Cimarron (1931) RKO Radio Pictures Director: Wesley Ruggles Producers: William LeBaron, Wesley Ruggles Cast: Richard Dix, Irene Dunne, Estelle Taylor, Nance O'Neil, William Collier Jr. Awards ceremony: -4th Academy Awards: November 10, 1931. Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles, California. Other films nominated for Outstanding Production this year: -East Lynne. -The Front Page. -Skippy. -Trader Horn. Plot summary: Set in Oklahoma 1889, the President declares 2 million acres of land free to anybody who can claim it. Half the country (it seems) shows up with their horses, wagons and worldly possessions in an attempt to take advantage of the offer. When newspaper proprietor/lawyer Yancey Cravat (RICHARD DIX) narrowly misses out, he decides to take his wife Sabra (IRENE DUNNE) and child and relocate to Osage to start a new life. Over the next forty-one years they raise their children and run the Oklahoma Wigwam newspaper as the world around them evolves. Standout scene: There were three scenes noteworthy of mention: The first being the opening shots of hundreds of people racing across the plains with their horses and wagons. That must have taken some serious co-ordination to film. I have to give credit where credit is due for those scenes. Another scene of importance is towards the end with Sabra being elected as a congresswoman; but the best scene is the courtroom drama with Yancey defending Dixie Lee (ESTELLE TAYLOR), a young woman who basically screwed him out of his potential claim to land. Earlier in the film Dixie pulls a stunt where she deliberately injures her horse so that Yancey (silly name - Yancey) will stop to assist her before she steals his horse and rides off on it to claim the land he had intended to grab. She even has the bloody cheek to get HIM to put her horse out of its misery too when it is mortally wounded! Despite this he offers to defend her in her trial. Facts: -The 4th Academy Awards. -The film was nominated for 7 Academy Awards. It won for Best Adaptation (Howard Estabrook), and Best Art Direction (Max Rée). Personal opinion: Boring, confusing, poorly explained and often unnecessary. I had a hard time following the film and I really tried! But there was just something about it that made me just want to get through it without pulling my teeth out or punching the person next to me out of pure frustration. There was only one character I actually liked: Mrs. Wyatt (played by EDNA MAY OLIVER), with her outrageously posh accent and mannerisms. I thought Irene Dunne's character was horrible; a racist on more than one occasion AND a slave-driver - making children work for her as servants. Didn't like her one bit. Richard Dix's voice was as annoying as his silly hairstyle, which is seen bouncing around his head notably during the courtroom scenes! One scene made me smile: all these people racing across the plains with their horses and wagons... and then some guy rides past on a penny farthing! There's always one, isn't there?! And on the contrary there was one scene that DIDN'T make me smile: The lawyer shooting dead a man inside a makeshift church whilst preaching to God. Yeah, it doesn't work like that pal. Did it deserve the Oscar? NO. Just NO. 2/10

Review date: 05 February 2025