Fureur sur l'Oklahoma

Ok little story. Good for an afternoon diversion...

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

Back when oil was discovered in Oklahoma and there was a market for it, the Natives living in Oklahoma were set to get rich. However, unscrupulous whites used a variety of techniques to legally steal the land. This film is about an early attempt to steal Indian land for oil rights...with middling results.

The story begins with John (Joel McCrea) traveling west to California to homestead. However, his wife dies along the way and he decides to stay in Oklahoma and raise his young daughter. After all, he's a doctor and they could use one there.

Several years pass and a no-goodnick named 'Dobie' is trying to get everyone's land...particularly that belonging to the Indians. This is because there's oil and he anticipates a demand for the stuff. In his way is the Doc...who insists that the Indians be treated as citizens. Additionally, two women love him (though he's too dumb to realize it)...and one is a native.

The worst aspect of the film are the so-called 'Indians'. The Aussie, Michael Pate, is an odd choice...and his accent is just strange. Additionally, Gloria Talbott plays another...which she did in quite a few films even though she looked nothing like any Native!

Despite the poor casting decision about 'Natives', the film is good and tries to portray the Indians well...perhaps too well considering attitudes about them back in the old west. It also helps that Joel McCrea is in the lead, as he made westerns seem a bit better due to his easygoing manner.

Overall, a decent western...one a bit better than average even with the screwy 'Indians'!

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.

This is a nice easy to take B western that Joel McCrea settled into doing in his later years. The Oklahoman opens with McCrea's wife dying in childbirth and McCrea making a decision to leave the wagon train he's on and settle in what was then known as Indian Territory.

Fast forward about seven years. McCrea, who is a doctor, has settled with his seven year old daughter in a small town in Oklahoma. He's got two girls interested in him, Barbara Hale who is rancher's widow, and Gloria Talbott a young Indian girl who babysits his daughter. Talbott's family has problems from the local town bully played with appropriate menace by Brad Dexter. He wants the land that Talbott's father Michael Pate owns and Dexter ain't too squeamish about his methods.

Why does Dexter want the land and who will McCrea wind up with in the end? For those questions watch The Oklahoman.

Fans of Joel McCrea and westerns in general will like this.