Oklahoma Crude (film)

Last updated
Oklahoma Crude
Oklahoma Crude (film).jpg
Theatrical poster by Howard Terpning
Directed by Stanley Kramer
Screenplay by Marc Norman
Produced byStanley Kramer
Starring George C. Scott
Faye Dunaway
John Mills
Jack Palance
Cinematography Robert Surtees
Edited by Folmar Blangsted
Music by Henry Mancini
Production
company
Stanley Kramer Productions
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release date
  • June 13, 1973 (1973-06-13)(Oklahoma)
Running time
112 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$2,500,000 (US/ Canada rentals) [1]

Oklahoma Crude is a 1973 American comedy-drama western film directed by Stanley Kramer in Panavision. It stars George C. Scott, Faye Dunaway, John Mills and Jack Palance. It was entered into the 8th Moscow International Film Festival where Kramer won the Golden Prize for Direction. [2] The song "Send a Little Love My Way", sung by Anne Murray, was featured in the film and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song in 1973. [3]

Contents

Plot

In 1913, Lena Doyle is the owner of a small tract of land outside Almira, Oklahoma that contains a prominent hill. Lena believes the hill is a dome above a large pool of oil and runs a "wild cat" drilling operation, but her derrick has yet to yield anything. Her only employee is Jimmy, a young Native American. One day, Lena's estranged father, Cleon Doyle, shows up and offers to help, but she refuses. Cleon nevertheless tries to hire men to guard Lena's property, but he is shunned, as no one wants to stand in the way of "Pan Okie", or Pan Oklahoma Oil & Gas, which is the most powerful oil company in the region and Almira's principal benefactor. Only one man, Spanish-American War veteran Noble "Mase" Mason, accepts. Lena is wary of Mason, but allows him to work for her while continuing to reject her father.

One night during a downpour, Walter C. Hellman, a retired US Army captain employed by Pan Oklahoma as a fixer, arrives and demands Lena sell her tract to the company. She declines, and Hellman orders his henchmen to beat her and Jimmy, who dies from his injuries. Mason offers to abandon Lena for a $200 bribe, but Hellman disparages him as a spineless opportunist and not only refuses to pay, but has him beaten as well. Cleon nurses Lena and Mason back to health while Hellman illegally occupies and works Lena's tract. In Almira, Lena and Cleon, who are now reconciled, are informed by a lawyer that Lena's case against Pan Oklahoma is hopeless because the company has influence over the judges, but he suggests that she could take back her land by force and justify it as self-defense. Together, Lena, Cleon, and Mason assault Hellman's workers with shotguns and grenades, scaring them off and reclaiming the tract.

The next day, Hellman returns with Henry H. Wilcox, the son of Pan Oklahoma's owner, and a larger group of men, threatening to "besiege" Lena's property unless she agrees to sell. She again refuses him. Hellman has the tract encircled and placed under constant guard, but is restrained from taking more violent action by Wilcox. Other oil companies learn of the squabble and send their own representatives to monitor the tract, hoping to take advantage. As the siege stretches on, Mason is forced to sneak into the Pan Oklahoma camp to steal food and drink, earning Lena's gratitude. Soon after, Lena's derrick is affected by a blow out and the drill cable breaks. Against Lena's wishes, Cleon climbs the derrick to replace the cable, wearing a metal plate on his back as protection from Hellman's gunmen. The cable is replaced, but on the way down Cleon loses his plate and is shot dead. In the wake of the tragedy, Lena pursues a romantic relationship with Mason.

Finally, Lena's derrick strikes oil, and the various oil company representatives flock to buy it. She settles on the somewhat high price of $2.50 per barrel, but the frenzied representatives accept. Unfortunately, the oil gush abruptly stops; Lena only drilled a small, worthless pocket of oil, and her well is a bust. Hellman and the other oil men immediately pack up and leave. Lena and Mason muse about looking for oil in Mexico, but Mason declares he wants to leave the oil business behind. As he walks away, Lena calls for him.

Cast

Production

Despite the title, the movie was filmed in Stockton, California. [4] Assured by the locals that the weather was mild and temperate, the only thing it didn't do was snow. Filming from September to November 1972, the temperature went from 110 degrees to so cold the actors had to put ice cubes in their mouths to keep their breath from showing up on screen (the movie supposedly took place during the summer). [5]

Release

The film had its premiere on June 13, 1973 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It also opened in Oklahoma City the same day. [6]

Reception

In the Chicago Sun-Times , film critic Roger Ebert wrote:

We have seen this relationship many times in the movies, most memorably in The African Queen . The buried plot is always the same: Beautiful woman and uncultured man find themselves thrown together in a colorful enterprise. They have nothing in common except the enterprise, they think, but gradually their co-operation breeds respect, affection and finally love. Class barriers fall as the sun sets and romantic music swells... [Stanley] Kramer, to give him his due, has handled the ending on a restrained note that seems just right; we don't get slow-motion shots of lovers running across a meadow (or an oil field) into each other's arms. [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Faye Dunaway</span> American actress (born 1941)

Dorothy Faye Dunaway is an American actress. She is the recipient of many accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, three Golden Globe Awards, and a BAFTA Award. In 2011, the government of France made her an Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters.

