The musical tale of Annie Oakley (Betty Hutton) moves from stage to screen in this rollicking film adaptation. Renowned in the Wild West as a sharpshooter, Annie meets her match, both romantically and professionally, in the form of fellow ace gunslinger Frank Butler (Howard Keel). While Annie and Frank are performing as part of the famous traveling show headlined by the legendary Buffalo Bill (Louis Calhern), the two compete and flirt, with plenty of ups and downs along the way.
Discussion Date
May 1
Discussion Time
7:00 pm
Location
Virtual Event
on the event date, use the button below to join the discussion
movie details
starring
Betty Hutton, Howard Keel, Louis Calhern
creative team
Directed by: George Sidney, Busby Berkeley
Music composed by: Irving Berlin, Adolph Deutsch, Roger Edens
run time
1 hour, 47 minutes
Film Introductions
by Bill Rudman
Screening this MGM blockbuster for our series was my friend (and fellow TMTP trustee) TED CHAPIN’S idea, and with good reason. During his 40-year tenure as president of the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, which had licensed Irving Berlin’s 1946 Annie forever, he realized that this beloved 50-year-old warhorse needed a “revisal” to make it acceptable for contemporary audiences.
Ted brought in Peter Stone (1776) to take a new look at the script. The result? A big hit in 1999 starring Bernadette Peters in the role created by Ethel Merman.
But archivists that we are, we’ll be watching the 1950 film version, which sticks pretty close to the original Broadway tale of the famous sharpshooter. That way you can see for yourself what desperately needed rethinking. You’ll also enjoy what most critics consider to be BETTY HUTTON’s finest work on screen and the big-voiced HOWARD KEEL in his film debut.
As for Berlin’s songs, they are imperishable: “Doin’ What Comes Natur’lly,” “Anything You Can Do,” “They Say It’s Wonderful,” “I Got the Sun in the Morning,” “There’s No Business Like Show Business”…and plenty more.
How the Program Works
Join the Mailing list
On the appropriate Thursday, email list subscribers will receive an email with a video introduction from Bill Rudman. This video introduction gives an inside look at what to expect before viewing the film.
Watch the Film at Home
TMTP will provide a list of sites from which that month's film can be rented or purchased.
Join the Live Discussion
The following Thursday, Bill Rudman will host a live discussion via Zoom to discuss the film in real time!