Review of Cimarron

To sum up a in a sentence, this movie is about what happens with a couple in an early pioneer town of Oklahoma, where a man gets to do what he wants and a woman must do what she must. This is one of those movies that, unlike 90% of the "westerns" before the realist period (1965-present), has a lot more realism than one would expect from one produced in 1960. Not only does it depict violent racism, 19th century views on women, wayward youth, etc., it also depicts the nuances prevalent in a man desiring to give up, but incapable of burying, his wanderlust ideals (men are just boys with bigger toys) for the sake of his family. Just when one thinks the plot has died a death of boredom, another wrinkle of interest pushes it's way to the viewing screen provoking an astute viewer's enthusiasm for the story. Cimarron is one of those movies with just enough realism that it is a welcoming bridge from the 1950s 'cowboys & Indians' saccharine period to the ultra-realist, albeit minimalist, "spaghetti" westerns. If one doesn't fall in love (not in an amorous way) with Maria Schell in this movie then they haven't much of a heart anyway. This is a great western-genre movie with lots of characters to care about lovingly or with disdain.