The Finest Books and Movies Featuring the Sooner State [VIDEO]

A true Okie has seen these movies and read these books- find out if you are one of us!

While many people falsely believe the great state of Oklahoma doesn’t have much to offer in the way of entertainment, the Sooner State is featured in several worthwhile books and movies.

In light of recent weather situations, Twister is the first film that comes to mind. Set in rural Oklahoma, the movie centers around an estranged couple, Jo and Bill, storm chasers who are on the brink of divorce. Spoiler alert: Chasing tornadoes, dodging flying cows, and taking shelter in a barn filled with deadly pointy objects eventually reunites the adrenaline-junkie duo.

The next obvious choice is the classic Oklahoma! Amid the backdrop of early 1900s Oklahoma Territory, cowboy Curly McClain woos the beautiful Laurey Williams, a farm girl. Complete with a box social, two guys fighting over a girl, square dancing, and a “surrey with the fringe on the top,” Oklahoma! satisfies any man or woman’s hankering for an ol’ fashioned good time.

For all you book lovers, get your Oklahoma fix by settling down with Where the Heart Is. The book begins with pregnant, seventeen-year-old Novalee Nation being stranded by her deadbeat boyfriend at a Walmart in Sequoyah, Oklahoma. She begins living there in secret and eventually gives birth to her daughter, Americus, there. From the quirky librarian Forney Hull to Lexie Coop, whose children are named after desserts, and Bible-thumping Sister Thelma, Novalee finds a family and a home in the unlikeliest of places in this funny, heart-warming novel.

Whether you’re Oklahoma born and bred, are new to the Sooner State, or have just always been fascinated with the land “where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plains,” you’ll want to carve out room in your schedule for these entertaining treats.

What are some of your other favorite Oklahoma-based books and movies?