Reformed gunman Steve Ward (Richard Denning) returns to Silver Hill hoping for peace and quiet.
He finds the town embroiled in a nasty election for general assembly.
On one side is a former lover, Marie “Oklahoma” Saunders (Peggy Castle), who runs the local saloon and by trickery and thievery has her sights set on owning the whole town.
She backs her politician puppet Jimmy Marsh and has an admirer and hired gun named Tom Bake (Mike Connors) to do her bidding.
On the other side is rancher Ed Grant, determined to oppose “Oklahoma” with the help of his pretty daughter Susan (Cathy Downs).
Slowly but surely, Steve is pulled into a fight he was determined to avoid, partly because of his affection for Susan, partly because he’d like a loan to start a ranch from “Oklahoma” and partly because he winds up being accused of two murders.
Peggie Castle as Marie ‘Oklahoma’ Saunders, mud splattered as residents turn against her in The Oklahoma Woman (1956)
Review:
One of four low-budget Westerns Corman made during his early days as a director, this is unique for having two females who aren’t afraid to wield a gun or a whip in lead roles.
But some of the scenes are downright silly. Check the one where a prisoner encourages a deputy to open a window at the jail. He does — heaven knows why — sits down in a chair with his back facing the window, dozes off and is immediately conked in the head by “Oklahoma’s” henchman.
Some snappy dialogue and a final fistfight on a rooftop — which tops a rather tame catfight between Peggie Castle and Cathy Downs — can’t salvage what comes across as a slow-moving film with Grade B performances to go with the Grade B budget.
In one of the more bizarre scenes, a lynch mob pelts “Oklahoma” with mud.
Richard Denning as Steve Ward tries to get straight answers from Marie ‘Oklahoma’ Saunders as her hand-picked politician Jimmy Marsh (Tom Dillon) and bartender Mike (Dick Miller) look on in The Oklahoma Woman (1956)
Directed by:
Roger Corman
Cast:
Peggie Castle … Marie “Oklahoma” Saunders
Richard Denning … Steve Ward
Cathy Downs … Susan Grant
Tudor Owen… Ed Grant
Martin Kingsley … Sheriff Peters
Mike “Touch” Connors … Tom Blake
Jonathan Haze … Blackie Thompson
Thomas Dillon … Jimmy Marsh
Edmund Cobb … Deputy sheriff
Runtime: 73 min.
Mike Connors (aka Touch Connors) as Tom Blake, the man doing the dirty work for Maria ‘Oklahoma’ Saunders (Peggie Castle) in The Oklahoma Woman (1956)
Memorable lines:
Tom Blake: “The voters are stampeding behind Grant. You haven’t got long if you’re gonna turn them in Marsh’s direction.”
Oklahoma: “Don’t you know how to break up a stampede? First, you scare off the leader. And all you’ve got left is a bunch of brainless cattle.”
Susan Grant to Steve Ward: “You want to straddle the fence. But that’s pretty hard to do when it’s barbed wire.”
Steve Ward: “I’ve got a tough hide.”
Oklahoma, as the sheriff visits her room: “You’re on dangerous ground, sheriff. Downstairs, I’m a saloon keeper. Up here, I’m a woman.”
Sheriff Peters: “There’s no denying that.”
Steve Ward to Sheriff Peters: “I came here for peace and quiet. Looks like I might as well have moved into a police station.”
Richard Denning as Steve Ward tackles old friend Susan Grant (Cathy Downs) to keep her from shooting him in The Oklahoma Woman (1956)
Oklahoma to Steve: “It’s been a long time.”
Steve: “Six years, three months and two days. It was one of the better jails. They let us keep calendars.”
Tom Blake to Oklahoma about Steve Ward: “He’s always stood between us.”
Oklahoma: “Stood between us? You were never that close.”
Tom Blake, twirling his gun: “This is what put you on top. This will keep you there. Nothing else.”
Oklahoma: “I don’t want to talk about them. I want to know about us.”
Steve Ward: “What’s to be said about us. We spent a few exciting years together. There was a fire within me every time I looked at you. I’d have killed for you.”
Oklahoma: “You talk like there’s only a past, Steve. Is there a tomorrow for us?”
Steve: “I went into that prison one man and came out another, Marie. I don’t think you’d be interested in the new Steve Ward.”
Cathy Downs as Susan Grant and Peggie Castle as Maria ‘Oklahoma’ Saunders decide the time for talking is over in The Oklahoma Woman (1956)
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