Fans of James Dean may watch this movie and think "This seems a bit familiar somehow." Well, "Cimarron" was quite literally cut from the same cloth as the 1956 epic movie "Giant". Both movies are based upon novels by Edna Ferber. Both movies are about families settling in hostile territory. Both movies speak of the rights of minorities (Native Americans and Mexicans, respectively). Both movies address how the landscape changes after the discovery of oil. And both movies show how a person's perception of a certain race (Sabra toward Indians in "Cimarron", and Bick toward Mexicans in "Giant") change over time. But, if you ask me, "Giant" is the better of the two films.
One of the things about this movie that I had heard before seeing it was that it was "horrifically racist." True, there are pervasive racial stereotypes throughout the film, but I think that many people who watch old movies without foreknowledge of the history of film fail to realize that it was a reflection of the times and how people perceived others. "The Jazz Singer" (1926) is regarded as a landmark movie, and it is a classic that people have enjoyed for years. But it, too, has racial stereotypes; Al Jolson sings onstage in blackface, but not for the reasons you may think. In the days of Vaudeville, Blacks weren't permitted to be stage performers, so white people would put on blackface makeup instead. Was this wrong? Yes. But I digress...
The story of "Cimarron" seemed somewhat convoluted to me, as it not quite successfully captured the spirit of Ferber's novel, but it does redeem itself, in that Yancey Cravat (Richard Dix) treated both the Indians and his houseboy, Isaiah (Eugene Jackson), with dignity and respect: At the town's first religious service, in which Yancey gave the sermon, he took up a collection, while at the same time saying the Indians in attendance need not contribute because their land was taken by the White Man; meanwhile, Yancey had publicly given Isaiah his sidearm, so that he may stand guard at home, something unheard of in the late 1800s! And Sabra (Irene Dunn), who did carry prejudices against Indians (she even called them "dirty" after one gave their son a gift), changed her perception of them by the end of the movie, to the point that she, too, became an outspoken advocate of Indians' rights.
The performances in this movie are mixed. Irene Dunn does a fine job here, as does Estelle Taylor, who played the local madam, Dixie Lee. But in my opinion, Richard Dix's performance was too passionate, to the point that he overacted. I could not help but think that William Shatner took a cue from Richard Dix when he played Captain Kirk on "Star Trek". "Cimarron" is not a standout film, but if you like old movies, then I would recommend it. Otherwise, stick to "Giant"; it has a better story, a better cast, and much better acting.
One of the things about this movie that I had heard before seeing it was that it was "horrifically racist." True, there are pervasive racial stereotypes throughout the film, but I think that many people who watch old movies without foreknowledge of the history of film fail to realize that it was a reflection of the times and how people perceived others. "The Jazz Singer" (1926) is regarded as a landmark movie, and it is a classic that people have enjoyed for years. But it, too, has racial stereotypes; Al Jolson sings onstage in blackface, but not for the reasons you may think. In the days of Vaudeville, Blacks weren't permitted to be stage performers, so white people would put on blackface makeup instead. Was this wrong? Yes. But I digress...
The story of "Cimarron" seemed somewhat convoluted to me, as it not quite successfully captured the spirit of Ferber's novel, but it does redeem itself, in that Yancey Cravat (Richard Dix) treated both the Indians and his houseboy, Isaiah (Eugene Jackson), with dignity and respect: At the town's first religious service, in which Yancey gave the sermon, he took up a collection, while at the same time saying the Indians in attendance need not contribute because their land was taken by the White Man; meanwhile, Yancey had publicly given Isaiah his sidearm, so that he may stand guard at home, something unheard of in the late 1800s! And Sabra (Irene Dunn), who did carry prejudices against Indians (she even called them "dirty" after one gave their son a gift), changed her perception of them by the end of the movie, to the point that she, too, became an outspoken advocate of Indians' rights.
The performances in this movie are mixed. Irene Dunn does a fine job here, as does Estelle Taylor, who played the local madam, Dixie Lee. But in my opinion, Richard Dix's performance was too passionate, to the point that he overacted. I could not help but think that William Shatner took a cue from Richard Dix when he played Captain Kirk on "Star Trek". "Cimarron" is not a standout film, but if you like old movies, then I would recommend it. Otherwise, stick to "Giant"; it has a better story, a better cast, and much better acting.