Movie Review: Annie Get Your Gun

Annie Get Your Gun
Directors: George Sidney, Busby Berkeley (uncredited) 

Starring: Betty Hutton, Howard Keel, Benay Venuta, Louis Calhern, J. Carrol Naish, Edward Arnold, Keenan Wynn, Clinton Sundberg, Evelyn Beresford, John War Eagle, Chief Yowlachie

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, USA, 1950.

Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show comes to visit Ohio. Hotel manager Wilson (Clinton Sundberg) refuses to host the bunch of Indiands and cowboys in his hotel. Frank Butler (Howard Keel), who acts like a pop star, offers 100 dollars for Wilson if a local sharpshooter can win him in a shooting contest. Annie Oakley (Betty Hutton) shoots a bird off Frank's assistant Dolly Tate's (Benay Venuta) hat. Annie and her siblings live in backwoods, selling game that Annie shoots. Wilson encourages Annie to enter the shooting contest.

Annie Oakley

Annie meets Frank

Buffalo Bill

Annie meets Frank and falls in love instantly. However Annie's hillbilly look does not impress Frank. Annie competes against Frank and wins easily. Buffalo Bill (Louis Calhern) and show's manager Charlie (Keenan Wynn) hire Annie. Annie begins to improve her looks and learns how to read. Frank begins to fall in love with Annie. However Annie is becoming bigger star than Frank which causes Frank to get angry. There is also a rival Wild West show run by Pawnee Bill (Edward Arnold) and Buffalo Bill's show is constantly struggling for money.

There's No Business Like Show Business

Frank and Annie in love

Annie meets Chief Sitting Bull

Chief Sitting Bull (J. Carrol Naish) adopts Annie into the Sioux tribe. The Indians are represented in 1950s comedy style, so historical accurateness should not be expected. Frank joins Pawnee Bill's show and Buffalo Bill's show goes on European tour. Wise chief Sitting Bull gives valuable advice to Annie for getting Frank back.

Am I an Indian yet?

The biggest star of the show

Pawnee Bill negotiates with Buffalo Bill

The story is loosely based on the life of real Annie Oakley. Music and lyrics were written by Irving Berlin and screenplay by Sidney Sheldon. Originally the movie would have starred Judy Garland, but because health problems she had to be replaced. Also Frank Morgan was cast as Buffalo Bill, but he died of a heart attack while filming the movie. The DVD published by Warner Home Video contains Judy Garland's scenes as outtakes and also song "Colonel Buffalo Bill", where Frank Morgan is seen. The outtakes show that Garland could not have pulled Annie's role as enthusiastically as Hutton.

Betty Hutton is fun and energetic as Annie Oakley but also over-the-top cheery. Howard Keel is good as her pompous counterpart. Cinematography is great and costumes are colourful. The songs are great and many of them have become classics such as "You Can't Get a Man with a Gun" and "There's No Business Like Show Business." 

Rating: Very good