The Oklahoman (1957)

Joel McCrea is Dr. John Brighton, who’s on his way to California when his wife dies giving birth to their daughter. He decides to settle in the nearest town, Cherokee Wells.

It’s a small village in Oklahoma where a doctor is needed, where cattleman Cass Dobie (Brad Dexter) rules the roost and where tongues wag when a pretty young Indian woman named Maria Smith (Gloria Talbott) moves in with the doctor to help the elderly Mrs. Fitzgerald raise his young daughter.

But there’s also trouble brewing. There’s a pit of foul-smelling black water on the farm of Maria’s dad, Charlie Smith (Michael Pate). Cass suspects it’s oil, a commodity which would dwarf any cattle ranch in terms of value. He offers to buy the property; Charlie refuses to sell.

Then Cass sends his brother Mel to investigate and get samples from Charlie’s property. When Charlie spots the trespasser, Mel starts firing at him. Mel winds up dead; Charlie winds up facing an inquest on possible murder charges.

And Doc Brighton enters the fray on Charlie’s behalf, to the dismay of many whites in Cherokee Wells, including rancher Ann Barnes, the other woman in his life.

Review:

Splendid little B Western that packs a lot of plot and a fair dose of action into its 80 minutes. One false note: the final showdown seems out of character with the hero of the film.

Unlike most Westerns, there are lots of decent female roles here, including Maria, who falls for the doctor; Barbara Hale as rancher Ann Barnes, who warns him about getting involved in a fight that isn’t his; Verna Felton is a delightful role as Mrs. Waynebrook, a nosey, gossipy matchmaker trying to marry off her daughter Ann; and Mrs. Fitzgerald as the elderly woman who takes in the doctor and his daughter after his wife has died.

This actually marked the final feature film for Esther Dale, who played the role of Mrs. Fitzgerald. Her film career dated back to the mid-1930s; she’d die four years after this movie was released.

Directed by:
Francis Lyon

Cast:
Joel McCrea … Dr. John Brighton
Barbara Hale … Ann Barnes
Brad Dexter … Cass Dobie
Gloria Talbott … Maria Smith
Verna Felton … Mrs. Waynebrooke
Douglas Dick … Mel Dobie
Michael Pate … Charlie Smith
Esther Dale … Mrs. Fitzgerald
Mimi Gibson … Louise Brighton
Anthony Caruso … Jim Hawk
Adam Williams … Bob Randell
Ray Teal … Jason
Peter J. Votrian … Little Charlie Smith
John Pickard … Marshal Bill

Runtime: 80 min.

Memorable lines:

Cass Dobie to Bob Randell: “Go ahead home and cool off. I don’t feel like killing young fools today.”

Townswoman, as Maria passes in a tight dress: “That girl’s getting too old to dress the way she does.”
Townswoman #2: “Even if she is an Indian, she ought to have something more on under the dress.”
Jason: “She’s not allowed too, ma’am.”
Townswoman #2: “What do you mean, not allowed to?”
Jason: “Doctor’s orders.”

Mrs. Waynebrook: “Did you take a look at Maria? Of course you did. Everyone did. She’s the prettiest little thing I ever saw in my life.”
Ann Barnes: “I still know John well enough to know he wouldn’t … he isn’t that kind of a man.”
Mrs. Waynebrook: “The kind of a man John is has nothing to do with it. He’s a man.”

Mrs. Waynebrook: “I’ll tell you one thing: If I were a man and that living little thing (Maria) was living in my house …”
Ann Barnes: “Mother, it’s time to go to bed.”