CIMARRON (1931)

MORE 1001 MOVIES FROM THE 30's

(Post 18 of 20)

Irene Dunne and Richard Dix in Cimarron

This is conjecture on my part: The early talkies gave us a couple of big Western movies The Big Trail (with John Wayne) and Cimarron. The Big Trail was a disappointment financially, but Cimarron was a hit and managed to win Best Picture in 1931. Despite these mixed results, the Western was about to go the way of low budget serials (and take John Wayne with it) through the rest of the decade. Even when the Western genre became more respected under the films of Hawks and Ford in the 40's, no Western picture won Best Picture again until Dances With Wolves almost sixty years after Cimarron.

Cimarron itself doesn't seem to get much respect nowadays. It didn't make the 1001 movie book and I can't remember it playing ever on television, even on channels that show black and white movies! It also probably doesn't compare in most film buffs mind to another film based on an Edna Ferber book telling a multi-generational Western story with more iconic stars (Spoiler: I'm taking about Giant, with Elizabeth Taylor, James Dean and Rock Hudson).

But I actually liked Cimarron. The story of the family struggle is interesting and it really does have an early epic feel to it that is satisfying. I even got used to Richard Dix's rather mannered acting style after awhile. I can see why it was chosen as Best Picture for 1931, though I doubt many would think that was the right choice in retrospect. Alternative Oscar Writer Danny Peary says that Chaplin's City Lights should have won and I won't argue with that. 

And the Elisha Cook Jr. supporting player award goes to...Roscoe Ates. Roscoe provides much of the comic relief in Cimarron as the bumbling and stuttering newspaper editor, Jesse Rickey. He provides a nice contrast to the often overly dramatic Mr. Dix.

Roscoe Ates provides the comic relief in Cimarron

Roscoe had 150 screen credits dating from the start of the talking era up until his death in the early 60's. His most famous role (I don't think it's even a question) is as the long suffering (and stuttering) husband of one of the Siamese twin Hilton sisters in Freaks. "I think she likes you - but he d-d-d-d-don't."

Roscoe also played the role of Soapy Jones in a 40's western serial named after the star Eddie Dean. I had never heard of this one before, but I did find a clip of it on YouTube. Roscoe once again plays the comic relief in these films, but he appears to have lost his stutter over time.

 Roscoe Ates contemplates the possibilities of being married

to a Siamese twin in Freaks