<i>Kramer vs. Kramer</i> 1979 film by Robert Benton

Kramer vs. Kramer is a 1979 American legal drama written and directed by Robert Benton, based on Avery Corman's 1977 novel of the same name. The film stars Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Justin Henry and Jane Alexander. It tells the story of a couple's divorce, its impact on their young son, and the subsequent evolution of their relationship and views on parenting.

<i>Julia</i> (1977 film) 1977 film by Fred Zinnemann

Julia is a 1977 American WWII drama film directed by Fred Zinnemann, from a screenplay by Alvin Sargent. It is based on a chapter from Lillian Hellman's 1973 book Pentimento about the author's relationship with a lifelong friend, Julia, who fought against the Nazis in the years prior to World War II. The film stars Jane Fonda, Vanessa Redgrave, Jason Robards, Hal Holbrook, Rosemary Murphy, Maximilian Schell, and Meryl Streep in her film debut.

<i>Lost Horizon</i> (1973 film) 1973 film by Charles Jarrott

Lost Horizon is a 1973 musical fantasy adventure film directed by Charles Jarrott and starring Peter Finch, Liv Ullmann, Sally Kellerman, George Kennedy, Michael York, Olivia Hussey, Bobby Van, James Shigeta, Charles Boyer and John Gielgud. It was also the final film produced by Ross Hunter. The film is a remake of Frank Capra's 1937 film of the same name, with a screenplay by Larry Kramer. Both stories were adapted from James Hilton's 1933 novel Lost Horizon.

<i>Three Days of the Condor</i> 1975 film by Sydney Pollack

Three Days of the Condor is a 1975 American political thriller film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Robert Redford, Faye Dunaway, Cliff Robertson, and Max von Sydow. The screenplay by Lorenzo Semple Jr. and David Rayfiel was based on the 1974 novel Six Days of the Condor by James Grady.

<i>Dead Presidents</i> 1995 film directed by Albert Hughes and Allen Hughes

Dead Presidents is a 1995 American crime film co-written, produced and directed by the Hughes Brothers. The film chronicles the life of Anthony Curtis, focusing on his teenage years as a high school graduate and his experiences during the Vietnam War as a Recon Marine. As he returns to his hometown in The Bronx, Curtis finds himself struggling to support himself and his family, eventually turning to a life of crime.

<i>Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home</i> 1995 American film

Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home is a 1995 American family adventure drama film directed by Dwight Little from a screenplay by Karen Janszen, Corey Blechman and John Mattson. It is the sequel to the 1993 film Free Willy and second installment in the Free Willy film series distributed by Warner Bros. under their Warner Bros. Family Entertainment label. Jason James Richter, Jayne Atkinson, August Schellenberg, Michael Madsen and Mykelti Williamson reprise their roles from the first film. New cast members include Jon Tenney and Elizabeth Peña. Unlike the previous film where Keiko played Willy, a robotic double created by Edge Innovations was used to play the eponymous whale while the Free Willy Keiko Foundation devised a plan to bring Keiko to the Oregon Coast Aquarium where he would be rehabilitated from poor health. However, Keiko did make an uncredited appearance, reprising his role as Willy through an archival clip shown in the movie.

<i>Barfly</i> (film) 1987 film by Barbet Schroeder

Barfly is a 1987 American black comedy film directed by Barbet Schroeder and starring Mickey Rourke and Faye Dunaway. The film is a semi-autobiography of poet/author Charles Bukowski during the time he spent drinking heavily in Los Angeles, and it presents Bukowski's alter ego Henry Chinaski. The screenplay, written by Bukowski, was commissioned by the Iranian-born Swiss film director Barbet Schroeder, and it was published in 1984, when film production was still pending.

<i>The Beverly Hillbillies</i> (film) 1993 film by Penelope Spheeris

The Beverly Hillbillies is a 1993 American comedy film directed by Penelope Spheeris, written by Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal, and starring Jim Varney, Diedrich Bader, Dabney Coleman, Erika Eleniak, Cloris Leachman, Rob Schneider, Lea Thompson and Lily Tomlin.

<i>Mommie Dearest</i> (film) 1981 film by Frank Perry

Mommie Dearest is a 1981 American biographical psychological drama film directed by Frank Perry and starring Faye Dunaway, Steve Forrest, Mara Hobel, and Diana Scarwid, with supporting performances from Xander Berkeley in his feature film debut along with Rutanya Alda and Jocelyn Brando. Adapted from Christina Crawford's 1978 autobiography of the same name, the film follows her and her brother Christopher's upbringing under their adoptive mother, actress Joan Crawford, depicting her as abusive, controlling, and manipulative, prioritizing her Hollywood career over her family.

