OKLAHOMA! (1955) 🤩

When I was a young teen, I used to take voice lessons every week from Mrs. Harris, the wife of my high school chorus teacher. I used to love to sing. I grew up surrounded by the sounds of the greats from all mediums. My mom was an opera singer. She had a beautiful, formidable voice. She sang every day, no matter what she was doing. It was as natural as breathing to her, and either you joined in or listened quietly. My dad and brother were tone deaf. Luckily, I was not.

My mom and I would sing together when I was a little girl. She taught me how to stand and command my space. She would place me in an open door frame and say, “This is your stage. Now sing.” And so I did. I had no fear of belting out a number. I learned to sing freely, openly, and often loudly. It was a kick to watch her perform and be a part of her world. As I grew older, my confidence was not as strong around her because I knew I could never be as good a singer as she was, but that didn’t stop me from trying. We used to sing together in our synagogue choir for years. Once, we were even asked to do a duet together and were cast in a community musical play. She was always the star. She was so talented.

I do have a vivid, clear memory of performing in a special recital produced by Mrs. Harris. We could select any song we wanted to sing. I was always a huge fan of Broadway musicals. There was one in particular that was an enormous hit and ran for over 2,000 shows at the St. James Theatre in New York City. I knew every song. I dreamed of being cast as the irascible Ado Annie and belting out her big number, I’M JUST A GIRL WHO CAN’T SAY NO, for everyone to see and hear. This was my only conceivable choice to sing at the recital.

Oh, I gave it my all. I can still envision myself on that small stage reproducing every nuanced facial expression, inflection, hand gesture, and physical movement to make the number come alive as it did in 1943 when it first premiered. My mom said I was great. Mrs. Harris raved and hugged me. This was all I needed. A seed was planted. I knew I would one day either perform or direct the entire musical in my own formidable style. I had no doubts. Years later, destiny answered. I directed this musical masterpiece on my stage with a cast of eighty, a full orchestra in the pit, and a real surrey with the fringe on top led by a white horse across the proscenium. From Broadway, to film, to my stage, OKLAHOMA! always manages to flood my heart and soul with spectacular moments.

OKLAHOMA! is a Rodgers and Hammerstein creation. (THE SOUND OF MUSIC, STATE FAIR) This dynamic duo was the brainchild behind the stage production. The film, directed by Fred Zinnemann (FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS), came from a director who wanted to bring this joyous story to the screen ever since he saw it on Broadway. He felt the public needed to hear this story and enjoy the fabulous music. This was Zinnemann’s first venture into directing a musical. He was determined to stay true to the original script and score, but also to expand the look by using CinemaScope and a large cast of fine singers and dancers. The scene where Will Parker (Gene Nelson) has to jump off a moving train and land on a galloping horse took seven takes to get it right. The stunt double earned a whopping $250 in extra hazardous pay. I can’t imagine redoing that scene so many times.

OKLAHOMA! premiered in 1955, was nominated for four Oscars, and took home two for Best Musical Score and Best Sound Recording. The film’s soundtrack album became one of the most successful movie albums ever released. It was even more successful than the original 1943 Broadway cast album. The entire film budget was a mere $5 million.

Zinnemann was also interested in casting against type for the major roles. He asked the notorious James Dean to audition for the lead, Curly. Dean showed up 40 minutes late and wearing cowboy clothes. He said no one would let him in the restaurant where he was meeting Zinnemann. He had to sneak in through the employees’ entrance. In the end, the part would go to a more traditional choice. Gordon MacRae (CAROUSEL) was chosen mainly because he had the singing chops to carry the big vocal numbers. MacRae, though, did refuse to get a hair perm so his name would match his character. Every day, MacRae’s wife would be on set, finger curling his hair for each scene. He was the perfect Curly and became the heartthrob of every young girl.

Laurey was brought to life by Shirley Jones (CAROUSEL, THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY) and proved to be a strong, sweet choice. She was stunning on screen in a very girl-next-door kind of way. She conveyed the necessary emotions a young woman of only 18 would feel while falling in love, and she possessed an impressive soprano voice that matched MacRae’s amazing baritone. Together, their chemistry felt authentic when bringing a teenager’s bubbling, confusing emotions to the surface.

Ado Annie, played by Gloria Grahame (THE BIG HEAT, IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE), was another story. Cast and crew members documented that Grahame was very difficult to work with on set. She was said to be argumentative and was often rude to those around her. She was also tone deaf. Her famous solo, I’M JUST A GIRL WHO CAN’T SAY NO, was edited together note by note. This would explain her flat pitches while holding out the melody. Even so, she still cracked me up with her ALL ‘ER NOTHIN’ acting choices. Ado Annie was most memorable due to Grahame’s obvious talent for nailing her character’s boy-crazed attitude. Whether she was engulfed in a “Persian goodbye” or an “OKLAHO hello,” she was hilarious with her deadpan expressions.

Rod Steiger was a surprising choice for Jud. Steiger definitely performed the vocals perfectly, eliciting just enough evil in every frame. No doubt, Jud was creepy, and Steiger was brilliant in his creation. Steiger also had to do all the dance moves and choreography during the dream sequence because they couldn’t find a dancing double to take his place, as was done for Laurey and Curly. Who knew Steiger could dance?

The supporting cast was powerful and included Eddie Albert as the peddler, Gene Nelson as the incredible dancing, rope-wrangling Will, James Whitmore as kind, honest Mr. Carnes, and my favorite, Charlotte Greenwood as Aunt Eller. All of these characters, along with the multi-talented singers and dancers, made OKLAHOMA! soar during every production number. The dream sequence was breathtaking and provoked feelings of being caught in a bitter battle, fighting for Laurey’s soul. The use of vibrant reds stood out against the normal pale palette. Lighting and the set’s starkness also added to the look and feel of a vast country in the late 1800s and the explosive change of the new century.

I loved the line “Let’s not break the law; let’s just bend it a little.” This is still being done in every courtroom of our current judicial system. Secretly, I do wish more people would shout out the expression “fiddlesticks” instead of cussing up a storm, and I am happy to announce we no longer practice the old-fashioned “chivalry” after a couple gets married. I guess some would call that progress.

The musical magic is evident with every Rodgers and Hammerstein melody. PEOPLE WILL SAY WE’RE IN LOVE makes me giggle and blush like a schoolgirl. THE FARMER AND THE COWMAN should always work together and be friends. MANY A NEW DAY gives me hope. KANSAS CITY was just pure fun to watch, and OH, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNIN’ covers my body with goosebumps, and then I have to immediately find a cornfield with “corn growing clear up to the sky.” Bravo. This is what makes musicals so memorable. They allow images to flood our brains forever.

OKLAHOMA! is a nostalgic, high-spirited musical classic. It will make you smile while setting your toes a-tapping. It will make audiences yearn for simpler times, where problems could melt away while riding in a fringed surrey. Some may say the custom of auctioning lunch baskets is an antiquated method to force a woman’s attention and company. I say fiddlesticks. It’s much nicer than swiping left or right on your phone, and it may or may not give you a three-day bellyache.”

OKLAHOMA! showcases a snippet in time from long ago. Nothing more. Nothing less. My memory box is filled to the brim. I think Mrs. Harris would have been proud, and perhaps she would have asked me to perform a vocal encore.

OKLAHOMA! is available on Prime Video.