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In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

This 1931 movie of the epic 1929 Edna Ferber novel is itself an epic. "Cimarron" shows the historic Oklahoma Land Rush and ensuring settlement right up to the time that the audience then lived. The amassing of so many wagons, carts and types of old conveyances is historical in itself. And the portrayal of the boomtown rising out of the Western prairie is so close to the time that it's an authentic picture of the real life of the time and place.Indeed, this RKO film captured three Academy Awards Oscars, with four more nominations. It was the Best Picture of 1931. Richard Dix and Irene Dunne were nominated for best actor and actress, and gave superb performances. Some modern viewers may see Dix's flamboyance as over-acting. He did carry a little of his silent film mannerisms into his early sound films. But his Yancey Cravat is spot on the character that Edna Ferber created. And, Dunne's portrayal was superb as her character matured over the years. The 1960 production of "Cimarron" by MGM had a fine cast and did a good portrayal of the period. But the rise of the towns from the prairie seemed to miss the touch of authenticity that this film has. And, while all of the cast of the later film were fine, they didn't provide the edge that Dix and Dunne and company give in this original "Cimarron."Dix also starred in another movie around the land rush, "Cherokee Strip", in 1940. And Dix and Dunne starred together in another film. "Stingaree" is a 1934 RKO drama and comedy romance.Here are some favorite lines from the film. For more dialog, see the Quotes section under this IMDb Web page of the movie. Yancy Cravat, "Why, we've had enough of this Wichita. We're going' out to a brand new two-fisted, rip snortin' country full of Indians, rattlesnakes, gun toters and desperados. Whoopee!"Yancy Cravat, "There's loyalty, Sabra, that money can't buy."Yancy Cravat, "The second button on his coat is about the spot of his wishbone. Maybe a couple inches higher." Sol Levy, "Oh, they will always talk about Yancy. He's gonna be part of the history of the great Southwest. It's men like him that build the world. The rest of them, like me... well, we just come along and live in it."Yancy Cravat, "Dixie Lees have been stoned in the market place for 2,000 years. You've got to drive the devil out first."Mrs. Tracy Wyatt, "Sorry, Mr. Levy about you not being on the committee. But you see, we invited representatives of our principal families. One of my ancestors was a signer of the Declaration of Independence." Sol Levy, "Mmm hmmm. That's all right. A relative of mine, a fellow named Moses, wrote the Ten Commandments."

ORIGINAL REVIEW: I'm going to get this out of the way: While there is no excuse for the racism, I'm also not going to vilify this movie for it. The racism seems ridiculous today, but I'm sure the various "parody" movies of the past 15 years will look ridiculous 85 years from now. Even without it, though, it would still fall flat. It opens with the Oklahoma land rush, which is still an impressive spectacle (and my sole reason for going as high as a four rating here). If Wesley Ruggles had turned it into an ensemble movie about the various participants therein, it would have been on to something. But, we are left to follow the Cravat family as they- or, mostly, patriarch Yancey- search for a fortune. To their credit, they do find it, though Yancey is absent most of the time. I have MAJOR issues with the character of Yancey Cravat. It is not so much with Richard Dix, as he does what he can with it (as most of the actors do, especially Irene Dunne). We are asked to accept a man who willingly abandons his family time after time so he can keep chasing the next big thing. He leaves them for years at a time, yet everyone thinks nothing of it. The wife, Sabra, even keeps taking him back and keeps his name as editor of the town newspaper even though it is her hard work that was put into it. I don't play around with such matters, even in movies. If we are supposed to believe that Sabra becomes an independent woman over the course, why the hell does she keep taking Yancey back every time he decides to spend time with the family? If it weren't for the opening land rush, I would be one of those asking for a negative rating option. As is, I'm giving it a generous four.UPDATE: I would like to make an addendum regarding my rant about Yancey. I have since learned that the character as portrayed in the movie is actually faithful to Edna Ferber's novel. This only infuriates me even more. As a party to parental abandonment, I think it has no place for glorification in any media. That is essentially what both Edna Ferber and Wesley Ruggles did with their incarnations of "Cimarron". (I have no interest in the 1960 MGM remake for obvious reasons.) Such a portrayal today would rightly be vilified. This somehow managed to even take some of the luster out of that land rush scene and bumped my rating down to a three.

