Oklahoma Crude (1973)

Set during the great depression of the 1930s, a strong and independent woman (Faye Dunaway) refuses the offers of a major oil conglomerate for her oil well (which has yet to produce any oil). But with only her estranged father (John Mills) and a hired drifter (George C. Scott) to help her, how long can she hold out? Directed by Stanley Kramer (JUDGMENT AT NUREMBURG), Marc Norman's weak screenplay and Kramer's colorless direction defeat the film before it even has a chance to get started. Two things in its favor: Dunaway is quite good in one of her least mannered performances and Robert Surtees' (BEN-HUR) wide screen Panavision cinematography which makes even the most commonplace images look wonderful. I'm not a fan of Kramer's "hit you over the head" message films but fortunately, he's does no proselytizing here. There's a dreadful folksy underscore by Henry Mancini that I could have done without. With Jack Palance and Rafael Campos.