The innovating musical comedy magic that Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II first created when The Theatre Guild produced their Oklahoma! [in 1943] has been captured and, in some details, expanded in the film version. The tunes ring out with undiminished delight. The characters pulsate with spirit. The Agnes De Mille choreography makes the play literally leap.

The innovating musical comedy magic that Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II first created when The Theatre Guild produced their Oklahoma! [in 1943] has been captured and, in some details, expanded in the film version. The tunes ring out with undiminished delight. The characters pulsate with spirit. The Agnes De Mille choreography makes the play literally leap.

The wide screen used for the Todd-AO process adds production scope and visual grandeur, capturing a vista of blue sky and green prairie that can be breathtaking.

Heading the cast, Gordon MacRae as Curly, and Shirley Jones as Laurey make a bright, romantic pair. The entire cast goes through its paces with verve and spirit. If the singing is good, the acting just fine, top honors go to De Mille and her dancers.

After all’s said and done, the main burden still falls on MacRae and Jones. MacRae not only looks the part of Curly, he acts it out with a modicum of theatrics. He cuts a clean-cut figure and he delivers his songs in grand style.

Popular on Variety

1955: Best Sound Recording, Scoring of a Musical Picture.

Nominations: Best Color Cinematography, Editing

Jump to Comments

Oklahoma!

  • Production: Magna. Director Fred Zinnemann; Producer Arthur Hornblow Jr; Screenplay Sonya Levien, William Ludwig; Camera Robert Surtees; Editor Gene Ruggiero (70mm), George Boemler (35mm); Music Jay Blackton (sup.), Robert Russell Bennett (arr.), Adolph Deutsch (adapt.); Art Director Oliver Smith
  • Crew: (Color) Widescreen. Available on VHS, DVD. Extract of a review from 1955. Running time: 142 MIN.
  • With: Gordon MacRae Gloria Grahame Gene Nelson Charlotte Greenwood Shirley Jones Rod Steiger

More from Variety

Most Popular

Must Read

Sign Up for Variety Newsletters

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy.We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Variety Confidential

A Variety and iHeartRadio Podcast

ncG1vNJzZmiukae2psDYZ5qopV9mhnaAjp%2BgpaVfp7K3tcSwqminm6GuqbvMmmRqamBlgXKDl25waA%3D%3D