Duelo en la noche

The Oklahoman is directed by Francis Lyon and written by Daniel Ullman. It stars Joel McCRea, Barbara Hale, Brad Dexter, Gloria Talbott, Michael Pate, Verna Felton and Douglas Dick. Music is by Hans Salter and cinematography by Carl Guthrie.

After his wife dies during childbirth, Doctor John Brighton (McCrea) stops in the small Oklahoma town of Cherokee Wells to bury her. Deciding to stay there and start a practice, he comes to run afoul of the local bad boys fronted by the Dobie brothers (Dexter/Dick).

A CinemaScope/De Luxe Color production, The Oklahoman appears to be one of McCrea's lesser known Westerns. Which is a shame, for although this isn't high on action quotas, it is however rich on characters and beats a solid worthy message heart. It's a typical McCrea characterisation, Doctor Brighton is a peaceable man, a bastion of the community, loved by all but the baddies. As the stench of racism rears its ugly head, and a secret of the land comes to the fore, Brighton is forced to stand up for values that he knows to be right, putting himself into great danger in the process.

The Native American characters are well written, showing them to be hard working and integral parts of the community. This is a town where integration clearly works, it's only when financial gain for the Dobie Brothers surfaces does race become an issue. There's a rather fanciful (sort of) love triangle in the mix, as both the Hale and Talbott (playing a young Indian character) have soft feelings for the much older doctor, but this aspect is no hindrance to the pic since it isn't overtly played. Over on the villain side of things Dexter does a nice line in gurning mistrust, and thankfully he doesn't shift into cartoon caricature.

It's not a very insightful picture, as per the themes ticking away, this is after all a second tier "B" Western. Yet some classy veneers shine bright as our characters move about the comforting surrounds of the Iverson Ranch locales. While of course McCrea is the most reassuring presence of all. 7/10

Widower Dr John Birghton becomes thesubject of local gossip when he takes on Maria, an Indian girl, as his housekeeper. When oil is discovered on land belonging to Maria's family, the doctor turns crusader in order to stop the greedy cattlemen.

The Oklahoman isn't a flashy, gun-toting western, though it has a little gunplay - it has a more stripped down story that covers themes such as racism. Quite an enjoyable watch with a good story and characters. There's a lot of talking but not of the pointless kind that doesn't drive the drama. Joel McCrea plays a humble doctor who settles down in a town with his daughter after losing his wife through childbirth. He isn't a gunslinger and keeps away from trouble in the form of the town bully Brad Dexter, but then he has no choice to stand up to him. Despite coming across pacifistic he still ends up as a heroic character standing up to a racist bully. He has other problems such as when the town goes against him town when he employs a sweet young Indian girl as nanny to his son. Rumour mills start to grind. Brad Dexter is good as the villain. You definitely want him to bite the dust quick.

Doctor Joel McCrea buries his wife dead in childbirth on the road to California, and stays set with his daughter. Five years later, he's moderately well set, with pretty Indian girl Gloria Talbott taking care of his daughter, and in love with him, as is Barbara Hale, who owns and runs the second biggest spread around.

Every woman wants to marry a doctor, just like my grandmother told me. Into this unwalled paradise comes trouble, when Miss Talbott's father, Michael Pate, turns himself in to the sheriff. He has killed Brad Dexter's brother, but it was self-defense. Dexter has the biggest spread around. This means it's time for McCrea to take a moral stand and get into a fistfight with Dexter. But wait! There's more!

Daniel Ullman's script is an anachronistic mishmosh of eras, but it does take a nice moral stance of equal justice for all, and it has the always reliable McCrea, Miss Hale looking beautiful and sensible just before she became Della Street, and the usual assortment of actors for one of Allied Artists' Shaky-A oaters: Ray Teal, Verna Felton, Anthony Caruso, and I Stanford Jolley. It also has a great dance sequence, with Miss Talbott kicking up her heels with an assortment of partners to "Oh Dem Golden Slippers".

Good stuff indeed, showing a convincing Joel McCrea, in a typical role for him. I expected a gentle oater, but it is not. Brad Dexter is also exquisite in a very interesting villain - remember how he tries to avoid a duel in the beginning - , and I am also surprised to see Micheal Pate in a non bad guy character. Nothing exceptional though in this western, but excellent quality of directing and acting. Good photography and splendid Cinemascope in LBX DVD release. It takes place in Oklahoma and it speaks of oil, black gold.... I told you, there is nothing new about ranchers war and oil fields rage among settlers.... One of the best films from Francis D Lyon.

A brief recap of the plot-- After his wife dies in childbirth, Doc decides to remain with his young daughter in the little Oklahoma town and set up practice there. Trouble is that oil is on Indian land and only bad guy Dobie knows about it, so he tries various schemes to get Indian Charlie's land away from him. Meanwhile, Doc has struck up a friendship with Charlie whose daughter Maria takes care of Doc's youngster. So there's trouble brewing between the greedy Dobie and the Doc.

Great role for McCrea as the doctor. His naturally likable demeanor is perfect for a caring physician. Of course, there's also that steely determination he can summon when needed and make us believe it. Dexter comes across as an intelligent bad guy, knowing when to strike and when to hold back, unlike most western bad guys who are too often stupidly aggressive. Barbara Hale as Anne makes a good mature counterpart to McCrea. Earlier they made The Lone Hand (1953) together, so the rapport is unforced. Then there's cult favorite Gloria Talbot as the Indian maiden Maria, Anne's rival for Doc's affections, though the Doc's too preoccupied to notice. On the whole, it's a non-scenic, rather easy-going horse opera, with some expected fisticuffs and a well-staged showdown. Nothing special, just another very watchable McCrea western, of which he made many during his productive middle years.