Annie Get Your Gun

***Annie Get Your Gun*** is a 1950 American musical Technicolor comedy film loosely based on the life of sharpshooter Annie Oakley. The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer release, with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin and a screenplay by Sidney Sheldon based on the 1946 stage musical of the same name, was directed by George Sidney. Despite several production and casting problems, the film won the Academy Award for Best Scoring of a Musical Picture and received three other nominations. Star Betty Hutton was recognized with a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress.

## Cast

* Betty Hutton as Annie Oakley
* Howard Keel as Frank Butler
* Louis Calhern as Col. William F. Cody (Buffalo Bill)
* Keenan Wynn as Charlie Davenport
* Benay Venuta as Dolly Tate
* J. Carrol Naish as Chief Sitting Bull
* Edward Arnold as Pawnee Bill
* Clinton Sundberg as Foster Wilson
* John War Eagle as Indian Brave (uncredited)
* Chief Yowlachie as Little Horse (uncredited)

## Musical numbers

1. "Colonel Buffalo Bill" — Charlie, Dolly, Ensemble
2. "Doin' What Comes Natur'lly" — Annie, Siblings
3. "The Girl That I Marry" — Frank
4. "You Can't Get a Man with a Gun" — Annie
5. "There's No Business Like Show Business" — Frank, Buffalo Bill, Charlie Davenport, Annie with ensemble
6. "They Say It's Wonderful" — Annie, Frank
7. "There's No Business Like Show Business" (Reprise) — Annie
8. "My Defenses Are Down" — Frank, Ensemble
9. "I'm an Indian Too" — Annie
10. "I Got the Sun in the Morning" — Annie
11. "Anything You Can Do" - Annie, Frank

## Release and reception

The film premiered at Loew's State Theatre in New York City on May 17, 1950. Despite the production problems, the film garnered mostly favorable reviews from critics. Bosley Crowther of *The New York Times* called it "a whale of a musical picture" with Hutton giving the lead role "a great deal of humor and bounce." *Variety* declared it "socko musical entertainment on film, just as it was on the Broadway stage ... Wonderfully stimulating, always entertaining, 'Annie' should do a lot to push the slogan, 'Movies Are Better Than Ever.'" *Harrison's Reports* wrote that "it holds one captivated from start to finish with the brilliance of its color photography, the lavish sets, the huge cast, the colorful costumes, the lilting Berlin tunes and, foremost, the truly wonderful performance given by the dynamic Betty Hutton, as 'Annie Oakley.'"

Richard L. Coe of *The Washington Post* called it "a swell musical—a picture everybody will enjoy," adding that "while Annie is a juicy part, it's hard to think of anyone who could have done it as well as Betty has." John McCarten of *The New Yorker* wrote that it was "far superior to the usual line of Hollywood goods." However, in comparison to the stage version, Hutton "never projects the hilarity of the business with anything like the enormous competence of Miss Merman." *The Monthly Film Bulletin* called Berlin's music "very enjoyable" but faulted the direction because "the staging of the numbers rarely takes advantage of the amplitude of the sets or the mobility of the camera," and thought that Hutton played the role "as a series of turns rather than as an acting performance."

## References

1. ↑ Arceri, Gene (2009). *Rocking Horse - A Personal Biography of Betty Hutton*. BearManor Media. ISBN 9781593933210.
2. ↑ Crowther, Bosley. "The Screen: Three Films Make Their Bows", May 18, 1950, p. B7.
3. ↑ "'Annie Get Your Gun' with Betty Hutton, Howard Keel, Louis Calhern, and Edward Arnold". *Harrison's Reports*: 58. April 15, 1950.
4. ↑ Coe, Richard L.. "'Annie' a Musical Everyone Like", June 15, 1950, p. B7.

## Further reading

* Monder, Eric (1994). *George Sidney: A Bio-Bibliography*. Greenwood Press. ISBN 9780313284571.

## External links

* *Annie Get Your Gun* at the Internet Movie Database
* The Judy Garland Online Discography "Annie Get Your Gun" pages.