[5]

This early Oscar-winning best picture is uneven at best. Richard Dix makes for a hammy lead, while Irene Dunne is stuck playing his harpy of a wife. The film follows the two as they move west to Oklahoma at the end of the 1800s. The second half of the movie skips through so much time and character development, I felt pretty discombobulated by the end. But the opening land rush sequence is pretty thrilling, and some of the narrative sidelines are interesting, including Dix’s unpopular defense of a local harlot and his son’s relationship with a native American princess. Viewer beware: Like many films from the era, Cimarron also features some pretty unbelievable racial stereotyping. (I was shocked by a scene where Dunne’s aristocratic family actually harness a boy to the ceiling and make him fan them while they eat dinner.)

Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art Direction

Oscar Nominations: Best Actor (Dix), Best Actress (Dunne), Best Director, Best Cinematography