ClassyWas Excellent, smart action film.

Freaktana A Major Disappointment

DipitySkillful an ambitious but ultimately ineffective debut endeavor.

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

chaswe-28402 Hutton is embarrassing, but presumably this is due to the direction by George Sidney. Sidney had a number of successes, including this one, but they definitely belong to a bygone era. Hutton's prancing gymnastics and gyrations in this show make me want to look away, except for the horseback performance. Was that by Betty ? Howard Keel, always rather wooden, was much better in Calamity Jane and Seven Brides. This musical is carried by the truly memorable songs, but in the others there are also other attractions. Only the bits by Busby Berkeley have some extra originality and distinction in Annie GYG.

movie-viking A fun movie partly based on Real Life Annie Oakley, girl sharpshooter. Yes, Oakley really did shoot a cigarette out of the mouth of the German Kaiser. Imagine if she had missed...would we still have had WW1 later on???Native Americans are the leaders in some of this film (they have to finance some of the shows--some counsel naiive Annie). This is slightly advanced for 1950, in giving Native Americans the positions of the better counselors for this young naiive girl. Lots of fun songs, fun moments, and Betty Hutton as the Naiive but Talented Annie Oakley.Betty Hutton seemed to BECOME her roles (or...perhaps directors cast her in roles that resembled the real life exuberant Betty Hutton). The only awkward moment for me was the "I'm an Indian Too" song...where she dances with Native Americans (who actually appear to be true native Americans, not white people with dark makeup). They dance beautifully, but Hutton's naiive mugging doesn't work for me...in this scene.

jessie-rex Having seen the footage filmed of Judy Garland in this role, it seems obvious that her persona was not a good fit with this role. Even if Judy was in top form, this part called for more over-the-top personality. Betty Hutton will never equal Judy in voice quality and artistry, but her personality and performance qualities are perfect for this role. I understand why Ethel Merman had Betty's big song cut from "Panama Hattie" on Broadway. Ethel realized that Betty was competition for her. They share a similar belting singing style, and their own personalities color all the characters they perform.As for the rest of the cast, I think they filled their roles very well. I've heard remarks that Louis Calhern underplayed his role, but I think Buffalo Bill as a gentleman with Keenan Wynn as his more brash sidekick worked perfectly.A must see musical!

Spikeopath Out of MGM, Annie Get Your Gun is primarily directed by George Sidney and adapted for the screen by Sidney Sheldon from the book written by Dorothy & Herbert Fields. It stars Betty Hutton, Howard Keel, Benay Venuta, Louis Calhern & J. Carrol Naish. Music is by Irving Berlin and photography is by Charles Rosher. It is a Technicolor production. It's loosely based on the life of sharpshooting Annie Oakley and this film production comes after the immense success of the stage play that began its run in 1946. Plot sees Hutton as Annie Oakley, a simple backwoods kinda girl, who after beating famed sharpshooter Frank Butler (Keel) in a contest, goes on to be world famous. But with fame comes tribulations, not least is that she has a thing for Frank.Ebullient and colorful musical that asks you to leave history at the door and just enjoy the ride. The film famously had a troubled production, Judy Garland (Annie) had to leave due to ill health, Frank Morgan (Buffalo Bill) passed away and George Sidney was the third director to work on the film after Busby Berkeley and Charles Walters had left the lot. Even after the new cast and team reconvened there was bad feeling on set, with most of it aimed towards Hutton purely because she had replaced Garland. Post the film's major success, a dispute between MGM and Irving Berlin meant the film was pulled from circulation in 1973 and wasn't seen again till 2000. Thankfully since then a whole new era of musical fans can now enjoy, along with the older supporters, this marvellous piece of entertainment. With show stopping tunes like "Doin' What Comes Natur'lly", "You Can't Get a Man With a Gun", "There's No Business Like Show Business" and "Anything you Can Do" bursting out from the screen like rays of sunshine, it's film to light up the darkest of days when you're feeling blue. Oh and for the record, Hutton is an absolute delight, attacking the lead role with a zest that belies the bad time she was getting off camera. Great comic timing, too. 8/10