<i>Hurry Sundown</i> (film) 1967 film by Otto Preminger

Hurry Sundown is a 1967 American drama film produced and directed by Otto Preminger, and starring Jane Fonda and Michael Caine. The screenplay by Horton Foote and Thomas C. Ryan is based on the 1965 novel of the same title by K.B. Gilden, a pseudonym for the married couple Katya and Bert Gilden. It marked Faye Dunaway's film debut. The film is considered a Southern Gothic work.

<i>North Sea Hijack</i> 1980 film

North Sea Hijack is a 1980 British adventure film starring Roger Moore, James Mason, Anthony Perkins and Michael Parks. It was directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and adapted by Jack Davies from his novel, Esther, Ruth and Jennifer.

Tulsa is a 1949 American Western action film directed by Stuart Heisler and starring Susan Hayward and Robert Preston, and featured Lloyd Gough, Chill Wills, and Ed Begley in one of his earliest film roles, billed as Edward Begley.

<i>The Chamber</i> (1996 film) 1996 American film

The Chamber is a 1996 American legal thriller film directed by James Foley. It is based on John Grisham's 1994 novel of the same name. The film stars Chris O'Donnell, Gene Hackman, Faye Dunaway, Lela Rochon, Robert Prosky, Raymond J. Barry, and David Marshall Grant.

<i>Dream Lover</i> (1993 film) 1994 film by Nicholas Kazan

Dream Lover is a 1993 American erotic thriller film written and directed by Nicholas Kazan and starring James Spader and Mädchen Amick, with Bess Armstrong, Frederic Lehne, and Larry Miller in supporting roles. The original music score was composed by Christopher Young.

<i>Blume in Love</i> 1973 film by Paul Mazursky

Blume in Love is a 1973 American romantic comedy drama film written, produced and directed by Paul Mazursky. It stars George Segal in the title role, alongside Susan Anspach and Kris Kristofferson. Others in the cast include Mazursky, Marsha Mason and Shelley Winters.

<i>Mexicali Rose</i> (1939 film) 1939 film by George Sherman

Mexicali Rose is a 1939 American Western film directed by George Sherman and starring Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, and Noah Beery. Based on a story by Luci Ward and Connie Lee, the film is about a singing cowboy who fights corrupt oil men selling worthless stock from a non-existent well located on land belonging to a poor Mexican orphanage.

<i>Making It</i> (film) 1971 film by John Erman

Making It is a 1971 comedy-drama film directed by John Erman and written by Peter Bart and James Leigh. It stars Kristoffer Tabori, Bob Balaban, Lawrence Pressman, Joyce Van Patten, Marlyn Mason, and a number of character actors familiar to TV audiences of the 1970s. Adapted from Leigh's 1965 novel What Can You Do?, the film follows several months in the life of an intelligent, precocious 17-year-old high school student who fancies himself a smooth Lothario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nellie Johnstone No. 1</span> United States historic place

Nellie Johnstone No. 1 was the first commercially productive oil well in Oklahoma. Completed on April 15, 1897, the well was drilled in the Bartlesville Sand near Bartlesville, opening an era of oil exploration and development in Oklahoma. It was abandoned as a well in 1964. The site was donated to the city of Bartlesville and is now a park, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, featuring a restored drilling rig.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Faye Dunaway filmography</span>

Faye Dunaway is an American actress who appeared in over seventy films, thirty television shows, thirteen plays and two music videos. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses of her generation, she was one of the leading actresses during the golden age of New Hollywood. After her film debut The Happening, she starred in the gangster film Bonnie and Clyde, in which she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. She starred with Steve McQueen in The Thomas Crown Affair (1968). In 1969, she co-starred with Kirk Douglas in Elia Kazan's drama The Arrangement. The following year, she starred with Dustin Hoffman in Little Big Man. In 1970, her performance in Jerry Schatzberg's experimental drama Puzzle of a Downfall Child earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama. She portrayed Milady de Winter in Richard Lester's The Three Musketeers (1973) and The Four Musketeers (1974).

References

  1. "Big Rental Films of 1973", Variety, 9 January 1974 p 19
  2. "34th Moscow International Film Festival (1973)". MIFF. Archived from the original on January 16, 2013. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  3. Golden Globe Awards Archived 2013-05-08 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved August 16, 2013
  4. "Hollywood Goes Stockton". Santa Cruz Sentinel. November 16, 1972. p. 21. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  5. Sheward, David (2008). Rage and Glory. Applause Theatre & Cinema Books. pp. 230–231. ISBN   978-1-55783-670-0.
  6. "Oklahoma Crude (advertisement)". Variety . May 23, 1973. pp. 20–21. Retrieved May 8, 2024 via Internet Archive.
  7. Ebert, Roger (August 6, 1973). "Oklahoma Crude". RogerEbert.com. Chicago Sun-Times.