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Annie Get Your Gun

Annie Get Your Gun

List Price: $19.98
Your Price: $15.98
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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: There Really Is No Businesss Like Show Business!
Review: Annie Get Your Gun is my favort play.And now it is my favort movie. I loved being in that play even though i was only 11 years old i still loved doing it.As I got older I found out that there was a movie and when I got the movie I could not stop watching it, and now my future goal would Be Palying Annie Oakley. And I think Annie would be proud.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: There Really Is No Businesss Like Show Business
Review: Annie Get Your Gun is my favort play. I loved doing it even though i was only 11 years old is till loved doing it.As I got older I found out that there was a movie i could not stop watching it. And My Future goal in life would Be Palying Annie Oakley. And I think Annie would be proud.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Betty Hutton scores a triumph as Annie Oakley
Review: At last the 1950 movie muscial "Annie Get Your Gun" is finally available for a whole new generation and fans who fondly recall seeing it years ago to experience the magic of America's greatest composer,Irving Berlin(who in addition to the great score of this film brought us"White Christmas", God Bless America" and hundreds of others)dynamic stars, Betty Hutton, Howard Keel and a first rate supporting cast perform in one of Hollywood's greatest and at the time most expensive musical. The technicolor has been preserved in such a manner that the colors are a joy to behold and the meticulous detail of the great photography of Charles Rosher and the costumes by Walter Plunkett("Gone With The Wind")and Helen Rose, who did the exquisite western costumes for Betty Hutton are truly a feast for the eye.This film showcases Betty Hutton at her best. She may not have "voice of the century" like Judy Galand who had to bow out of the role due to illness and other problems but she adds a tremendous gusto to the role plus an almost child like innocence to her early scenes as the backwoods, uneducated Annie. She is especially touching in several scenes in addition to her special gusto (toned down here from some of her earlier roles). Betty Hutton was one of the top stars in Hollywood when this film was released. That same year she made the cover of Time magazine and the film went on to be one of the top grossing movies that year. She went on to sing and dance with Fred Astaire in "Let's Dance" and then won the coveted starring role in Cecil B. DeMille's oscar winning film(for best picture of 1952)"The Greatest Show on Earth"in which she did most of her own stunts in her role as a trapeze performer in a circus.(both of these films are available on video Her last big film was "Somebody Loves Me" in 1952. She left Paramount Pictures due to a dispute over having her then husband direct her next film. She later made one more film in 1956(released in 1957 called "Spring Reunion" a small black and white film produce by Kirk Douglas'company co-starring Dana Andrews. Miss Hutton gave a sensitive performance in this drama about an unmarried career woman in her 30's ,lonely and living with her parents. Once the most popular girl in high school, she meets and old classmate at a reunion. The film gave Miss Hutton a chance to really show that she was a actress fo considerable depth. It is a small film but quite affecting. It is not available on videobut has been aired on TCM) Also in "Annie Get Your Gun", Howard Keel made his movie musical debut and it was an auspicious one indeed. The first of many great parts showcasing his magificient baritone voice, natural acting ability and his strong, handsome ,masculine prescence.Mr. Keel later reached his peak in MGM musicals in "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" and especially "Kiss Me Kate" (both available on video and probably DVD)The theatrical version of "Annie Get Your Gun"had several songs that were not included in the film. One "I'm a Bad Bad Man" would have been fun to have had Mr. Keel perform and two sung by Annie were a ballad"I Got Lost In His Arms"(beautifully done recently by Bernadette Peters in the broadway revival) and the delightful "Moonshine Lullaby" sung by Annie to her little brother and 3 sisters with an assist by them . It would have been nice to have had Miss Hutton do these in the film. Most of her songs except "They Say It's Wonderful" are of the exuberant variety. She is a standout doing the show's greatest number "There' No Business Like Show Businesss" in which she sings with her co-stars, later a reprise by herself and a again with Mr. Keel. Before the film, it is enjoyable to see the original trailer(or coming attraction promotion) for the film, a short introduction and brief history of Annie Oakley and her various incarnations by broadway/television star, Susan Lucci. Shown are outakes made by Judy Garland before she was let go for the film. After the film 2 completed numbers by Miss Garland are shown. She appears rather tired in them but her voice is just great and fine natural acting ability is evident as always. Finally a lovely number that unfortunately was later deleted from the film before it was released is shown for the first time.It is called "Let's Go West Again" with Betty Hutton. It is a good number , beautifully shot, sung in a more low key manner by Miss Hutton. Another interesting sideline, some of the original lyrics by Mr. Berlin were considered a little too "racy" for movie censors in 1950. For example in "You Can't Get a Man With A Gun",The lyric "a man's love is mighty he'll even buy a nighty for a gal who he thinks is fun, but they don't make pajamas for pistol packing mamas" was altered for the movie to "a Tom, Dick or Harry will build a house for Carrie when the preacher has made them one" Although a minor complaint it did cause a few of the songs to lose a little of their "bite".The film won 2 Oscars for sound recording and musical adaptation and it is obvious by the smooth , clear arrangements which give great justice to Irving Berlin's genius as both a composer and lyricist. I highly recommend this film for the entire family, especially if you are tired of the current films that offer nothing more than extreme violence, car chases, boring performers, gimmicky special effects, blatant sexuality etc. run and get this film. Betty Hutton was recently interviewed by the brilliant Robert Osborne on TCM(the Turner Classic Movies cable channel) and if they see my review I want to say "Bravo" to both of you for an outstanding one hour conversation about Miss Hutton's life and career. I hope that Betty Hutton will continue to give future interviews and lectures . She is a remarkable "survivor"who gives so much of herself to her audience.It is not surprising that she got her start on the Broadway stage and after her movie career continued appearing all over The USA and Europe in concerts and and theatrical productions to sellout audiences until personal problems in the 1960's caused her to stop performing until she made a brief return to Broadway in 1980(filling in for Alice Ghostley) in the role of Miss Hannigan in "Annie" ( muscial based on Little orphan Annie)

