Reviewed by Christy
Varnadore
State University of West Georgia
(1955)
The dream sequence in Oklahoma! takes the whimsical musical to a deeply dramatic
level. When Laurie sniffs the elixir of Egypt, it magically transports her
to a ballet portraying the conflict she faces between the fun-loving Curly
and the intimidating Judd Fry. The dream ballet allows Laurie to face her
true love with Curly, and she also realizes her insecurity in dealing with
Judd. Judd stops the fantasy wedding between Laurie and Curly. The dream Laurie
is then chased into Judd's shack which is filled with his cheap lady friends.
Foreshadowing the tragic occurrences to follow, the dream ends when Curly
is killed by Judd's hatred and jealousy. This dream sequence is a perfect
example of the way dreams bring our feelings to our consciousness. Also, it
show us that we can be prepared by our dreams for future events.
