Annie Get Your Gun [1950] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

Amazon.co.uk Review

Irving Berlin's classic stage musical Annie Get Your Gun finally reached the big screen in 1950, four years after it had taken Broadway by storm. The irresistible combination of the story of ground-breaking sharpshooter Annie Oakley, fantastic songs like the rousing anthem "There's No Business Like Show Business" and the setting of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, made most people feel it was worth the wait.

More than half a century on, the book creaks audibly and the treatment of the "Indians" who make up the bulk of the troupe is inevitably embarrassing. But in glorious Technicolor, this in-your-face spectacular defies you not to get sucked in. Quite simply, the show is a winner. Ethel Merman's performance on Broadway became an immediate show business legend, but she was largely ignored by Hollywood. Here, Betty Hutton's whirlwind Annie is, on its own terms, an explosive and hugely entertaining turn, matched by Howard Keel in his first starring part as Frank Butler. But Judy Garland was the first choice for the role and had already filmed several numbers before MGM fired her for her erratic behaviour. It seems almost cruel to include a couple of her songs as extras; even a 40-watt Garland makes the otherwise incandescent Hutton look merely adequate. They certainly add a frisson to this celebration of all-American entertainment at its boldest and brassiest.

On the DVD: Annie Get Your Gun is presented in standard 4:3 format (the original aspect ratio was a similar 1.37:1) and the picture quality is so sharp it blows you out of your seat. Likewise the stereo soundtrack, brilliant for songs which include "Doin' What Comes Natur'lly", "Anything You Can Do" and the sublime "They Say it's Wonderful". Apart from the Garland numbers, the extras include a Hutton outtake and an introduction to the show from a recent Broadway Annie, Susan Lucci. Overall, though, the show's the thing. --Piers Ford

Customer Reviews:

Pure musical entertainment,.......2008-02-14

Invite chief Sitting Bull (Pappa Bull) along with Buffalo Bill,Queen Victoria,Keiser Bill,Annie Oakly,etc etc,one evening,and if you enjoyed "Calamity Jane" with Doris Day,well "Annie Get Your Gun" was the film that inspired WBs to make Calamity Jane,Irvin Berlin scores are obviously superior, Howard Keel gets a better share of them,"My defences are down"
"The girl I shall marry, will have to be" are everlasting showstoppers ,then
Betty Hutton comes in with "Taking stock of all Iv'e got,and it goes on..
Havn't got it? "GET IT" one of the best

One of my top 3 favourite musicals.......2005-09-15

This really is one of the greatest musicals ever written. It has 11 songs of which 10 are instantly memorable (only "I'm an Indian Too" is not up to scratch). The scene "Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better" is one of my favourite screen moments. I never grew up with this film (I'm 37) since it was never on TV screens on the UK due to legal wranglings. I had to make do with the inferior (but still good!) Calamity Jane. Betty Hutton's performance is one of the great musical performances- up there with Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music. She carries the whole film. I cannot believe the Amazon review about Judy Garland's 2 outtakes being cruel to include since even a 40% Judy Garland if better than Betty Hutton. I have shown this film to all of my friends and relatives (sad, I know!) and all of them without exception agree that Judy Garland is no patch on Betty Hutton-she is too refined and completely miscast! The deleted song "Going West Again" is fantastic and should have been included in the stage show and film.

Annie Get Your Gun.......2004-11-10

If your a fan of the old musicals then this is a must for your collection, great fun, great tunes really dodgy plot but hey that's half the fun of Rodgers and Hammerstein. Gun toting Annie sings her way through hits like "Anything You Can Do" and "Theirs No Business Like Show Business" (So that's where it came from I here you cry, Yep!!)It's all a bit cheesy but great fun. There sure don't make 'em like they used to!!!!!!!!!

The best musical has landed.......2002-03-09

I was so happy to find out that this movie was finally getting released on dvd, This is Betty Hutton at her best, & as far as i am concerened this has to be the best musical of all time. Happy viewing.

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