Wednesday, August 7, 2013

What a Beautiful Morning!

PBS featured once the Broadway revival of Oklahoma!, starring Hugh Jackman (a.k.a. Wolverine). While the performances are very good (Wolverine can really sing), what I was immediately turned off by was the blandness of the set, the depressing "dust bowl"-ness of the hues.

Everything was brown. Not a hint or touch of thriving greenery anywhere. Laury was stuck in mud-colored overalls, and Aunt Eller was rather grim. 

Maybe this was more accurate to the tough farming life of the past, but I infinitely preferred the 1955 movie version. 
http://www.onlygoodmovies.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/oklahoma-soundtrack.jpg
The screen is vibrant with color—the cerulean blue of the skies, the lush greenery of the crop, the neon hues of Laury's skirts, the gleaming white of Curley's teeth, and the twinkle in Aunt Eller's eye. 

The Broadway show depicts the villain, Jud, as a slow and painfully lonely individual, while Rod Steiger's version was easier to dislike as a sexist who couldn't take no for an answer. 

Below is "Surrey with a Fringe on Top." 

 

While this may not be on topic, I couldn't resist adding Billy Crystal's belting it out in When Harry Met Sally.

 
 At the 40 second mark.
To understand how a couple is supposed to compromise, Ado Annie and Will explain it rather well:  

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