One of the real gems of this film is Virginia O'Brien. A great comedienne who could sing and act. It's too bad that MGM didn't think enough of her to star her in her own vehicle. She could have easily carried a musical film by herself.
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Annie Get Your Gun would have been perfect for her. Hate to say it, but I think she would have been better cast in the role than Judy Garland.
shareI never heard that she was approached for "Annie Get Your Gun", but I always found her incredibly funny and talented. "Annie Get Your Gun" would prbably fit her very well. I know that Betty Garrett was approached. It could have been her breakthrough role, but she wanted too much money.
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You're all incorrect. O'Brien was long gone from both Metro and movie
stardom by the time the film was searching for a Garland replacement
(summer, 1949). Nobody was considered before Garland, as this expensive,
highly popular property was BOUGHT for Garland. As for Betty Garrett,
she was already on the MGM payroll and, considering her film career was
really just beginning, she would NOT have asked for more money to get
this great part. There is a very good chance Garrett was already on
the blacklist. In any case, MGM need a SUPERSTAR to guarantee box office,
considering the money they put out to obtain the property, plus the
money lost due to both Garland's exit and Frank Morgan's subsequent
death. This is why Betty Hutton was borrowed from Paramount - she was
a huge star. And she gave a great performance as Annie.
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I found her to be incredibly sexy.
We're not fighting! We're in complete agreement! We hate each other!
I wouldn't say "incredibly sexy" but I would have approached her at a party before I would have considered approaching Judy Garland. It does amaze me that Virginia is always cast as a character who is supposed to be homely! That always undermines the credibility of the film to me.
John 3:16
I never got that either. Maybe she wasn't a classic beauty, but I would never call her plain or homely! "Wild Wild West" is one of my favorite numbers in this movie (although there are so many good ones!). She's very pretty!
shareMaybe not "incredibly sexy", but in the Marx Bros film THE BIG STORE (1941) she's absolutely beautiful, attractive, and mesmerizing.
shareShe reminds me a lot of Barbara Stanwick.
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