DipitySkillful
an ambitious but ultimately ineffective debut endeavor.
SanEat
A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."
Adeel Hail
Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.
gavin6942
In the Oklahoma territory at the turn of the twentieth century, two young cowboys vie with an evil ranch hand and a traveling peddler for the hearts of the women they love.The film won two Academy Awards and was nominated for two others. The wins came in Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture (for Robert Russell Bennett, Jay Blackton, and Adolph Deutsch) and Best Sound, Recording (Fred Hynes). Nominations came in the categories of Best Cinematography, Color (Robert Surtees) and Best Film Editing (for Gene Ruggiero and George Boemler).It makes sense that the film would win in the sound and music categories, as this is the film's strength. The use of widescreen is excellent, as well, and it is a shame that people who saw the movie on telecast probably were denied the full view. The film has a bit of age, but as it is set in the past in the first place, it sort of sidesteps that concern.
Scott Hind
Oklahoma stands as the perfect example of how musical used to be. With les mis, phantom and Evita experimenting with the darker side of music and tone of morgen musicals, Oklahoma goes for the classic style of charming the audience with innocence. A method done to pure perfection. Let's take things one at a time.Gordon Macrae has one of the finest voices of any movie soundtrack. Fact. It maybe lacks the intensity of some singers, but it's something and Oklahoma is him at his finest. Shirley jones has a heavenly voice and plays the innocent character of Laurey very well, especially for a debut. The music, with some exceptions is strong throughout. It isn't epic like phantom, but each is played for humour and charm and is finely pulled off. The vocals with the exemption of a girl who can't say no are brilliant and the Kansas City number gives us a lovely dance number. (I will quickly add about the girl who can't say know it's played for humour and is very funny so the terrible vocals can be forgiven) This film also has wit. And a lot of it. It knows exactly how to be funny and will tickle your funny bone nearly every minute. It also has a lot of what I call anti-Wit. That's wit that comes from characters being stupid. There is nothing funnier that an idiot trying to use logic and Oklahoma uses this weapon in epic fashion I have to give a special mention to the peddler. Funniest character ever! For an actor to display such charm and likability to such a vile con man is a master class in acting but is often overlooked. Oklahoma has its problems. The ballet is too long and I've mentioned girl who can't say know. I personally like my musicals to be a little more complex and darker. But for a feel good film? For charm? Oklahoma. OK!
Michael Thompson
Lorenz Hart was Richard Rodgers first lyric writing partner. Oscar Hammerstein 2nd was Richard Rodgers second lyric writing partner. The world would probably never have had Oklahoma if Lorenz Hart had not refused to write the lyrics with Richard Rodgers because at that time Mr Hart wanted to go off to Mexico, he didn't think he could write lyrics about country folk.So wasn't it a wonderful coincidence how at that moment in time, that Oscar Hammerstein 2nd had read the same book as Richard Rodgers Green Grow the Lilacs by Lynn Riggs. Both of them thought of how this homespun piece of pure Americana cowboys would make a great subject for a very different type of musical play they wanted to collaborate on, where by the songs were character and plot driven. And the rest is musical history.Oscar Hammerstein 2nd always wrote the words "first" to all of the musicals he and composer Richard Rodgers wrote. My heading says that they don't write musicals like this any more, and they don't, because they haven't got the writers, is spot on. Gone are the days of tuneful melody, and mature easy to listen to words.Oscar Hammerstein 2nd was a craftsman at writing lyrics, Equally so was Richard Rodgers at coming up with a suitable melody.Oklahoma was their first musical, originally entitled "Away we go", but soon changed to what we know today.....Oklahoma is simply Joyful brilliance, it leaves you feeling happy inside. You will hum the tunes going into the theatre, and leaving.We will never see or hear the likes of Richard Rodgers or Oscar Hammerstein 2nd again.
kenjha
A cowboy and a ranch hand vie for the affections of a young woman in this overlong and lackluster Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. As with most musicals, there is a bare bones plot to keep things going. The songs are not particularly memorable, although there are a couple of good ones. The ballet sequence is impressive. Coming off his Oscar for "From Here to Eternity," this was an odd undertaking for Zinnemann, known mainly for dramas. MacRae and Jones, who sounds like Marilyn Monroe in her film debut, are OK in the leads, as is Albert as a slick salesman. However, Grahame and Steiger have no business doing a musical. Steiger looks especially out of place and is just awful here.