Richard Dix, Irene Dunne, and Edna May Oliver star in this film adaptation of Edna Ferber's novel, Cimarron, which centers on the new territory of Oklahoma. In the beginning we see a stampede of people wanting a new life on new grounds, galloping towards what is to be Oklahoma, to stake their claim. One such person is Richard Dix, who's married to Irene Dunne. He learns real quick, in order to get what he wants, he can't stop to be kind to others along the way. It's hard to pinpoint a certain plot that moves the movie along, as it's a mixture of all things. But, you can tell real quick that, what it does in telling the story is not subtle and does not mince words. With Richard Dix's over-the-top performance, certain typecasts of people, particularly blacks, and some pretty awkward direction and writing, the film, to be honest, shows its age and dates very badly and is pretty hard to watch and downright unbearable in parts. In fact, it was probably dated in just a few years after it was made. Irene Dunne, while trying to embody the sweet loyal wife, by the end of the film, seems judge-mental and hard, especially in terms of another member of the community. I may not would have watched this, if it hadn't been for her. And, Irene Dunne did earn an Oscar nomination for her work. But, Richard Dix really steals the show with his hammy performance, particularly with his courtroom antics. He and Henry Hull were the hammiest actors I've ever seen in movies. While his character of Yancey Cravat tends to be regarded as self-absorbed, by leaving home and feeling his duty anywhere but by his wife's side, he is in fact more likable and even more admirable in comparison to his wife. He always stands for the right thing to do, even when the consensus says to do the opposite, and he, most of the time, is on the side of the underdog or who's being treated badly, which leads to the ending being very fitting, in that it couldn't end any other way. For as much as I said that it's very dated and may in fact be a once-you've-seen-it,you've-seen-it film, it certainly keeps your attention and is never dull. Some may call it a so-bad-it's-good film; others may call it just plain awful with its depiction of stereotypes. But this Oscar-winning Best Picture! certainly shows another side to the early days of Oklahoma civilization.

Adventuresome and scholarly Richard Dix (as Yancey Cravat) joins the 1889 Oklahoma land rush, and helps settle the territory, with loyal homesteading wife Irene Dunne (as Sabra). His oratory skills as a lawyer and work as a newspaper editor help Mr. Dix defend the downtrodden through the ensuing decades. Notably, Mr. Dix is supportive of Native American (Indian) rights. Dix also helps independent woman and presumed prostitute Estelle Taylor (as Dixie Lee). After some decades pass, we meet the title character, wild and unruly son Don Dillaway (as Cimarron "Cim" Cravat)."Cimarron" is mostly recalled as the first western to win an "Academy Award" for best film. Some may think it should be recalled as the first time an award was given to prop up the box office of a flop. But, the red ink was due to RKO spending so much on the film; while not recouping its cost, "Cimarron" was one of the biggest box office hits of 1931. It was also a triple crown "Best Picture" award winner, with prizes from "Photoplay" and "Film Daily" included. Those awards were also the ones bestowed upon "The Covered Wagon" (1923), which was the world's previous western standard.None of this means "Cimarron" is anything more than a swaggeringly average western, with a lot of production cost. Some of it is so dull, the "ethnic" characters emerge as most perversely entertaining. It's difficult to justify the acting nominations for Dix and Ms. Dunne. Director Wesley Ruggles manages the crowds well and adds a few artful moments, like the clever crucifying positioning of Jewish character George E. Stone (as Sol Levy), after some bullying. Edna May Oliver (as Tracy Wyatt) also makes the most of her role, employing many mannerisms seen later in Carol Burnett.***** Cimarron (1/26/31) Wesley Ruggles ~ Richard Dix, Irene Dunne, Estelle Taylor, George E. Stone