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: AN OVERHWELMINGLY SPECTACULAR MUSICAL!
Review: What a show! "Annie Get Your Gun" is an immense achievement, and one of the greatest musicals I've ever seen! MGM's lavish production with eye-filling Technicolor hasn't aged a bit and is a joy to behold fifty years later!

As Annie Oakley, Betty Hutton is nothing short of a knockout with her outstanding, energetic portrayal of the western gal who became known as the greatest marksman in the world. She is well complemented by Howard Keel, in his first film role, as the arrogant marksman Frank Butler, who carries on a very competitive courtship with Annie. The supporting cast, including Louis Calhern, Keenan Wynn, and Clinton Sundberg are just great.

And what a songbook! Irving Berlin scores perhaps his greatest triumph with "Annie"'s popular score. The knockabout "Doin' What Comes Natur'lly", the bouncy "You Can't Get A Man With A Gun", the amusing "I'm An Indian, Too" and "Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better" and of course, the glorious masterpiece, "There's No Business Like Show Business". No wonder this film won an Oscar for musical adaptation!

Also included as special features are the original MGM theatrical trailer and introduction by recent "Annie" star Susan Lucci, and three other surprises. Judy Garland, as the original "Annie" is shown in two musical numbers completed before her departure from the picture. Garland is charming and energetic with "Doin' What Comes Natur'lly": "Uncle Dick was always sick/But never saw a doctor/He just died at ninety-three/Doin' What Comes Natur'lly!" and is even better with what I believe an even more exciting version of "I'm An Indian, Too": "Like the Chippewa/ Iri-quaw/Omaha/ Like those Indians/ I'm an Indian, too!" Finally, there is a charming musical number sung by Betty Hutton as "Annie" called "Let's Go West Again" (why was this cut?!).

This video version is just incredible. When first watching it, you really feel like you're participating in a special event, mainly because the film hasn't been seen in so many years. And watching the show and hearing the music, I sometimes feel that I'm not watching a movie at all, but a fantastic Broadway production. To MGM, Betty Hutton, Howard Keel, Irving Berlin, Arthur Freed, and everybody who had anything to do with the making of this film, I say three cheers and bravo!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: There's no person like this person
Review: Betty Hutton has a colossal amount of energy. She seems to be doing everything she possibly can to be entertaining. She's a good sport about a funny but unflattering getup in her early hayseed numbers. Her voice is sturdy, durable, indestructible.

But oh my God, her acting choices ... She and the Indians are stampeding around with performances far too broad for the medium of film (whereas Buffalo Bill, allegedly a larger-than-life character, looks like a corpse by comparison, and Howard Keel, in only his second film, must manage to act like these are human beings he's relating to).

