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CIMARRON 167
between them and the crude wooden huts which comprised the boom-town at the beginning of the picture? And is " The Oklahoma Wigwam " still printed by hand at the back of Yancey's office? These are points of unquestionable importance — points which demanded proper inclusion if Cimarron is the film which its producers claim it to be.
But Hollywood is satisfied to give its attention to the whitening of Sabra Cravat's hair and to remain blind to the real bones of film material. The terrific drama of the construction of the oilfields is forgotten in the more vital problem as to whether Dix's stubble is the right length. I stress this point especially with regard to Cimarron because its production represents the expenditure of a very large sum of money and a considerable amount of talent and time. By their own confession, Radio Pictures "financed the venture in terms of millions/' Wesley Ruggles gave " eight months of his time," and the State of Oklahoma " yielded a store of knowledge and suggestion, the value of which can never be computed." Howard Estabrook is one of the finest scenarists in Hollywood. Edward Cronjager has given plentiful evidence of his camera ability. But despite this, Cimarron lacked a brain which could visualize it in the terms of an epic film. I am sadly afraid that it will not fulfil its sponsors' claim to be the most perfect example in screen history of co-ordinated genius and resource." Although it cost millions, employed forty thousand persons, and took over a year to make, Cimarron does not achieve a higher status in the level of cinema values than a passing programme feature.