Tuesday, March 29, 2022

Oklahoma!

Oklahoma! (1955) 

Directed by Fred Zinnemann

Screenplay by Sonya Levien and William Ludwig

Based on the stage musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II

Based on the play, "Green Grow the Lilacs" by Lynn Riggs

Stars: Gordon MacRae, Shirley Jones, Rod Steiger, Gloria Grahame, Gene Nelson, Eddie Albert, Charlotte Greenwood, and Barbara Lawrence

Full disclosure. I have never seen a live version of Oklahoma! I am familiar with a couple songs, but nothing else.

When I read the byline of the movie, I was expecting something along the lines of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers or Fiddler on the Roof (both of which I have not seen, but I heard rumblings about them.) 

 This movie is more about two sets of love triangles. One with Curly (MacRae), Laurey (Jones) and Jud (Steiger) and the other with Tom (Nelson), Ado Annie (Grahame) and Ali (Albert). I was more interested in the first triangle than the other. One of the biggest problems of the movie is Ado Annie. I hated her character.

The other gripe I had with this movie is the dream ballet sequence. It went on forever-- at least fifteen minutes. I hated all of it.

This was solid movie with obvious flaws.


Rating: 7.5/10

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