The biggest knock on this movie is that it really should have been a play, as it’s all set in basically real time in one sprawling location. It surely started off as a play, but the movie came together first. But if you’re willing to overlook that, the movie is wonderful.
Rulebook Casefile: Let Their Irrepressible Character Shine Through
Hart crashes the “Oklahoma” celebration with one goal in mind: Convince Rodgers to work together again, preferably on a Marco Polo musical. To that end, he’s more than willing to lie about liking “Oklahoma,” which he actually despised.
At first the plan goes well, and he fawns praise over “Oklahoma”, which gets Rodgers to break off from the group and hear about Marco Polo. But the entire time Hart is pitching the new project, he just can’t help himself, and he keeps taking almost-involuntary digs at “Oklahoma”.
Finally, he lays it on the line and asks Rodgers (the always wonderful Andrew Scott) what musical he would make if he didn’t have to worry about commercial appeal. Rodgers looks Hart dead in the eye and says: “Oklahoma,” which they both know is the ultimate slap in the face to Hart.
This whole movie is about Hart’s irrepressible character traits, both good and bad. That’s always a good way to write: Give your hero a reason to repress what they are, and then let it come shining through (sometimes disastrously).
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