Through the cornfields of Oklahoma the audience arrives to the vast widths of the Oklahoman prairie, as the camera moves into position in the opening scene. A man gallops on his horse into the picture, as the title screen fades in and out. All of this is accompanied by the Richard Rogers Overture, Main Titles, as it lands the audience on the farm where most of the story takes place. It has a little of a whimsical mood for a western where most of these films have a struggling theme. Nonetheless, it begins to dazzle the audience with the fitting song Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin'.

The story in itself is a rather simplistic narration, which has similarities with Red Garters (1954) that was released the year before. It intermingles a number of musical performances with a various dance numbers. Occasionally, these dance performances come across as pretend fights, but it is a much better way of facing a rival than with a six-shooter. The music and dance continues to astound the audience, as it elevates the story to a more dream-like mood instead of the heavy testosterone atmosphere that surrounds cowboys.

The film opens with the cowboy and cattle driver Curly McLain (Gordon MacRae) who tries to woo Laurey (Shirley Jones) in a somewhat childish manner (by teasing and acting indifferent.) In addition, Curly is from a man’s world where the tough need-nobody attitude seeps through into his tender ego, as it does to those with this self-imposed toughness. However, he courts Laurey in Miss Aunt Eller’s (Charlotte Greenwood) presence, as he is a gentleman too. The courting opens with initial verbal tease that leads to the song The Surrey With the Fringe On Top performed by the flirting duo and later they will reunite in People Will Say We’re in Love.

The love story is not without trouble from an external source, as Jud (Rod Steiger) too tries to pursue Laurey. However, Jud’s lack of personality and frightful presence intimidates her, and drives her off. This fear of Jud enters Laurey’s mind, which through a Freudian entry haunts her dreams. The infamous dance choreographer Agnes DeMille presents her nightmare in a bizarre dance piece, which seems a little out of place. Yet, it shines with brilliance. However, the jealousy and vengeance that fill Jud’s mind and heart will eventually lead to a crime of passion.

There are also a number of subplots such as Will Parker (Gene Nelson) returning from Kansas City (also a song Nelson sings in the film) with the fifty dollars he needs in order to marry Ado Annie Carnes (Gloria Grahame). However, to his heartache he learns that Annie has been seeing the flirtatious salesman Ali Hakim (Eddie Albert). This triangle drama contrasts the conflicting love story between Laurey, Curly and Jud, as this is more of a sideshow with strong comic undertones. Many scenes are full of amusing lines such as when Ali makes the comment, “I wanted to marry her when I saw the moonlight shining on the barrel of her father's shotgun.”

Oklahoma! captures the sheer size of the prairie in the film by shooting the film simultaneously in two different systems Todd-AO and CinemaScope, which helps transcend this musical to a delightful cinematic journey. Unfortunately many scenes are static due to the cumbersome management of the sizeable camera equipment. On occasions, the film feels a little too fluffy, and the acting too staged. Yet, the film provides a warm and whimsical love story drenched in dance and song.

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USA

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