Here we are, another “shaddup I love musicals” moment! Oklahoma! (1955) has never been one my favorites, but some of the songs do get stuck in my head. The story is dippy and dumb, and the costumes are cheeziod technicolor nonsense. But it’s still fun to sing along to, and sometimes that’s all I need from a musical.
Set around 1906 in the Oklahoma Territory, right up to when it becomes a U.S. state 1907, this is mostly a romance between a cowboy, Curly, and a farmgirl, Laurey, that’s nearly thwarted by both a rival girl and then a scary / weird farmhand. A side-plot involves Laurey’s friend Ado Annie who can’t decide which guy to hook up with.
The first couple songs are performed by Curly (Gordon MacRae) as he arrives to see Laurey (Shirley Jones) at her aunt’s farm. “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'” is a classic, but I’m also partial to the fabric-related lines in “The Surrey With the Fringe on Top.”
The costumes were designed by Orry-Kelly, Sophie Devine, and Charles Arrico, and they’re very generic “Western” through a 1950s lens. The hair and makeup are 100% contemporary, of course. But it’s interesting to find a few historical touches here and there. Laurey’s first outfit has some period details, like the rows of tucks on the skirt and a little peplum on the jacket.
A range of costumes on a range of folks are seen at the train station for the “Kansas City” number. Aunt Eller (Charlotte Greenwood) does some excellent singing and dancing with the cowboys and these schoolgirls.
Laurey meets with Ado Annie (Gloria Grahame), who sings her iconic number: “I’m Just a Girl Who Cain’t Say No.”
One of the oddest scenes IMO is the “Many a New Day” song and ballet, where Laurey proclaims she doesn’t care if Curly goes off with another girl, all while a huge crowd of gals strip down to their undies and dance around the house. Some good lyrics — “Never gonna think that the man I lose is the only man among men!” — but I don’t understand why they’re all changing clothes. At least the corsets and such look reasonably historical, more so than their hair.
In spite of singing “Never have I once looked back to sigh / Over the romance behind me,” Laurey follows Curly out to the picnic, where he’s hanging with Gertie Cummings (Barbara Lawrence).
He ditches Gertie so he and Laurey can sing “People Will Say We’re in Love” to each other. They are totally obvious.
There’s a dream ballet, which if you’ve seen these things from ’50s musicals, you’ll better understand the “I’m Just Ken” fight-dance in the Barbie movie. More drama ensues at the box social, where the farmer and the cowman try to be friends, and Ado Annie tries to promise all ‘er nuthin’ to one guy. And more dancing and singing, of course!
Curly and Laurey get over themselves and marry. Being Frock Flicks, I gotta point out how Laurey’s wedding dress is trying to be a sort of bustle style, which is at least 20 years out of date here. No, don’t go saying she saved her mom’s gown — white wedding gowns were rare at this period except for wealthy folks, not some girl living with her aunt out in the middle of nowhere on a ranch.
The scary farmhand tries to kill the happy couple, but you know he won’t succeed. At the end, Curly does drive Laurey around in that actual surrey with the fringe on top!
Have you seen Oklahoma?
Find this frock flick at:
I’ve never seen the movie, but I have seen the stage play, and it’s surprisingly dark!
The movie censored a lot of the original play, in typical 1950’s fashion. The stage play is far more dark and adult.
I figured that was the case – and I think based on these pics and discussion that the stage version that I saw did better on the costuming and hair than the movie did, more Oklahoma farm and less 1950s movie-star technicolor.
I watched a recent theatre version with Hugh Jackman on telly (“Great Performances” or something) and it is creepy in parts; mid-century’s interest in Freud/psychoanalysis? Thanks to a record of the movie version, the songs were firmly stuck in my childhood brain, where they remain.
Off-topic: Best-ever version of “I Can’t Say No,” from “Fawlty Towers,” in which a gala hotel dinner has been delayed for the usual farcical reasons, and staff are trying to divert the hungry guests: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEMWIrM4aII
I saw the recent touring production, which is best described as “Not Your Grandmother’s Oklahoma!” It leans hard into the sex-and-murder in the original script, and the set design emphasizes Oklahoma Territory as land stolen from indigenous tribes. The actress who played Ado Annie, Sis (a trans woman), absolutely stole the show. I loved it, but a lot of the other patrons left in the middle of Act 1. I guess they were special snowflakes who wanted escapism instead of engagement.
Well some people do prefer that musicals be light entertainment, rather than Heavy Drama, yes.
Under those circumstances it’s perfectly fair to vote with your feet (and more well-mannered than seeking to spoil the show for those actually enjoying it).
