Annie Get Your Gun

The November 2000 release of this film to video was a major event for classic movie buffs. For Howard Keel fans, it was an event of epic proportions. Not only was it one of MGM’s most successful musicals, it was also Betty Hutton’s biggest movie. As for Howard Keel- he could not have had a better introduction to movies than this Technicolor extravaganza as his calling card.

“Annie,” however, had a checkered past. When Howard signed his MGM contract and went to work, it was 1949. Arthur Freed’s unit was all ready to start with their Best of the Best on the film adaptation of Irving Berlin’s Broadway baby about the life of sharpshooter Annie Oakley. Ethel Mermann had made the part her own on the stage, but MGM thought she was too old. They had also turned down the talented Mary Martin as being “not pretty enough” and had pinned their hopes on their own star, Judy Garland. Character Great Frank Morgan was set to play Buffalo Bill and Geraldine Wahl was slated to be Dolly. Keenan Wynn made his first appearance with Howard Keel as publicity man Charlie Davenport. Charles Walters was scheduled to direct. They shot a few scenes and recorded the songs. In those days, songs and taps were not recorded as they were shot, but rather recorded separately and dubbed onto the film.

Judy Garland’s problems are the stuff of Hollywood legend. She was tragically, emotionally fragile, insecure and pressured by studio brass which alternately coddled and pushed her- including addicting her to drugs. Combined with the Hollywood Job Hazard- alcohol- she was falling apart in one of several breakdowns. MGM fired her from the picture after several months of sporadic shooting. A new Annie had to be found and they tested virtually everyone on the lot. They finally decided to take Paramount’s Blonde Bombshell Betty Hutton on loan.

The production problems did not end there. Director Walters’ contract was coming due and George Sidney, in some behind-the-scenes string pulling, aced the job of new director. Benuta Venay came aboard as Dolly and the juvenile parts were all recast- the kids had grown too much. Most tragically of all, Frank Morgan died suddenly of a heart attack and veteran Louis Calhern became Buffalo Bill. By the time they were ready to shoot again, they had only Howard Keel and Keenan Wynn left in major roles and a whole movie to shoot again.

Troubles seemed to haunt the production. Betty Hutton, in a July 2000 interview on TCM, said that the production was very traumatizing for her, that she was “froze out” by a cast and crew embittered about her replacing the beloved Judy Garland. Howard has claimed that Betty was more concerned about her own career than her co-stars and did not enjoy working with her. Despite the conflicting stories, there is no denying they all overcame their differences to make a spectacular film.

Sadly, Irving Berlin did not feel the same way. The story goes that he stated in his will that the film could not be shown or sold by his heirs or they would lose their inheritance. MGM’s copyright on it expired in 1973, when it was last seen on TV, and in their glut of “housecleaning” anything old, it was not renewed. Though virtually every other musical is now on video, “AGYG” remained lost to fans. Recently, a deal was made with the original show’s book author Dorothy Fields’ estate and Turner and Warner Home Video have been able to make it available once again.

The Special Edition contains an introduction by soapdom’s diva Susan Lucci, who has played Annie in the successful Broadway revival of the show. Who came up with that casting? Also included are all the MGM cut scenes of Judy, much anticipated by her fans.

Despite her eternal talents, she looks tired and burned out here, walking through scenes and her usually clear, enthusiastic singing is lackluster. She drawls when she thinks of it and her Annie is a wary, urban tough rather than a gullible country hick. Though no one could deny her greatness, she was simply miscast here.

There is little historical fact in this show- typical of the Hollywoodized biography. The real Annie Oakley, a savvy, Puritanical product of the Victorian era, would probably have shuddered at the slapstick shenanigans and Technicolor gloss of this take on her life. It is the songs and performances that make this a classic.

