Cimarron (1931 film)
Encyclopedia
Cimarron is a 1931 Pre-Code film
directed by Wesley Ruggles and based on the Edna Ferber
novel Cimarron
. It won three Academy Awards
.
, 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.
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.
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.
It was the Winner of 3 Academy Awards.
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
directed by Wesley Ruggles and based on the Edna Ferber
Edna Ferber
Edna Ferber was an American novelist, short story writer and playwright. Her novels were especially popular and included the Pulitzer Prize-winning So Big , Show Boat , and Giant .-Early years:Ferber was born August 15, 1885, in Kalamazoo, Michigan,...
novel Cimarron
Cimarron
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 through RKO Pictures. In 1960, the story was again adapted for the screen to meager success by MGM...
. It won three Academy Awards
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
.
Background
Despite America being in the depths of the DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, RKO immediately prepared for a big-budget picture, investing more than 1.5 million dollars into Ferber's novel Cimarron
Cimarron
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 through RKO Pictures. In 1960, the story was again adapted for the screen to meager success by MGM...
. Director Wesley Ruggles would direct stars Richard Dix
Richard Dix
Richard Dix was an American motion picture actor who achieved popularity in both silent and sound film. His standard on-screen image was that of the rugged and stalwart hero.-Early life:...
and Irene Dunne
Irene Dunne
Irene Dunne was an American film actress and singer of the 1930s, 1940s and early 1950s. Dunne was nominated five times for the Academy Award for Best Actress, for her performances in Cimarron , Theodora Goes Wild , The Awful Truth , Love Affair and I Remember Mama...
with a script written by Howard Estabrook
Howard Estabrook
Howard Estabrook was an American actor, film director and producer, and screenwriter.-Biography:Born Howard Bolles in Detroit, Michigan, Estabrook began his career in 1904 as a stage actor in New York. He made his film debut in 1914 during the silent era, and would go on to appear in several...
. Filming began in the summer of 1930 at the Jasmin Quinn Ranch outside of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
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 CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on January 26, 1931, to much praise, and a Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
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
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
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 – 1930-314th Academy AwardsThe 4th Academy Awards were awarded to films completed and screened in 1930/1931, by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. At the ceremony, nine-year-old Jackie Cooper, nominated for Best Actor in "Skippy," fell asleep on the shoulder of Best Actress nominee Marie Dressler...
At the 1931 Academy Awards ceremony4th Academy Awards
The 4th Academy Awards were awarded to films completed and screened in 1930/1931, by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. At the ceremony, nine-year-old Jackie Cooper, nominated for Best Actor in "Skippy," fell asleep on the shoulder of Best Actress nominee Marie Dressler...
at the Biltmore Hotel
Millennium Biltmore Hotel
The Millennium Biltmore Hotel, originally named the Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel of the Biltmore Hotels group, is a luxury hotel located on Pershing Square in Downtown Los Angeles, California. Upon its grand opening in 1923, the Los Angeles Biltmore was the largest hotel west of Chicago, Illinois in...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, 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
Ern Westmore
Ern Westmore , born Ernest Henry Westmore, was a Hollywood make-up artist and sometimes actor, the third child in Frank Westmore's famed Westmore family tree...
for his work on the film, as well.
It was the Winner of 3 Academy Awards.
| Award | Result | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Outstanding Production Academy Award for Best Picture The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to artists working in the motion picture industry. The Best Picture category is the only category in which every member of the Academy is eligible not only... |
RKO Radio RKO Pictures RKO Pictures is an American film production and distribution company. As RKO Radio Pictures Inc., it was one of the Big Five studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orpheum theater chains and Joseph P... (William LeBaron William LeBaron William LeBaron was an American film producer. His credits included Cimarron, the film that won the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 4th Academy Awards ceremony for 1930/1931.... , Producer) |
|
| Best Director | Wesley Ruggles Winner was Norman Taurog Norman Taurog Norman Rae Taurog was an American film director, and screenwriter.Between 1920 and 1968, Taurog directed over 140 films, and directed Elvis Presley in more movies than any other director... - Skippy Skippy (1931 film) Skippy is a film that was released in 1931. It was one of the first films nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. The screenplay by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Don Marquis, Norman Z. McLeod, and Sam Mintz was based on the comic strip Skippy by Percy Crosby... |
