Cimarron Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.5

Cimarron Blu-ray Movie Review

Putting the "OK" in "Oklahoma".

Reviewed by Randy Miller III August 1, 2023

Released on Blu-ray more than three years before the mostly inferior 1931 original version arrived last week, Anthony Mann's 1960 remake of Cimarron -- a full-color epic shot in Cinemascope starring Glenn Ford -- would fit in nicely with this month's slate of Warner Archive releases on those merits alone. It still has problems but is a mostly more engaging do-over that tweaks the source novel to fit 1960s social trends and likewise earned a few Oscar nominations... yet this remake still didn't turn a profit during its original theatrical run, and no studio has revisited it since then.

Back in 1960, the timing must have felt good enough for an update of the once-loved but now horribly dated original film, an early talkie with a flat narrative flow and an uneven lead performance from Richard Dix. Novelist Edna Farber's work was still fresh in the public's eye thanks to Giant, and MGM had long since purchased the remake rights from RKO for a meager $100,000 -- why not try and make some of that money back? Armed with a bankable star in Glenn Ford and a welcome role for Austrian-Swiss Maria Schell as the husband-wife duo of Yancey and Sabra Cravat, the updated Cimarron takes a few thematic detours compared to its older brother: several added (or at least changed) supporting characters, different narrative focal points, and the newly-stamped emphasis on a much more sympathetic portrayal of Native Americans in the film, no doubt a byproduct of the then-burgeoning Civil Rights movement.

But this isn't necessarily a kinder, gentler Cimarron; Ford's portrayal of Yancey is a lot less likeable, in my opinion, but it almost doesn't matter since he all but disappears during its second half. (Even a key plot development near the end, which shouldn't be spoiled for new viewers, occurs almost bafflingly off-screen this time around.) This means that while the nuts and bolts of Cimarron's multi-decade story remain the same, it eventually shifts focus to Sabra's perspective by default... and luckily, Maria Schell is more than up to the challenge, offering a sensitive and measured performance that's as genuine as possible for a European actress portraying a turn-of-the-century frontierswoman.

But while I prefer the overall flow and most of the key performances here, in other regards this "updated" version of Cimarron is a step backwards. One of the original film's saving graces was the spectacle of it all, from the effectively epic cinematography to a veritable army of extras that really sold the scale and grandeur of its core story. This 1960 remake has in moments in both areas but I just can't see where all the money from its considerable budget went -- it looks and feels extremely stagy at times, and just isn't as visually interesting as its predecessor. Considering its dual armament of both Technicolor and Cinemascope, it by all rights should look more cinematic...but it really doesn't. This, combined with the fact that it arguably peaks pretty early and thus spins its wheels during the proportionately slower second half, keeps Cimarron from truly reaching into satisfyingly epic territory... but by all accounts, it's still a decent if not clearly overdramatized adaptation that's more enjoyable (and accessible!) than the original.

Plagued by behind-the-scenes turbulence (which included copious budget slashing by studio heads and the last-minute departure of director Anthony Mann, who was replaced by uncredited Charles Walters), Cimarron, like its predecessor, is still a flawed film. But whereas the dated performances and social themes of the original make it feel like something transmitted from another planet, this remake is more of a watchable, good-not-great adaptation of source material that will likely never get the big-screen treatment it may or may not deserve. Damning with faint praise? Perhaps. But fans of its cast and crew still owe it to themselves to give this remake of Cimarron a fair shake, and what better way than via Warner Archive's still-available Blu-ray? Although its 1080p transfer doesn't reach their usual heights and the bonus features are slim, this is still a solid movie-only disc that's better than most big-studio catalog efforts.

Cimarron Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Vaguely advertised as being sourced from a "brand new master" (as opposed to other titles in Warner Archive's slate of releases that month, which clarified the use of original camera negatives), this 1080p transfer of Cimarron is a solid if not slightly unremarkable effort by the boutique label's typically lofty standards. Whether an unavoidable byproduct of less-than-perfect source material or simply baked into the film's cinematography, Cimarron doesn't consistently reach the same heights of more recent Warner Archive Blu-rays of similar Techincolor/Cinemascope releases from the same cinematic era. Fine details are smooth and precise but rarely tack-sharp, with depth that similarly feels a bit flat on the whole. Colors look accurate if not slightly teal-tinted, with a few colorful costumes and impossibly blue skies standing out against the mostly earth-toned palette. The dominant stability and cleanliness of this image go a long way towards supporting its overall appeal, not to mention Warner Archive's reliably strong encoding and the fact that this film gets an entire dual-layered disc to itself. So while the label has produced better-looking discs before and especially since the release of Cimarron, it's still a quality effort overall and a solid step above previous home video releases.

Cimarron Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Cimarron was originally shown theatrically in four-track 'scope' Westrex stereo, which no doubt contributed to its Oscar nomination for Best Sound that year. I have no knowledge of the condition of this original four-track mix but Warner Archive's Blu-ray, like the previous DVD edition, is presented in DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio stereo. There's good use of separation here and there -- never more so than in the early "land rush" sequence, an inarguable highlight -- and most of its sound stage is appropriately full and dynamic with strong clarity, as is Franz Waxman's original score. Yet the lack of Cimarron's original four-track elements nonetheless earns this track a slight deduction but, like the transfer, it's by no means a disappointment and still easily advances upon its lossy DVD counterpart.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are offered during the main feature only.

Cimarron Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a standard keepcase with vintage poster-themed cover artwork and no inserts. The extras are unfortunately, but perhaps not unsurprisingly, limited to what was on the older DVD edition.

• Theatrical Trailer (2:42) - This vintage promotional piece can also be seen here.

Cimarron Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Anthony Mann's 1960 remake of Cimarron doesn't right all of the wrongs committed by its infamous predecessor, an early Best Picture winner that lost money for RKO Pictures and has aged pretty horribly during the last 90 years. But it's more narratively satisfying and accessible, front-loaded as it is, with game performances from its two leads and a quality original score by Franz Waxman, among other highlights. It still falls firmly into "good-not-great" territory and has its own unique faults, but is worth watching for fans of the cast and crew. Warner Archive's Blu-ray likewise isn't quite up to their usual lofty standards, in my opinion, which puts this right on the edge of "try" and "buy".