Richard Dix, Irene Dunne, and Edna May Oliver star in this film adaptation of Edna Ferber's novel, Cimarron, which centers on the new territory of Oklahoma. In the beginning we see a stampede of people wanting a new life on new grounds, galloping towards what is to be Oklahoma, to stake their claim. One such person is Richard Dix, who's married to Irene Dunne. He learns real quick, in order to get what he wants, he can't stop to be kind to others along the way. It's hard to pinpoint a certain plot that moves the movie along, as it's a mixture of all things. But, you can tell real quick that, what it does in telling the story is not subtle and does not mince words. With Richard Dix's over-the-top performance, certain typecasts of people, particularly blacks, and some pretty awkward direction and writing, the film, to be honest, shows its age and dates very badly and is pretty hard to watch and downright unbearable in parts. In fact, it was probably dated in just a few years after it was made. Irene Dunne, while trying to embody the sweet loyal wife, by the end of the film, seems judge-mental and hard, especially in terms of another member of the community. I may not would have watched this, if it hadn't been for her. And, Irene Dunne did earn an Oscar nomination for her work. But, Richard Dix really steals the show with his hammy performance, particularly with his courtroom antics. He and Henry Hull were the hammiest actors I've ever seen in movies. While his character of Yancey Cravat tends to be regarded as self-absorbed, by leaving home and feeling his duty anywhere but by his wife's side, he is in fact more likable and even more admirable in comparison to his wife. He always stands for the right thing to do, even when the consensus says to do the opposite, and he, most of the time, is on the side of the underdog or who's being treated badly, which leads to the ending being very fitting, in that it couldn't end any other way. For as much as I said that it's very dated and may in fact be a once-you've-seen-it,you've-seen-it film, it certainly keeps your attention and is never dull. Some may call it a so-bad-it's-good film; others may call it just plain awful with its depiction of stereotypes. But this Oscar-winning Best Picture! certainly shows another side to the early days of Oklahoma civilization.
Review of Cimarron
