Annie Get Your Gun

Rating:
Summary: There's No Business Like Show Business...
Review: The last time ANNIE GET YOUR GUN was shown was on early 1970s television. Now, that hiatus has come to an end with this DVD and video release. This hiatus is explained in a brief, unnecessary introduction given by Susan Lucci. She played Annie Oakley in the recent Broadway revival of the show.

ANNIE GET YOUR GUN is at its heart a "girl meets boy, girl gets boy, girl loses boy, girl makes a change and girl finally wins boy" story. It is based loosely on the true story of Annie Oakley and Frank Butler who traveled with the showman Colonel "Buffalo" Bill Cody. Irving Berlin wrote the wonderfully identifiable score and music and the show is a perennial favorite. It was inevitable that they would bring the film to the big screen.

The biggest obstacle in bringing the film to the screen was the untimely illness of Judy Garland. She was removed to the show and replaced by Betty Hutton, a broader comic actress that lacked the smooth vocal styling of Garland. But Hutton injected the role with a sense of humor and movement never seen over the rainbow. The battle between the Hutton fans and the Garland fans goes on with rabid intensity. (This DVD release includes two early numbers performed by Garland so you too can join in the comparison rabble!) There are some disadvantages to Hutton's singing voice, most notably when she is involved in the more romantic moments of the story. She becomes soft and less effective, but when it's time to 'perform' she exudes energy.

Howard Keel as Frank Butler nicely supports Betty Hutton. He shows a more standard musical theatre performance that would come in handy in many more movie musicals to come. Louis Calhern is sent to the background as Buffalo Bill Cody, lacking much of the charisma the real Cody carried in spades.

As with most musicals that travel to the big screen, some songs were cut from the film. These include "I'll Share it All With You", " Moonshine Lullaby", "I Got Lost in His Arms", "Who Do you love, I Hope" and most notably "An Old Fashioned Wedding". One nice bonus on the DVD is the inclusion of "Let's Go West Again" as a bonus feature. That song was written and cut from the Broadway production. Then it was filmed and cut from the film.

The film was shot using sharp color contrasts and without widescreen formatting so the film will nicely fit in a standard television. It is a nice DVD with an accurate MONO sound recording and a pristine video transfer. Enjoy ANNIE GET YOUR GUN.

Rating:
Summary: merman, garland........you can't hold a candle to betty
Review: i know you're not to speak ill of the dead and gone.....but ethel and judy could not play annie the way betty hutton does here in this film.....if they tried for a thousand performances....i'm truly sorry betty was treated ever so badly by the cast and crew of this movie.......i hope if there are some survivors left alive from the cast...they will reconsider their horrible treatment of the WONDERFUL betty hutton....she brings life and spirit to annie.....which loud mouth merman COULD NEVER do.....all she did was SING?????..do you call it singing??????.......and i don't know what judy was doing to the role......MGM is lucky that betty wanted to step in and SAVE this film.....the movie is great with hutton at the helm...annie comes alive in a way i've never seen her do in ANY performance.....betty was heart broken after this film..but she can be proud of this film..it stands the test of time and those lousey critics......BETTY IS ANNIE....THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT IT......BRAVO BETTY HUTTON.......I CAN'T SAY IT BETTER..enjoy this film......for betty did it the only way she can....and she did a great job.....

Rating:
Summary: Whoa, talk about politically incorrect!
Review: I watched this DVD with my daughters (8 and 10), and I felt like I needed to keep pausing and explaining that back in the "old days" people didn't realize how insulting it was to Indians to portray them like savages, and that it was OK for a girl to dumb herself down and cover up her talents so that she could get a guy to like her! I was apalled at a lot of the story line -- I didn't remember the show being like that!

Of course, the music is wonderful (with the exception of "I'm and Indian Too"), and the color and costumes are brilliant. That is where my 2 stars come from. I don't know if the show would have been better or worse with Judy Garland, as other reviewers have discussed. I just have to say that I won't watch my DVD again. I don't care how "classic" it is -- much of the movie was offensive.

Rating:
Summary: Hits The Entertainment Bulls-Eye!!!
Review: (...) and I went to see the play Annie Get Your Gun at the local theatre, and I instantly fell in love with it! The girl portraying Annie Oakley in the play was amazing and I knew I had to find a video of it if I could. Unfortunatly, they weren't taping it, so I came to the internet to try my luck. I found this movie and ordered it right away! This movie hits the entertainment bulls-eye! They did the right thing in replacing Judy Garland with Betty Hutton! Anyone who says it was a mistake either didn't see the outtakes of Garland or saw something that wasn't there! Judy Garland can sing and is an amazing actress lets not deny it, but Hutton, unlike Garland, stayed in character the entire time! Garland never attempted an accent while singing or acting out Annie Oakley, but Hutton stayed in character and brought amazing enthusiasm to the role that Garland did not. Even though Garland does a better job on some of the ballads, Betty Hutton did a better job overall!! Great movie! I recomend it to everyone!!

