AFter years of being withheld because of legal complications, this delightful film has been rereleased at last in a gorgeously restored print on video and DVD. I bet it will make its longtime fans very happy, and it will porbably make other new converts, like me, grateful that we can have this generally faithful recreation of the classic Broadway show, with an unbeatable Irving Berlin score, gorgeous sets and cinemetography, and great performances from the entire cast, available in our homes. Remarkably, none of the infamous production problems this film suffered (If you don't know what I'm talking about, read the other comments) shows in the exuberant and highly entertaining final product. Betty Hutton is wonderful as sharp-shootin' Annie Oakley, combining amazing physical energy, a powerhouse though somewhat odd singing voice, and genuine warmth and even vulnerability in what just might be her best film role. Howard Keel, in what I think is his film debut as her on and offstage partner, Frank Butler, is very comfortable before the camera, genial as ever, and still possessing that robust baritone that was shown to great advantage in other classic MGM musicals during the 50s. The rest of the cast is all first rate, and they all perform the classic songs ("Doin' What Comes Natur'ly," "You Can't Get a Man With a Gun," "They Say It's Wonderful," "Sun in the Morning," "Anything You Can Do," and of course, "There's No Buisiness Like Show Buisiness") extremely well. Yes, the depiction of Native Americans and some of the demeaning things Annie is forced to go through are not politically correct today, but this came from another era, and as others have noted, the sheer joy in every frame of the film is enough to easily overcome these weaknesses. There truly is no buisiness like show buisiness, and there's no movie like this movie!
Review of Annie Get Your Gun
Annie Get Your Gun
(1950)
You can't get a man with a gun, but you can get this movie.... finally!
26 December 2000