i cant belive nobody has started a board for this movie. It is quite well know in the musical world, and there have been many comments made on it on this site, so why no message board?
Well, I'll start. I love this show, it is brilliant. Betty Hutton was FANTASTIC, though many of the other actors were a little flat. Betty carried the film and did a great job at it too.
With so many wonderful, memorable songs, this movie is truly a classic. I love Annie Get your Gun!
I watched this for the first time yesterday and really enjoyed it, but it really looked like Betty was miming! From reading on this site, it does say she was a good singer, so I can only imagine they filmed the songs and then had to mime along to them whilst acting.
Has anyone else noticed this at all?
All musicals would pre record the songs and then mime to them. It's because they only would use one camera.
Also, so the stars wouldn't loose their voices. If They had to perform it live it would sound very rough and it would go higher in volume and lower as they moved away from the boom mike. (BOOM MIKE; WHAT RECORDS THE SOUND)
Hope this helps......
Ross Gardiner
Mr. Gardiner--were you involved in the production of Annie Get Your Gun with Betty Hutton? If not, are you acquainted with anyone who was involved?
shareIf you want to see a truly first-rate production of Annie Get Your Gun, go to the Museum of Television and Radio and watch the 1957 broadcast starring Mary Martin and John Raitt. The two of them toured in the production, and Martin had Merman's blessing to do the role on tour. (They were actually great friends.) There's also a truncated 1967 version of Ethel Merman's Lincoln Center revival at the Museum. The Martin is in black and white while the Merman is in color, but they are both better than the movie, which is a slipshod production at best. Hutton is terribly miscast and projects everything to the camera. Subtle, she ain't. Much of the supporting cast can't really sing, and if you look fast, Frank Morgan is in the first shot as Buffalo Bill.
This is nowhere near the greatness of the MGM Musicals that were presented around the same period, such as Singin' in the Rain, The Band Wagon or Gigi. Along with Brigadoon, this is one of the weakest entries into their catalogue.
If you read the book on the Arthur Freed Unit, you'll find this is a disappointment.
Personally i thought Betty Hutton's Singing was AWFUL! i had to plug my ears after 1 minute of her singing cause it was so bad. And a lot of her acting was really bad she was so the wrong choice for Annie
"There's Only One Who Can Stop Us; Or Imagine If He Joined Us."
Is the Merman 1967 version available to see at the museum? I've been wanting to see it for many years.
"I love corn!"
I too thought Betty Hutton's acting--nonacting--was over the top, cartoonish. The musical numbers were excellent, the story line is reasonably accurate, given Hollywood's penchant for gaga.
shareBetty Hutton was *PERFECT* as Annie Oakley. Her performance has been repeatedly extolled by critics, ever since the film premiered in 1950. The character is SUPPOSED to be "rambunctious", to quote Louis B. Mayer himself, albeit with a heart of gold - and Betty *NAILS* the characterisation with every note she sings, and everything she does.
The film was a *ROARING HIT* when it was first released (and re-released in the early 1960s), and the ONLY reason it isn't AS famous as other MGM musicals such as "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" and "Singing in the Rain" is because legal problems prevented the film was being broadcast or issued in any format between 1973 and 2000.
Nevertheless, the only screen version of "Annie Get Your Gun" that will be remembered and loved across time is BETTY HUTTON'S version. Very very few people even KNOW about the Mary Martin TV version, and whatever snippets are left of the 60s revival with Ethel Merman. There lies the plain truth, and no amount of hatred towards the uniquely gifted Miss Hutton will ever change that.
This 👆🏽
shareHutton and Keel were both great in this movie.
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