|
| Best Actor Academy Award for Best Actor Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry... |
Richard Dix Richard Dix Richard Dix was an American motion picture actor who achieved popularity in both silent and sound film. His standard on-screen image was that of the rugged and stalwart hero.-Early life:... Winner was Lionel Barrymore Lionel Barrymore Lionel Barrymore was an American actor of stage, screen and radio. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in A Free Soul... - A Free Soul A Free Soul A Free Soul is a 1931 Pre-Code film which tells the story of an alcoholic defense attorney who must defend his daughter's ex-boyfriend on a charge of murdering the mobster she had started a relationship with; a mobster whom her father had previously got an acquittal for on a murder charge... |
|
| Best Actress Academy Award for Best Actress Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry... |
Irene Dunne Irene Dunne Irene Dunne was an American film actress and singer of the 1930s, 1940s and early 1950s. Dunne was nominated five times for the Academy Award for Best Actress, for her performances in Cimarron , Theodora Goes Wild , The Awful Truth , Love Affair and I Remember Mama... Winner was Marie Dressler Marie Dressler Marie Dressler was a Canadian-American actress and Depression-era film star. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1930-31 in Min and Bill.-Early life and stage career:... - Min and Bill Min and Bill Min and Bill is a 1930 American comedy-drama film starring Marie Dressler and Wallace Beery and based on Lorna Moon's novel Dark Star, adapted by Frances Marion and Marion Jackson.... |
|
| Best Writing, Adaptation | Howard Estabrook Howard Estabrook Howard Estabrook was an American actor, film director and producer, and screenwriter.-Biography:Born Howard Bolles in Detroit, Michigan, Estabrook began his career in 1904 as a stage actor in New York. He made his film debut in 1914 during the silent era, and would go on to appear in several... |
|
| Best Art Direction Academy Award for Best Art Direction The Academy Awards are the oldest awards ceremony for achievements in motion pictures. The Academy Award for Best Art Direction recognizes achievement in art direction on a film. The films below are listed with their production year, so the Oscar 2000 for best art direction went to a film from 1999... |
Max Rée Max Rée Max Rée was a Danish Costume Designer and art director. He won an Academy Award for Best Art Direction for the film Cimarron.He was born in Copenhagen, Denmark and died in Los Angeles, California.-External links:... |
|
| Best Cinematography Academy Award for Best Cinematography The Academy Award for Best Cinematography is an Academy Award awarded each year to a cinematographer for work in one particular motion picture.-History:... |
Edward Cronjager Winner was Floyd Crosby Floyd Crosby Floyd Delafield Crosby, A.S.C. was an American cinematographer.Crosby was born and raised in West Philadelphia, the son of Julia Floyd and Frederick Van Schoonhoven Crosby... - Tabu Tabu (film) Tabu is a 1931 film directed by F.W. Murnau. The film is split into two chapters, the first called "Paradise" depicts the lives of two lovers on a South Seas island until they are forced to escape the island when the girl is chosen as a holy maid to the gods... |
|
Cast
- Richard DixRichard DixRichard Dix was an American motion picture actor who achieved popularity in both silent and sound film. His standard on-screen image was that of the rugged and stalwart hero.-Early life:...
as Yancey Cravat - Irene DunneIrene DunneIrene Dunne was an American film actress and singer of the 1930s, 1940s and early 1950s. Dunne was nominated five times for the Academy Award for Best Actress, for her performances in Cimarron , Theodora Goes Wild , The Awful Truth , Love Affair and I Remember Mama...
as Sabra Cravat - Estelle TaylorEstelle TaylorEstelle Taylor was an American Hollywood actress whose career was most prominent during the silent film era of the 1920s....
as Dixie Lee - Nance O'Neil as Felice Venable
- William Collier Jr. as The Kid
- Roscoe AtesRoscoe AtesRoscoe Ates was an actor and musician in primarily western films and television.-Early years:Ates was born in the rural hamlet of Grange, Mississippi, northwest of Hattiesburg. Grange is no longer included on road maps...
as Jesse Rickey - George E. StoneGeorge E. StoneGeorge E. Stone was a Polish-born American character actor in movies, radio, and television.-Career:Stone's slight build and very expressive face first attracted attention in 1927, in the popular silent-film romance Seventh Heaven...
as Sol Levy - Stanley Fields as Lon Yountis
- Robert McWadeRobert McWadeRobert McWade , was an American stage and film actor. From 1903-1927, he appeared in at least 38 Broadway productions, his last being The Devil In The Cheese, with Bela Lugosi and Fredric March...
as Louis Hefner - Edna May OliverEdna May OliverEdna May Oliver was an American stage and film actress. During the 1930s, she was one of the best-known character actresses in American films, often playing tart-tongued spinsters.-Early life:...
as Mrs Tracy Wyatt - Judith BarrettJudith BarrettJudith Barrett , also known as Nancy Dover, was an American film actress of the late 1920s and through the 1930s, up until 1940....
as Donna Cravat - Eugene JacksonEugene JacksonEugene W. Jackson, II was an American former child actor who was a regular of the Our Gang short series during the silent Pathé era.-Career:...
as Isaiah