the song "Oklahoma" was made the state song in 1953. Another thing that I adore, is the surreal ballet dream sequence. While, I really found it to be, out of place. It's by far, the best thing in the film. Way better than those cheesy tap dance numbers. Not only that, you really get to see, the fever dream, that the writer was going through, when writing this sequence. Writer, Lorenz Hart was going through, his longstanding alcoholism, when ask to help out on Oklahoma by Hammerstein & Rodgers. You really get to see, his downward spiral, here in this part. Sadly, the alcoholism, was too much for him, as he had to exit the product, because writing anymore, and Rodgers & Hammerstein, went to find a new collaborator. Parts of his work, are still shown here. Surprising, the film 'Oklahoma!' follows, the original stage version extremely closely, more so than any other Rodgers and Hammerstein stage-to-film adaptation. It does help, that Rodgers & Hammerstein personally oversaw the film to prevent the studio from making much changes. While in 2007, Oklahoma! was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant', for me, it wasn't that good. Overall: As a 'book musical'! It doesn't work. The songs and dances are not fully integrated into a well-made story with serious dramatic goals that are able to evoke genuine emotions other than laughter. While, upbeat, and colorful in 1950s. These days, the musical movie comes off, as very vanilla & plain. Way too sweet for a cowboy film. I do recommended watching, but it's has little to no re-watch ability for me.