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This lively 1950 film version of a classic (and recently revived) Broadway musical showcases many of Irving Berlin's greatest songs and presents vivacious Betty Hutton in the best role of her career. She positively lights up the screen as legendary Wild West sharpshooter Annie Oakley, whose professional pride puts her at odds with dashing competitor Frank Butler (brawny Howard Keel, in the first of his many memorable Hollywood musicals). A distinguished supporting cast includes Edward Arnold, Keenan Wynn, J. Carrol Naish, and a particularly sprightly Louis Calhern as Buffalo Bill. Producer Arthur Freed, whose filmmaking unit turned out all the great MGM tunefests, surmounted innumerable obstacles -- including the 11th-hour substitution of Hutton for the ailing Judy Garland, the replacing of original director Busby Berkeley with George Sidney, and the sudden death of the film's original Buffalo Bill, Frank Morgan -- to capture Annie on celluloid. He succeeded magnificently, replicating the stage show in Technicolor opulence and making the film MGM's top grosser for 1950. Berlin won a well-deserved Oscar for his marvelous score, which includes "Anything You Can Do," "Doin' What Comes Naturally," "The Girl That I Marry," and, of course, the showstopping "There's No Business Like Show Business." Unavailable for several decades, Annie Get Your Gun now makes a long-overdue and much welcome return in newly remastered video and DVD editions that are not to be missed. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

Judy Garland was originally slated to star in MGM's film version of Irving Berlin's Annie Get Your Gun, but she was forced to pull out of the production due to illness (recently discovered out-takes reveal a gaunt, dazed Garland, obviously incapable of completing her duties). She was replaced by Betty Hutton who, once she overcame the resentment of her co-workers, turned in an excellent performance--perhaps the best of her career. Hutton is of course cast as legendary sharpshooter Annie Oakley, who ascends from dirty-faced backwoods gamin to the uppermost rungs of international stardom. Her mentor is Buffalo Bill, played by Louis Calhern (like Hutton, Calhern was a last-minute replacement: the original Buffalo Bill, Frank Morgan, died before production began). Annie's great rival is arrogant marksman Frank Butler (Howard Keel) with whom she eventually falls in love. She goes so far as to lose an important shooting match to prove her affection--a scene that hardly strikes a blow for feminism, but this is, after all, a 1950 film. Of the stellar supporting cast, J. Carroll Naish stands out as Sitting Bull, whose shrewd business acumen is good for several laughs. Virtually all the Irving Berlin tunes were retained from the Broadway version, including "Doin' What Comes Naturally," "You Can't Get a Man with a Gun," "Anything You Can Do," "The Girl That I Marry," "My Defenses are Down," "They Say It's Wonderful" and the rousing "There's No Business Like Show Business," which was later tantalizingly excerpted in MGM's pastiche feature That's Entertainment II. Alas, due to a complicated legal tangle involving the estates of Irving Berlin and librettists Herbert Fields and Dorothy Fields, Annie Get Your Gun hasn't been shown on television in years. Hal Erickson

Product Details

• UPC: 012569543829
• Source: WARNER HOME VIDEO
• Region Code: 1
• Aspect Ratio: Pre-1954 Standard (1.33.1)
• Presentation: Pan & Scan
• Sound: monaural
• Language: English, Français
• Subtitles: English, Français
• Time: 1:47:00
• Sales Rank: 9,180

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• Broadway Musicals - TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection

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