Take a look at Betty Hutton's reaction upon seeing Howard Keel for the first time -- the mugging would be considered "a bit much" if seen from the back row of an amphitheater. At best, her performance is clownlike; at worst, it's apelike. Little of her performance overlaps with what we know as humanity. It's a magnificent effort, and a stunning testimony to her desire to please, but her comedy has no reality, no nuance, no connection to any sincere emotion. She seizes on "hick" and drives that into the ground, then she plays nothing but "infatuated" for a while before toggling to "resentful" and so forth ... It's a series of masks and set pieces, but it's not a character. Judy Garland was in sad shape at that point in her life, but even then she would have been able to find the vulnerability flickering behind Annie's rootin'-tootinest moments, and she wouldn't have neglected Annie's grit even in the melting sentimental scenes. Nobody can do vulnerability like Judy, and yet few are identified so strongly as survivors -- both qualities that would serve this character. Annie could be a wonderful character, a great self-conflicted mess of strength, longing, guts, femininity, skill, naivete and worldiness, all trying to cohere into a woman who can win her man -- but instead Betty Hutton makes her a pop-eyed, crude cartoon with the subtlety of an iron skillet. I am surprised that Hutton didn't insist on doing the role with a couple of teeth blacked out. Maybe they just wouldn't let her. The scenes where she tries to read out loud are compelling for the way they illustrate someone playing for a cheap laugh, oblivious to any further potential the character and situation might provide.

I kept replaying scenes over and over in awe before moving on, and the memory of Betty Hutton's performance is branded on my brain, but it's because this performance seems like it's following the traditions of some other culture, some other world. It's like going to a sideshow.

That said, the tunes are a non-stop parade of hits -- there probably isn't any other show in which the composer so successfully nails so many numbers one after another, in wildly different styles, with effective melodies worth remembering. The classic tunes just keep coming. The movie works as spectacle and songfest, and as a startling specimen of what audiences would swallow in the days before political correctness. But if you're looking for a portrayal of a woman with genuine feelings and motivations, you might be distracted by the gorgeous blonde chimpanzee who steals all her scenes.



Rating: 1 stars
Summary: ANNIE GET YOUR GUN WITHOUT A LEADING LADY
Review: Can someone seriously explain how and why Betty Hutton became a star? Her one talent seems to be her volume.

She is entirely without subtlety, sincerity, honesty in her acting and is a mediocre singer. She merely shouts.

The production numbers are well done and Howard Keel does well, especially since he is playing opposite a fire engine siren.



Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Gorgeous Looking Film with a Beautiful Score
Review: Although "Annie Get Your Gun" was missing-in-action for almost 25 years because of some legal contretemps between Irving Berlin and MGM, watching this newly-restored version, it's hard to believe the movie actually is over fifty-years old. The colors are absolutely beautiful, and as is almost always the case with any Freed Unit musical, the production values are top-notch. The unforgettable Irving Berlin score remains timeless. Howard Keel is fine as love interest, Frank Butler, and Betty Hutton all but makes one forget that Judy Garland was originally cast in the title role (but in case you have forgotten, the DVD includes some, frankly, rather disturbing outtakes of Judy's aborted performance, including a brief but alarming temper trantrum). Although Amazon identifies Charles Walters as the director, in fact George Sidney directed. And his alternate track commentary concerning the making of the film, the film's stars, and some charming anecdotes about Judy Garland is priceless. All-in-all, this is an excellent addition to the video library of any fan of the "Movies Greatest Musicals" from MGM, the all-time greatest movie studio.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: There Really Is No Businesss Like Show Business
Review: Betty Hutton is sooo good in this musical. Even in pigtails, freckles, and rags she's totally loveable and her backwoods accent is hysterical!!
Annie Oakley (Hutton) and Frank Butler(Howard Keel) are two of the best gunshots in the world, but Oakley, who doesn't know a thing about being a lady, falls hopelessly in love with the handsome Butler. After accepting an offer to work with Butler in Buffalo Bill's western show, Oakley takes pains to become a beautiful lady and win Butler's heart. Unfortunately for Oakley, Butler can't take her being a better shooter than him, so a big rivalry ensues and so does all the fun.
Most memorable performance is Hutton and Keel's adorable number with the song "Anything You Can Do."
The quality of this DVD is great. Picture's bright and clear, sound is excellent, and so are the extra features like Susan Lucci's intro and about four outtakes, two of which contain Judy Garland's only two finished performances. Enjoy!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: There's No Business Like Show Business!
Review: Betty Hutton was the first Annie Oakley I was introduced to when I saw "Annie Get Your Gun" on TV some 30 years ago. I thought the show was fantastic, the songs were sing-along-ish, and who could ever beat that happy ending? I still enjoy this movie. The Irving Berlin songs are unforgettable, especially the show-stopping "There's No Business Like Show Business".

The first choice to play Annie Oakley in this film was Judy Garland, but soon into production, Jusy had to quit the project due to exhaustion. Just like we couldn't imagine anyone other than Anne Bancroft as "Mrs. Robinson" (Doris Day was disgusted by the offer of playing the role), there is only ONE Annie Oakley: Betty Hutton! Nothing can top the Broadway Play, but this beautiful movie comes pretty close! Five stars for this one!*****


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