Oklahoma! (1999)

     In the same lively, western vein of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Oklahoma! tells the story of two couples and the ins and outs of love in a span of 24 hours. Oklahoma! is based on the play, Green Grow the Lilacs by Lynn Riggs, which is the same story, but Rogers and Hammerstein turned the play into a musical in 1943 and has been one of the most beloved musicals of all time. 

    I saw this version when I was ten or eleven and soon afterwards put it on my favorite musicals list (alongside Les Miserables, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Cats, Grease and Hairspray). I had only seen Hugh Jackman in X-Men playing the brooding Logan/Wolverine prior to Oklahoma! So viewing him in a completely opposite role as a carefree, joking cowboy was intriguing to watch at first (and has only deepened my love and admiration for him. He is my favorite actor after all!). 

    Oklahoma territory, a land of farmers, cowboys, all with deeply ingrained love and pride for their homes (but not necessarily for each other). However, Curly McLain, a handsome, but mischievous cowboy has his sights set on one farm and the lovely young woman who lives there. Feisty, Laura "Laurey" Williams has grown up under the love and care of the town matriarch, Aunt Eller. And Eller's stubbornness seems to have rubbed off on her niece, because Laurey won't have nothing to do with Curly McLain. Eller herself adores Curly and desperately hopes that Laurey will see some sense of a possible future with him. However, nothing can prepare any of them for the danger that resides right there on the farm. 

    Jud Fry, a lonely and calculating farm hand whose obsession with Laurey has made him downright maniacal. He will do anything to have her, no matter the cost. Even the cost of taking a life. Particularly the life of Curly McLain. Unwanted and maybe misunderstood, Jud Fry shuts himself away into the smokehouse, where no one, except Laurey is allowed to enter. And it's Laurey alone that is Jud's constant thought.

    Meanwhile, Laurey's best friend Ado Annie is caught between two men. Yet that's more Annie's fault then theirs. Unfortunately, she is a girl who is incapable of boundary lines with any man who so much as makes eye contact with her. While she's engaged to Will Parker, a charming cowboy (and Curly's best friend), she's also swooning over the peddler man, Ali Hakim. Both men are equally frustrated with Annie and her indecisive nature. First she's engaged to Will, then to Ali, then to Will again...no wonder peddlers and cowboys love traveling away from home so much. 

    The story takes place in the span of one entire day. And a lot can happen in one day. Especially in the lives of Curly and Laurey. Both start out squabbling and pecking each other out of annoyance. Yet, when Jud Fry enters the scene, life gets dark very quickly. Laurey almost pays a terrible price for her petulant nature, while Curly eventually sets aside his boyish charm and becomes a man who will fight for what (and who) he loves. 

    Laurey could be understandable as a girl struggling with a crush that is slowly developing into love. However, there are also deep feminist undertones to Laurey as well. Like Annie, Laurey is incredibly indecisive and seems to want to hurt Curly in every way imaginable. She won't admit that she's in love and scoffs at the idea of crying over a broken heart--fair enough. However, in a way to assert a sense of independence to Curly and the rest of the community, Laurey goes after the bad boy if only to make Curly angry.  Independence and strong will are good ideals to have in a woman's life, but to employ them to only hurt those that want to love you, can lead to a path of destruction. 

    Although the musical is 3 hours long, it's worth every single minute. The dance sequences are absolutely stunning! Especially "The Farmer and The Cowman" barn dance scene (which could rival the barn dance in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers). And of course the acting! Hugh Jackman was utterly irresistible as Curly! And he had the greatest character development in the whole story. You literally saw Curly grow up in one day. 

     Josefina Gabrielle took the challenging role of Laurey Williams and she was delightful from beginning to end. You want to hug and shake Laurey at the same time, but she's a flawed heroine who needs steady guidance from her family and the man that she loves.

    Shuler Hensley brought about a truly terrifying Jud Fry. Jud's anger, instability, and jealousy is the makings of a villain whose only intent is to get what he wants in the end. One of the most tense scenes in the musical is the bidding war between Curly and Jud for Laurey's basket at the box social. And Hugh Jackman and Shuler Hensley just nailed it to perfection. 

    A simple story of young love, the decisions we make, the people that come in and out of our lives and the neverending joy of life all around you. Oklahoma! is a pure American classic and this version is certainly one of my favorites! Ok, maybe Hugh Jackman has something to do with it...