For those unfamiliar, the story follows Annie Oakley, a backwoods hillbilly girl who can shoot anything- indeed, she makes her living hunting. When she beats the egotistical Frank Butler {Howard Keel}, star of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, Bill and his associate {Keenan Wynn} see an opportunity to beat out their rival showman, Pawnee Bill, and hire her to be Frank’s assistant. Annie, instantly smitten by the handsome, charismatic Frank, willing does anything to impress him. She strives to better herself, trying to become the “link and soft lady” he deems worthy of himself. In reality, she can out-shoot him and it is her ability that sends Frank storming off to Pawnee Bill’s show while Annie pines her way to stardom, touring Europe with Buffalo Bill and becoming Sioux chief Sitting Bull’s {J. Carrol Naish} honorary daughter. In the big finale’, she is reunited with Frank in a last ditch grudge match to determine, once and for all, who is the best. Annie is faced with a very 50’s conundrum- be the best or get her man?

The actors all give fine performances. Howard effortlessly steps from the stage to the screen and establishes his stereotype of egotist with a soft heart, blindsided by unexpected love. He would play variations of this character in all his musical roles. He is in fine voice and handles the straight parts well. He gets little opportunity to display his comic talents- that had to wait for “Kiss Me Kate.” This film belongs to Betty Hutton.

When Betty was in her first Broadway show, she played a supporting part to Ethel Mermann. When the show opened on Broadway, the powerful Mermann inexplicably cut her only big number right before the show. Betty was crushed. Years later, she got her revenge on Ethel. Despite the fact that Mermann is most famous for belting out her signature “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” from this show, it is Betty who won the sought after film role and it is most fondly remembered as Annie.

She is dynamic, a whirlwind of spunk, mugging, sexy fun, and tender vulnerability. She is radiantly beautiful, yet seems unaware of the fact by playing broad slapstick, hamming her way through the comic bits, deftly handling the action parts, and belting out song after song with gusto while maintaining her character’s defining drawl. Interspersed are dramatic scenes where we get to see Annie isn’t just a clown and that Betty is perfectly capable of sensitive drama. Most poignant is the scene when she fantasizes about her reunion with Frank- beautifully played pathos touched with fiery pride and desperate loneliness.

She also goes against Hollywood type and plays her early, hillbilly scenes without make-up, her hair in tatters and her skin colored brown with a walnut juice dye. She is equally at home in rags or elegant gowns. Though Judy Garland casts a long shadow- as does Ethel Mermann- by the time you are done watching, you will have no doubts- Betty Hutton IS Annie Oakley.

George Sidney did a fine job with the direction. Many musical directors were tempted to film stage shows with a long, fixed angle, as if they were shooting the on-going production on a Broadway stage, rather than exploit the versatility of a movable camera. Sidney uses interesting angles, including breaking the fourth wall {as they call it when the actor addresses or plays directly to the audience}.

Sidney Sheldon, who parlayed a long career of screenplays into best selling novels, made the film script out of Dorothy Fields’ stage book.

The songs are some of the most memorable ever done. Howard shines with “The Girl That I Marry” and Betty is hilarious rendering a frustrated “You Cain’t Get a Man With a Gun.” They do a ripping “I Can Do Anything Better Than You” together and all outdo themselves on that Hollywood anthem “There’s No Business like Show Business.” There are many other tunes, each finely done.

For modern audiences, some aspects of the film may come as a shock. One must remember this was the 50’s and “AGYG” is a product of its times. It would be almost 20 years before Hollywood would begin to grasp the concept of the “noble savage” and nearly 40 years before “Dances With Wolves” would give Native Americans their cinematic civil rights. The Indians are grunting, bestial grubbers, simple and casually cast-off. Sitting Bull fares better- chiefs got a certain amount of respect, after all- but a white man plays him. In the modern stage revival, I have heard that the “I’m an Indian, Too” number was cut to avoid political incorrectness.

Women fared little better. In post-WW2 America, Rosie the Riveter was expected to go back to the kitchen and movies sent out the constant message that women needed to be pretty and submissive to get the golden husband and keep him. Apparently men’s fragile little egos simply couldn’t cope with an equal woman. The message was constantly taught- hide your intelligence and your abilities so he’ll feel better about being second best. He won’t even know the difference. Hence, you have a good deal of condescension toward simple, little Annie and her climatic decision. “AGYG” would be a much different- and more factual- film today. In reality, Frank served as Annie’s assistant for many years.

You have to overlook these flaws as part of their time and take the film as it should be- a gloriously glossy, colorful musical extravaganza that was well worth the wait.