Why the 1955 film Oklahoma! was shot twice in two different formats
In short: To bring the Broadway hit to the screen, producers took an unprecedented gamble. They filmed the entire musical twice, using two distinct wide-screen technologies simultaneously. This massive technical undertaking made it the most expensive musical of its era, forever changing how audiences experienced the story of love and statehood.
Released in 1955, the film adaptation of the 1943 Rodgers and Hammerstein stage musical was a monumental project. Directed by Fred Zinnemann, the production was a significant departure from his usual dramatic work, such as High Noon and From Here to Eternity. The story follows the romantic entanglements of cowboys and farmhands in the Oklahoma territory, set against the backdrop of the region's push for statehood.
The film's production was defined by its extreme ambition and cost, totaling $7 million. To ensure the movie could be shown in as many theaters as possible, the cast performed every scene twice. One version utilized the 70-mm Todd-AO process, a new wide-screen technology, while the second was shot in the more common 35-mm CinemaScope format. This dual-filming approach resulted in subtle variations between the two versions that remain a point of interest for film historians.
The project was financed by the Magna Theatre Corporation, which paid a record $1 million for the rights in 1953. Because the company was specifically founded to showcase the Todd-AO process, the total investment reached $11 million when development costs were included. Despite the financial risks, the film was a success, winning three Academy Awards, including Best Scoring of a Musical Picture. Its cultural impact was later cemented in 2007 when it was chosen for inclusion in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Oklahoma! | Musical, Rodgers & Hammerstein, & Adaptation | Britannica
- Also: Oklahoma! (film)
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