Oklahoma! Opening Night Impressions and Observations
10. October 1955. "Oklahoma!" opening night at the Rivoli Theatre, New York, USA.

Quotes From N.Y. Critics

"Oklahoma!" premiere 10. October 1955

"... The effect is not completely three-dimensional, but there is a good illusion of depth, and director Fred Zinnemann has used it imaginatively to create a rural atmosphere ..."

"... But Todd-AO is best in close-ups, and when Gordon MacRae as Curly, comes riding through the tall corn singing, 'Oh, What A Beautiful Morning!' he could hardly seem any closer unless he came up the aisle giving autographs."

Justin Gilbert—N.Y. Daily Mirror, Tuesday, October 11

"... Oklahoma!, Rodgers and Hammerstein's memorable stage success, unveiled as a brand new, news-making movie to the press on Monday, has fully redeemed its promises and prophesies ...

"... Through the new Todd-AO process, 'Oklahoma!' takes you on a rattling, rip-snorting runaway horse ride; displays some eerie dream sequence dances; features the panoramic scope of a region that only a few short years ago was officially labeled Indian Territory."

"Orthosonic sound, so diffuse that it is astounding, helps to boom 'Oklahoma!' through your ears right into your heart — where it rightfully belongs."

Kate Cameron---N.Y. Daily News, Oct. 11

"... Last night marked a turning point in the history of the moving picture industry. The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical version of 'Oklahoma!' was unveiled on a huge, curved screen through a newly developed projector at the revamped Rivoli Theatre to an enthusiastic audience."

"The Todd-AO process, which begins at the camera line and follows through on the sound track, projector, screen and sound installation, marks the greatest advance in the photographing and projection of films since CinemaScope and Cinerama were introduced to us."

"If it hadn't been for the latter two processes, Todd-AO may never have been developed to its present day efficiency. It is here though, I'd say, to stay. It has overcome Cinerama's necessity for three cameras, triple projectors and a tripartite screen, and is an advancement over CinemaScope in that it is seen on a higher, wider and more deeply curved screen."

"The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical is a fine instrument for the introduction of Todd-AO (the AO stands for American Optical Company)..."

"Oklahoma!" premiere 10. October 1955

"The Screen: Oklahoma!" is Okay.

"At long last, "Oklahoma!", the great Rodgers and Hammerstein musical show, which ran for more than five years on Broadway, has been brought to the motion picture screen in a production that magnifies and strengthens all the charm that it had upon the stage."

"... To the question of whether the dimensions and the mechanism of Todd-AO are appropriate to the material, one can only say that the generous expanse of screen is fetching, but the system has disconcerting flaws. The distortions of the images are striking when the picture is viewed from the seats on the sides of the Rivoli's orchestra or the sides and rear of the balcony. Even from central locations, the concave shape of the screen causes it to appear to be arched upwards or downwards, according to whether one views it from the orchestra or the balcony."

"While a fine sense of depth is imparted with some of the outdoor scenes — notably one looking down the rows of a cornfield and in a thrilling sequence of a horse and wagon runaway — the third dimensional effect is not insistent. The color in the present film is variable. Some highly annoying scratches are conspicuous in many otherwise absorbing scenes."

"However, the flaws in mechanism do not begin to outweigh a superlative screen entertainment which is endowed with excellent sound and runs for two hours and twenty-five minutes with a ten-minute pause for air."

"Oklahoma!" premiere 10. October 1955 on Broadway

"... But the wide screen used for the Todd-AO process (the image measures 50 x 25 feet at the Rivoli) adds production scope and visual grandeur capturing a vista of blue sky and green prairie that can be breathtaking, even though director Zinnemann has made comparatively sparing use of this particular aspect."

"Todd-AO process decidedly is not out of the woods yet. In some respects, the image attained at the preview showing was disappointing, a letdown that some attribute to an over-expectancy. The screen was surely wide, but the print seen had a tendency to provide an occasionally unsteady and foggy picture and there were moments when disturbing scratches suggested "rain." Color, too, wasn't all it might have been, even though it seemed to improve in the second half of the film, following the intermission."

"Best feature of the Todd-AO system appears to be the sound. It is truly magnificent, reproducing music and voices with a clarity and tonal fullness that fairly engulf the audience. Curiously enough, the depth of sound wasn't duplicated on the screen. While Robert Surtees' lensing for the most part is top-notch, the image frequently lacks depth and there is no great feeling of audience participation, at least not at the Rivoli."

"In 'Oklahoma!' Zinnemann was handed a director's dream, even though working with a brand new medium must have been an inhibiting handicap. All in all, Zinnemann's staging is tasteful and manages to imbue the production with a fresh outdoor feeling that grows from a fine feel for composition and the occasional clear-eyed views of sky and land."

"There are many moments when Zinnemann utilizes his wide screen to perfection and makes it speak eloquently, such as those startlingly panoramic shots against the skyline. Singing sequences are integrated into the action with great skill and a perfect sense of balance."

"Apart from the technical end, particularly the distortions that appear in the film when viewed from side locations, Rodgers and Hammerstein can take great, and prideful satisfaction from their picture. All things weighed in the scale, 'Oklahoma!' rates with the industry's best."

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