‘Oklahoma!’ (1955) Review

Though not a favourite film of mine, ‘Oklahoma!’ (1955) is a movie that manages to capture the essence of a true Hollywood musical.

Curly (Gordon MacRae) wants to take Laurey Williams (Shirley Jones) to an auction but their teasing “hard-to-get” behaviour means that Laurey promises to take Jud Fry (Rod Steiger), a loyal but intimidating farmhand instead.

The performances in the movie are solid. Gordon MacRae has a tough demeanour but is cheery when it’s time to burst into song. His ability to switch from fun to serious makes him an excellent choice for leading man. The leading woman is none other than Shirley Jones. It’s hard to believe that this film was Jones’ movie debut. Like MacRae, Jones is also able to seamlessly switch her mood from soft-spoken to irritated. However, I will admit that Jones’ character was not pleasant to watch. Her character is whiny and causes problems only a few minutes into the film. A similar situation happens in ‘Carousel’ (1956), another musical starring Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones, only in that film, it’s MacRae’s character who is hard to like. The two can be sweet together but Rodgers and Hammerstein did not seem to want them in a perfect relationship.

The most odd casting choice in my opinion is Gloria Grahame. Grahame is a great actress but was terribly miscast in this role. At the end of the day, Grahame is seductive, not comedic, but Ado Annie is meant to be a funny character. Rodgers and Hammerstein personally chose to cast Grahame in ‘Oklahoma!’ after seeing her performance in ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’ (1952). In ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’, she’s in her element, playing a sarcastic yet alluring woman. In ‘Oklahoma!’, she is, to put it kindly, ridiculous.

Gene Nelson played Will Parker, the man courting (or at least trying to court) Ado Annie. Nelson excels in his role as he is able to be both naive and ambitious. While Nelson is good, Charlotte Greenwood stands out in this film. Greenwood plays Aunt Eller, the feisty, vivacious, brutal honest aunt of Laurey. Laurey and Ado Annie are treated in very outdated ways (like how they are literally auctioned off) but Aunt Eller remains the most authoritative figure in this film. And Greenwood brings so much energy to the role. It’s hard not to smile whenever she’s on screen with her witty lines.

This is the thing about Rodgers and Hammerstein which conflicts me. On the one hand, they deal with serious issues, but on the other hand, the storyline is often overshadowed by the unnecessary amount of songs. ‘State Fair’ (1945) is a wholesome family-friendly musical but other films such as ‘Carousel’, ‘South Pacific’ (1958) and ‘The Sound of Music’ (1965) face important issues involving war, politics and abuse. ‘Oklahoma!’ doesn’t have the basic musical idea of stage or film performers. Instead, the film aims to tackle love and abuse from Jud. The songs aren’t bad in this film but they do drag on for too long. If the songs and dances were cut down, then there would be more to enjoy from the plot. But I do enjoy what we have. The only mystery is Gloria Grahame. I know I’ve said this before but I’ll say it again, this film was not meant for her. During a dance sequence during the auction scene, she seemed really uncomfortable and was absent for much of the dance. On top of that, Grahame was also tone deaf so her singing doesn’t match the levels of MacRae, Jones or Nelson. Oddly though, I still enjoy Grahame’s two numbers - “I Cain’t Say No” and “All ‘Er Nuthin”.

There are many scenes with painted backdrops (such as the dream dance sequence) but a lot of the movie was filmed on location. How do I describe the scenery? Oh yes… breath-taking! The way the sun shines over the vast, beautiful fields is really wonderful to look at and I could watch the film just for the scenery alone!

This film has some good elements but I recommend ‘State Fair’ and ‘The Sound of Music’ before starting this film. ‘Oklahoma!’ is good but because the numbers are so long, the film will be easier to watch if you have a strong appreciation for musicals.