Cimarron (1931 film)

Cimarron (1931 film)
Cimarron

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Wesley Ruggles
Produced by William LeBaron
Written by Howard Estabrook
Starring Richard Dix
Irene Dunne
Estelle Taylor
Roscoe Ates
Music by Max Steiner
Cinematography Edward Cronjager
Editing by William Hamilton
Distributed by RKO Pictures
Release date(s) February 9, 1931 (1931-02-09)
Running time 131 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $1.5 million

Cimarron is a 1931 Pre-Code film directed by Wesley Ruggles and based on the Edna Ferber novel Cimarron. It won three Academy Awards.

Contents

Background

Despite America being in the depths of the Depression, RKO immediately prepared for a big-budget picture, investing more than 1.5 million dollars into Ferber's novel Cimarron. Director Wesley Ruggles would direct stars Richard Dix and Irene Dunne with a script written by Howard Estabrook. Filming began in the summer of 1930 at the Jasmin Quinn Ranch outside of Los Angeles, California.

It was a massive production, especially the land rush scenes, which recalled the epic scenes of Intolerance some fifteen years earlier. More than 5,000 extras, twenty-eight cameramen, and numerous camera assistants and photographers were used to capture scenes of wagons racing across grassy hills and prairie. Cinematographer Edward Cronjager spent overtime planning out every scene in accordance to Ferber's descriptions.

Portrayal of ethnic minorities

Like many of the movies of its time, Cimarron has been perceived to represent blacks, Jews, and American Indians in a stereotypical fashion. However, Cimarron is notable for the conflicting attitudes of the principal characters towards non-whites. Sabra Cravat refers to American Indians as "dirty, filthy savages" and refuses to allow her son to accept a gift of feathered headgear from an Indian. Her husband, Yancey Cravat, has a more sympathetic view, acknowledging that the Indians in the back of the church are not expected to give a monetary contribution to the purchase of a white man's church organ as they have had their land stolen by the white men.

The initial church meeting also highlights his seemingly minority view towards Jews. Sol Levy, a Jewish salesman, is unsure of whether he will be allowed stay in the church meeting but Yancey states that this will be a non-denominational meeting. We have seen earlier in the movie that when Sol is harassed and humiliated by the town gun-slingers, the townsfolk watch and make no effort to intervene. Eventually, Yancey intervenes.

Isaiah, the main black character in the movie, is introduced as a smiling, whistling shoe shiner. But he plays a hero's role later in the movie when he attempts to keep the Cravat children out of harm's way. He dies in his efforts.

Yancey's open minded view of non-whites contradicts his urges to participate in claims for newly opened land in the West bought by the government from the American Indians for far less than its market value - the "Oklahoma Land Rush." He does, however, admit the unfair results of treaties between the U.S. government and the Cherokees. This complexity of racial attitudes is augmented by the flawed natures of the main characters. Yancey is the typical western hero who seeks adventure and who demonstrates chivalry that is otherwise infrequent in the movie. Yet he is deeply flawed. He abandons his family to pursue his western ambitions. There are numerous references to his past as a gunslinger, his friendship with The Kid and the notches on his gun handle. He is patronizing to his wife and ignores all her pleas.

Reception

The film was premiered first in New York City on January 26, 1931, to much praise, and a Los Angeles premiere followed on February 6. Three days later, the film was released to theaters throughout the nation. Despite being a critical success, the high budget and ongoing Great Depression combined against the film. While it was a commercial success in line with other films of the day, RKO could not recoup their investment in the film.

Academy Awards – 1930-31

At the 1931 Academy Awards ceremony at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, Cimarron was the 1st film to get more than six Academy Awards nominations and nominated for the Big Five awards (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Writing). A special award for make-up was given to Ern Westmore for his work on the film, as well.[1]

It was the Winner of 3 Academy Awards.

Award Result Winner
Outstanding Production Won RKO Radio (William LeBaron, Producer)
Best Director Nominated Wesley Ruggles
Winner was Norman Taurog - Skippy
Best Actor Nominated Richard Dix
Winner was Lionel Barrymore - A Free Soul
Best Actress Nominated Irene Dunne
Winner was Marie Dressler - Min and Bill
Best Writing, Adaptation Won Howard Estabrook
Best Art Direction Won Max Rée
Best Cinematography Nominated Edward Cronjager
Winner was Floyd Crosby - Tabu

Cast

References

  1. ^ Frank Westmore and Muriel Davidson. The Westmores of Hollywood. J. B. Lippincott, New York City, 1976.

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Cimarron (1960 film) — Cimarron Directed by Anthony Mann Produced by Edmund Grainger Written by Arnold Schulman …   Wikipedia

  • Cimarron (disambiguation) — Cimarron (Spanish Cimarrón) means feral or a domestic animal having returned to a wild state. It can also simply mean wild as well as fugitive. Cimarron may also refer to: Contents 1 Populated places in the United States 2 Other geographical… …   Wikipedia

  • Strictly Dishonorable (1931 film) — Infobox Film name = Strictly Dishonorable (1931) image size = 215px caption = title card director = John M. Stahl producer = Carl Laemmle Jr. John M. Stahl writer = Preston Sturges (play) Gladys Lehman (screenplay) narrator = starring = Paul… …   Wikipedia

  • Cimarron — For other uses, see Cimarron (disambiguation). 1st edition (Doubleday, Doran) Cimarron is the title of a novel published by popular historical fiction author Edna Ferber in 1929. The book was adapted into a critically acclaimed film in 1931… …   Wikipedia

  • Cimarrón (película de 1960) — Cimarron Título Cimarrón Ficha técnica Dirección Anthony Mann Charles Walters Producción Edmund Grainger …   Wikipedia Español

  • Cimarrón (desambiguación) — Cimarrón se refiere generalmente al ganado rebelde. Cimarrón o El Cimarrón también puede referirse a: Cimarrón Uruguayo, raza de animal canino; Cimarrón (Byrsonima crassifolia), fruto; Nombre que se le da en Guatemala al Frejolillo Negro cimarrón …   Wikipedia Español

  • Premios Óscar de 1931 — Anexo:Premios Óscar de 1931 Saltar a navegación, búsqueda La cuarta entrega de los Premios Óscar de la Academia de las Artes y las Ciencias Cinematográficas de Hollywood sirvió para premiar las películas estrenadas entre el 1 de agosto de 1930 y… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Anexo:Premios Óscar de 1931 — La cuarta entrega de los Premios Óscar de la Academia de las Artes y las Ciencias Cinematográficas de Hollywood sirvió para premiar las películas estrenadas entre el 1 de agosto de 1930 y la misma fecha de 1931. Se introdujo una nueva categoría,… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Cimarron (homonymie) — Cimarron Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Cimarron est un nom qui peut désigner : USS Cimarron, nom de navires de l United States Navy. Cimarron, livre écrit par Edna Ferber et… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Cimarrón (1960) — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Cimarron Título Cimarrón Ficha técnica Dirección Anthony Mann Producción Edmund Grainger Guión …   Wikipedia Español

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”