Annie Get Your Gun (1950)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

George Sidney

Writers:

Dorothy Fields (libretto "Annie Get Your Gun") and
Herbert Fields (libretto "Annie Get Your Gun") ...

Release Date:

17 May 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Comedy | Family | Musical | Romance | Western

Tagline:

"Annie Get Your Gun" is even greater as an M-G-M musical!

Plot:

The story of the great sharpshooter, Annie Oakley, who rises to fame while dealing with her love/professional rival, Frank Butler.

Plot Keywords:

Annie Oakley | Sharpshooter | Show Business | Sitting Bull | England

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Betty Hutton	...	Annie Oakley
Howard Keel	...	Frank Butler
Louis Calhern	...	Col. Buffalo Bill Cody
J. Carrol Naish	...	Chief Sitting Bull
Edward Arnold	...	Pawnee Bill
Keenan Wynn	...	Charlie Davenport
Benay Venuta	...	Dolly Tate
Clinton Sundberg	...	Foster Wilson

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | UK:U | France:U | Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Before the eventual casting of Judy Garland as Annie Oakley, Doris Day and Judy Canova were mentioned for the role, as well as Betty Hutton (this was before she eventually replaced Garland in the role).

Goofs:

Continuity: Right before the song "You Can't Get a Man With a Gun", Annie sits down on a bench and opens her mouth wide for her first note; then in a closer shot she opens her mouth wide again, this time in sync with first note.

Quotes:

Chief Sitting Bull: Sitting Bull live by three words: Keep bow tight, Keep arrow sharp,
[and with finality]
Chief Sitting Bull: No put money into shoe budiness.
Charlie Davenport: [rhetorically] How'd we ever get this country away from them?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Step by Step: No Business Like Show Business (#2.16)" (1993)

Soundtrack:

COLONEL BUFFALO BILL

Betty Hutton, Betty Hutton and Betty Hutton

Despite some INCREDIBLE mistakes by MGM executives, "Annie Get Your Gun" is a terrific movie, a triumph for three reasons: Betty Hutton, Betty Hutton and Betty Hutton. Those who might quibble that "Garland would have been a LOT better" should take an objective look at the the outtakes on the DVD. Garland is terrible; way too modern, urbane and understated for the "larger than life" role of Annie Oakley. Rogers and Hammerstein understood what type of person ot took to

play Annie. That's why they hired Ethyl Merman, who triumphed on Broadway in the role. I've always loved Garland and always considered Hutton to be too bombastic. But, here, she is perfect and carries this movie on her the strengh of her "hit 'em in the rafters" performance. In fact, only four actors play it right. Hutton, Brad Muro (Lil' Jake), J. Carroll Naish (Sitting Bull) and Keenan Wynn. Louis Calhern is usually wonderful; here, his continental, understated style is horribly out of place, turning "Buffalo Bill" into a bore . The usually reliable Edward Arnold seems lost in his unattractive "Pawnee Bill" makeup. Perhaps the biggest disappointment, however, is Howard Keel, who displays little of the charm he revealed in the same year's "Calloway Went Thataway". This MUST have been the decision of Louis Mayer and George Sidney. Hutton reported that Mayer didn't want her, had no confidence in her and didn't even invite her to the New York premiere. Hutton, radiant even at 80, revealed to Robert Osborne, that she was so miserable by her treatment at MGM (no one applauded ANYONE at the end of shooting a scene), that it finished her career (though another triumph for Hutton, "The Greatest Show on Earth" was just two years away).

Despite its flaws, "Annie Get Your Gun" is a keeper. Why? Betty Hutton, Betty Hutton and Betty Hutton.