A Disappointing Continuation

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

The stage show of which this based relatively closely on the real-life story of Annie Oakley, teenage sharpshooter who joined Buffalo Bill's Wild West show and married resident sharpshooter Frank Butler, a marriage which lasted 50 years.This film was ill-fated in production - Judy Garland filmed 2 of the musical numbers before being dropped because of illness. Another number was scrapped when Frank Morgan died, and a further number was also dropped after filming.Howard Keel in an early role sings beautifully as Frank Butler but doesn't always convince as the character. Betty Hutton as Annie - well, what can I say?What I can say is that Annie is played in two ways, Before and After. In After, her rough edges have been rubbed off and her performance and singing are attractive and graceful. Before is broad comedy. And when I say broad, I mean massively, embarrassingly over the top, It is a performance which would work on stage, when presented directly to a live audience but, when presented to a camera and leering out of the cinema or TV screen, it is excruciating.When coupled with a crop of songs which are less than classic Irving Berlin, this musical is entertaining enough, but far from a classic.

I love movie musicals - especially when they're done by the Freed unit at MGM. With ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, MGM stayed a lot closer to the source Broadway musical than they usually did. Due to Irving Berlin's sagacious business acumen, there are no major song excisions or substitutions by lesser song writers (Roger Edens, anyone?).As most people know, the role of Annie Oakley was originally assigned to Judy Garland, but when she called out sick, she was unceremoniously fired. Replacing her is Betty Hutton on loan from Paramount Studios. Unfortunately, Hutton mugs and poses and emotes with a frantic, manic energy that I find exhausting to watch. Her Annie Oakley would have fit right in to her film "The Perils of Pauline" portrayal of Pearl White.The rest of the cast is exemplary, with Howard Keel as a handsome, virile Frank Butler. But Betty's shenanigans make her scenes almost painful to watch. The only reason I rate the film as highly as I do is that it's a reasonably faithful rendition of a classic Broadway musical.

This is another of those films that I had avoided for years...just didn't suit my tastes. But recently I moved to Colorado and had visited the real Buffalo Bill's grave west of Denver, so my interest was piqued a bit. I have to admit, although some might consider it corny, that this was one heck of a film. It's loosely based on the life of sharpshooter Annie Oakley, and it's helpful to real the "Wikipedia" entries on the film and the major characters. Fictionalized, you bet. But, when you read the real background of Oakley (and others), you'll "get" things in the film you otherwise wouldn't. There's more than a grain of truth here, but you still wouldn't call it historical.This MGM release has stunning color, and of course a wonderful score by Irving Berlin. Interestingly, the role of Annie Oakley was to be played by Judy Garland, whose emotional problems led to her release from the film. All the better. Betty Hutton gives a bravura performance, and though footage of Garland has been released and is good, Hutton is ideal for this role. Disappointingly, Frank Morgan was to play Buffalo Bill, but died; Louis Calhern does a nice job in what is a very different role for him. Edward Arnold, long after his peak as a leading man, plays a fine character role as Pawnee Bill. Howard Keel is fine as the romantic lead (in his film debut), and Keenan Wynn is fine in a supporting role.This is an infectious movie that it's difficult not to like. The strength of the Hutton performance is stunning. As the film's premiere number says, there's no business like show business!

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