Video Review of the Musical Oklahoma in 1955 Research Paper

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1955 Film Version of Oklahoma: An Evaluation

Oklahoma is a musical set in the turn of the 20th century which concerns two cowboys who spar against a malevolent ranch hand and a migratory vagrant for the union of the hearts of the women they love. The video being examined today is the 1955 film version of this very musical. The musical debuted in 1943 and was largely considered to be quite innovative for a multitude of reasons: the play integrated a range of songs with the main storyline in a harmonious and engaging fashion and also showcases a simplicity and austerity of production designs. This film version of the musical was able to present the bulk of the songs which were generally removed from the bulk of the stage presentations. There was a slight streamlining of the story which differed in a certain sense from the musical: Laurie (played by Shirley Jones) is an Oklahoma farm gal who is courted by an overwhelming cowboy named Curley (who is played by Gordon MacRae) and by an overly aggressive farm hand named Jud Frye (played by Rod Steiger). Essentially, Jud Frye's character is so menacing and so damaging, that Laurie agrees to go with him to the box social -- mostly out of fear that Jud will do something terrible to Curley. Ultimately, however, Curley is the one who is able to save Laurie from the unwanted moves of Jud. It is by being there for Laurie that Jud is able to win over the love of Laurie. However, Jud remains a threatening presence in their life. On the evening of their wedding, Laurie and Curley are menaced by Jud who is drunk and jealous of their union. This skirmish turns into an actual fight with a knife, and Jud actually ends up falling on his own knife and is killed by it. As scholars of Rodgers and Hammerstein have pointed up, the motif of sudden death was a relatively commonplace theme within the realm of Rodgers and Hammerstein.

As a result of the sudden death, the local sheriff insists that Curley be arrested and remain in town for a trial, but the members of the town are somehow able to outvote even the local police department. In this sense, the storyline allows the two newlyweds to leave the town and embark on their honeymoon. There is also a b-storyline which involves Ado Annie (played by Gloria Grahame and her sometimes-sweetheart Will Parker (played by Gene Nelson) and a love triangle which ensues with Ali Hakim, the travelling salesman. Unfortunately, none of the actors/singers who performed in the Broadway version of the musical were cast in the film version.

Some of the more popular songs which are forayed into the film version include "Oh what beautiful morning," "Surrey with the fringe on top," "People will say we're in love" and "I can't say no" along with of course, "Oklahoma." Essentially, the film is able to preserve a strong degree of the innovating magic of musical comedy which characterized the musical and which was able to expand on it via the film version: the tunes are able to chime with a clearly undiminished realm of delight, forcing the characters to vibrate with spirit. The choreography was designed by Agnes DeMille and it largely makes the play leap forward, giving it a strong sense of movement and pacing. Also, the film was captured on a widescreen format which was able to expand on the overall sense of production scope and physical grandeur, creating a strong vista of blue sky and green prairie -- even though the production was shot in Arizona and not Oklahoma.

Shirley Jones who plays Laurie is a stunning and spunky blonde. She is able to bring a strong sense of capability to the role, along with a strong sense of vulnerability at times. With Gordon MacRae's dashing good looks and strong sense of masculinity, the two are able to create a strong sense of bright romance. Gordon MacRae is also able to engage with the plot and the other characters in a manner that is relaxed and generally unaffected, which is a nice juxtaposition to the sweetness, beauty and spirit that Shirley Jones provides. They both sing well together and apart, and have a clear understanding of the Rodgers' tunes; together they are outstanding when they sing "People Will Say We're in Love." The character of Aunt Eller played by Charlotte Greenwood is one which adds a strong dimension of humor and character to the overall production.

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Greenwood is able to offer a strong amount real compassion along with brave robustness to the role. Likewise, Will Parker, played by Gene Nelson is able to present a charmingly slow sweetheart to the chirpy and sometimes pretentsious Ado Annie who is played by Gloria Grahame. In musicals and films alike, it can be difficult to present a villain who doesn't look like a degenerate or like a caricature of a typical monster: Rod Steiger's Jud Fry is able to present a strong villain without seeming overly typical or predictable. He seems hapless during certain moments, and dangerous in other moments. It's this sort of melee which is able to give his character a more dynamic, watchable and believable quality. However, one of the least engaging characters in the film is Ali Hakim, played by Eddie Albert.

One of the ways in which the film is able to expand on the strengths of the musical is through the "Out of my Dreams" ballet, with the dancers James Mitch and Bambi Linn dancing in the place of Curly and Laurie. This ballet is far more colorful, intricate and majestic than anything that was presented on stage, because the camera angles are able to better capture the movements of the dancers individually, in pairs and as a group. The camera is able to capture the litheness of the dancers and the colorful costumes are absolutely dazzling.

The camera and camera equipment used was apparently the Todd-AO helps to create a gorgeous expanse of screen, but still, the system does offer a certain amount of disconcerting issues: certain scenes do demonstrate a small amount of distortions, and sometimes the screen appears to be arched upwards or downwards. In this sense, the film is able to create a more immediate and overwhelming sense of the infinite quality of the region. The arched quality of the film frame is able to create a sense of the never-ending sky and fields.

The film is able to heroically present a strong sense of depth throughout the outdoor scenes, as one looks down on the cornfields also in notable scenes like the horse-and-wagon runaway. This is yet another instance where the film version of the story is able expand and improve upon everything that the musical version was able to achieve. The stage version of the musical struggled to present the same sense of openness and expansion. In this sense the film is able to achieve more than what the musical was able to provide and is able to transport the spectator to the environment of Oklahoma: the expansiveness of the vista and the sense of infinite possibilities are ever-apparent. The viewer feels a closer sense of immediacy with this part of the nation, and with it the values, needs and possibilities which are more directly able to shape and influence the people there.

Some critics argue that it's not watchable today, because it's such an old-fashioned film, and that there's a certain hokeyness to it that modern audiences just won't be able to pick up on or tolerate. However, the solidity of the musical numbers is able to demonstrate time and again that interest can be continually sustained. Part of this is because of the push and pull that the viewer continually has to see between Laurie and Curly. The musical numbers of the film are able to sustain the interest as the actors bicker on stage in a fetching and engaging manner between musical numbers. The production value of the film is also high, meaning that it is able to continually grab the viewer's attention by being expensively produced and dazzling. Even so, there's a strong folksy and sentimental quality to the film that gives all of the characters, situations and storylines a strong sense of genuineness and an overwhelming array of sincerity. The film is also able to capitalize on its musical roots and heritage by being able to transition seamlessly between moments -- moments of comedy, moments of drama and on over to the musical numbers. The musical numbers never seem like they're being forced or overly sudden: instead they're able to seem like organic extensions of the moment onstage that all characters are experiencing. Likewise, the camera angles of the musical are able to both emphasize and then de-emphasize the details and the general tones of the choreography so that the viewer is able to both appreciate the footwork involved and all comparable details, along with….....

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