Rating:
Summary: Annie Get This Movie!
Review: Finally available on video and DVD, Annie Get Your Gun is a wonderful movie musical like they don't make any more. The color, the production, the performances, and the music are terrific. Betty Hutton is perfect as Annie. Giving a performance closer in style to Ethel Merman's, perhaps, but Hutton truly makes the role her own. As Frank Butler, Howard Keel is in fine voice and matches Hutton's strong screen presence. I know it's not politically correct to like the way the Indians are depicted or the "I'm an Indian Too" number, but I do. The humor isn't mean spirited, nor are the Indians portrayed as total goons. In fact, J. Carrol Naish makes a pretty wise Chief Sitting Bull, helping Annie win the heart of Butler. Louis Calhern and Edward Arnold are perfect as the competing showmen Buffalo Bill and Pawnee Bill respectively. Keenan Wynn rounds out the supporting cast as Buffalo Bill's assistant, Charlie Davenport. Besides the great score and cast, the movie contains some beautiful color cinematography. There is a great shot from the air as Annie and Frank compete in skeet shooting that is truly amazing. A great example of what Hollywood was capable of producing during the old studio system, Annie Get Your Gun is sure to please most viewers. And if you're a Betty Hutton fan, you're in for a treat. She's terrific. Both video and DVD versions contain footage not included in the final cut; two musical numbers with Judy Garland (originally cast as Annie) and Frank Morgan as Buffalo Bill (he died before filming was complete and had to be replaced by Calhern). A must for fans of movie musicals.

Rating:
Summary: finally making its debut on video!
Review: Never before available on video and unseen on television since 1973, ANNIE GET YOUR GUN is the musical masterpiece we have all been waiting for, and it now comes home in a deluxe collector's package.

Betty Hutton is dynamite as sharp-shootin' and quick-witted Annie Oakley, and Howard Keel is equally at home in his role of Frank Butler.

The tuneful score includes "I Got The Sun In The Morning", "Doin' What Comes Naturally", "There's No Business Like Show Business" and "Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better".

Also including the original theatrical trailer, an introduction by Susan Lucci, who briefly replaced Bernadette Peters in the current Broadway revival, and a cut number called "Let's Go West Again", this is one video musical classic you can't pass up.

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful show!
Review: "Annie" is the one MGM musical that I have longed to see for many years. Due to the now legendary problems with the film's release that was not possible - until now. What a masterpiece it is! As a Judy Garland fan, I had heard her sing the score before and had seen the outtakes from the film, and my conclusion is that fate intervened appropriately in the form of Betty Hutton. She is virtually perfect in the role. Her emotions run the gamut in this film, and make it a delight. My favorites have to be "I've got the sun in the morning" (her dance is incredible!) and Howard Keel's "My defenses are down". It is no wonder that Keel went on to become the singing star he did after this role.

What Judy could have done with the role will never be known; what Betty did with it is obvious: she made Annie her own. Get this film NOW and enjoy the wonderfully restored picture and crystal clear sound. You won't be disappointed!

Rating:
Summary: What a Gem!
Review: What a classic!

Betty Hutton is absolutely adorable as Annie Oakley!!

The story may seem familiar, and perhaps a little bit cliche just by reading the synopsis, but don't let that fool you. This musical has got its twists and turns and its share of buckshots! Sharpshooter Annie Oakley meets the man of her life (and perhaps the snob of her life too!). She falls hard for him, but he only wants prim and proper ladies. So she changes for him but she cannot change the fact that she's better than him. Or can she? Watch this and find out!

Betty Hutton was so cute in this film. I loved the song Doin What Comes Naturally. Howard Keel was marvellous as Frank Butler. His rendition of The Girl That I Marry was beautiful. Not the best that I've heard, but still beautiful.

I haven't seen the Broadway musical. But I will when I get the chance. This musical is one of the best musical comedies that I have ever seen!

Watch it! That is... if you haven't already...

Rating:
Summary: Whoa, talk about politically incorrect!
Review: I watched this DVD with my daughters (8 and 10), and I felt like I needed to keep pausing and explaining that back in the "old days" people didn't realize how insulting it was to Indians to portray them like savages, and that it was OK for a girl to dumb herself down and cover up her talents so that she could get a guy to like her! I was apalled at a lot of the story line -- I didn't remember the show being like that!

Of course, the music is wonderful (with the exception of "I'm and Indian Too"), and the color and costumes are brilliant. That is where my 2 stars come from. I don't know if the show would have been better or worse with Judy Garland, as other reviewers have discussed. I just have to say that I won't watch my DVD again. I don't care how "classic" it is -- much of the movie was offensive.

Rating:
Summary: BETTY HUTTON played "ANNIE"
Review: i've been reading the reviews of other people about Annie......they are forgetting ONE important thing, JUDY was a FAILURE at her attempt to play Annie...Betty Hutton ISN'T Judy to start with.....which is a major plus for the film....Betty did not WANT to play Annie the way Judy would have.....Betty took on the role in her OWN style and played it beautifully....these people who think Garland could have pulled it off, given the shape she was in...are horribly WRONG... to continually blast Hutton out of the water for even playing Annie is a testament to their narrow mindedness....you have to remember too, this film was made in 1949-50..when the film industry was still young...and maybe the lip sync is out of kilter with the film.....that was the sign of the times then.... it's certainly NOT Betty's fault....Betty went through the devil's den to finish the film, thanks to her co-stars and the crew...."Annie" belongs to Betty forever on film.....all of the critics then and NOW, can NEVER take her performance away from Betty....nor should they try....just enjoy the film..for Betty is Annie Oakley...i think Annie would be proud of Betty's wonderful performance.......so should we all be.........