The beginning of the Rodgers and Hammerstein greats… seen recent productions on stage as well. Songs which were integral to the plot.
Costumes …. well….
I haven’t seen this in years, but read the Tom & Lorenzo review not too long ago. Hilarious! :)
I’m a musical wonk, so of course I’ve seen it. And love Shirley Jones! A couple of years ago, Netflicks produced a movie I’m Thinking of Ending or All. Very surreal flick that wove in call backs to the musical Oklahoma. It even has a ballet sequence. It is a somewhat depressing movie but I liked how they used the musical as a plot device.
Luv me a musical! I was just rocking out to some musical dance-offs last night, including the barn raising dance from Seven Brides, Naacho Naacho from RRR and the Social Dance from West Side Story. So keep on bringing them on!
It was a revolutionary musical for its time. In the beginning, Curly sings the first part of “Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin'” offstage, something never seen before. The songs were used to drive the plot, instead of the cast just stopping and singing.
One of my all time favorites as a kid. My niece (who is my age) and I saw Oklahoma the first time at my local library. We learned all the songs and drove our family crazy by performing them at gatherings. The music and lyrics are just so catchy!
It is dark but not as dark as an earlier (I think?) collobration for Carousel IMO.
I think the song/dance in the girls underwear signals afternoon nap time for young ladies, similar to the scene in Gone With The Wind?
Carousel was after Oklahoma.
I know this film was a big favorite of my mom’s, and there’s a photo of her with brand new me sporting that Shirley Jones ponytail and curled bangs. Other than The Sound of Music, I just haven’t been able to get into the R&H film adaptations. I did see the National Theatre version with Hugh Jackman a million years ago before anyone knew who he was. Trevor Nunn directed it, and instead of the substitute dancers for Laurey and Curley, the two leads danced the dream ballet themselves. I’ve given up on expecting costume authenticity from any 1950s Hollywood film. I’m looking at Shirley Jones in these photos in her little peplum jacket, thinking that she’s got an old school “lift and separate” bra on instead of stays under her ensemble. The cottons are pretty, but everyone looks awfully clean and starched, as if they’re cosplaying being ranchers. Have to say that I have a soft spot for Ado Annie and Will Parker; as characters they’re more interesting than the leads. I like the way they flip the script with the girl having the wandering eye and the boy being true blue.
Speaking of dark, there’s the “Pore Jud is Dead” number with Curly apparently trying to suggest suicide to Jud–and Rod Steiger singing!
I’ve always assumed that, at least in ‘Pore Jud is Dead’, we’re seeing an externalisation of Jud’s self-pity and resentment of the man, rather than the actual Curley.
After all, I don’t believe there’s anything else in the play to suggest that Curley is anything than the charming young man he appears to be (and much to suggest that Jud is the stuff of which spree shooters are made).
I can second Tom and Lorenzo’s hilarious Musical Monday review for Oklahoma! They did a whole series on musicals that are divinely funny — be sure you’re not drinking anything! ( I hope it’s okay to put the link here) https://tomandlorenzo.com/2007/04/musical-monday-oklahoma/
As to Oklahoma itself, I’ve had kind of a love/hate relationship with it.
Loves: “Oh what a beautiful Morning” WIl’s “Kansas City” and Laurey’s songs “Many a New Day” and “Out of My Dreams’ which is a beautiful lullaby waltz. The title song sung by the whole cast with soaring harmonies. Laurey’s purple gingham dress (was purple common in this time period? Gloria Grahame is hilarious as Ado Annie, even if speaks and sings as if she’s just been sucking a lemon! (I loved her as Vi in “It’s a Wonderful Life too.) Check out her filmography – she’s so much more than Ado Annie. Gene Nelson (Wil) is a great singer/dancer and adorably hot.
Not so loved: I’m a fool for bright, technicolor musicals regardless of historical accuracy, but some of the glaring 50’s hair and makeup do bug, as do some of the annoyingly cutesy choreography. For examples, the teens, and over-buzzed dancer with short brown hair in the ‘Many a new day’ sequence. And the way the head dancer in that scene loves herself in the mirror as she slicks her side hairs back so tightly. (It’s the 50’s so we must be neat!) Also, I love Eddie Albert but he’s so poorly cast here as Ali, who is supposed to be from Persia. (riiight), and like pretty much all the men in this musical he is terribly sexist. Judd is so greasy and scuzzy I can barely watch his scenes, and the fact that Curly is trying to convince Judd to kill himself may be foreshadowing, but yeah. Of course, they’re good actors if they can make you cringe!
My other favorite R&H Musicals are The King and I, The Sound of Music, and South Pacific. I love this site. Thank you!