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Why was Oklahoma! an unusual project in Fred Zinnemann’s career?
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Fred Zinnemann
(From left to right) Marlon Brando, Fred Zinnemann, and Montgomery Clift on the set of From Here to Eternity (1953).
The 1955 film Oklahoma! was an unusual project for Fred Zinnemann because it represented a significant departure from the classic, high-intensity dramas for which he was primarily known, such as High Noon and From Here to Eternity.12
Beyond the shift in genre, the production was notable for being the most expensive musical produced up to that time, with a budget of $7 million. This high cost was driven by the decision to shoot the film twice in two different wide-screen processes: the 70-mm Todd-AO process and the 35-mm CinemaScope process, the latter of which allowed the film to be exhibited in a greater number of theaters.12