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What are the Similarities Between Annie Get Your Gun and Calamity Jane?

posted 13 years ago by marhefka2000
9 replies | jump to latest

I just recently downloaded Calamity Jane from Emule and watched it for the first time in 35 or so years. I was struck by how similar it is to Annie Get Your Gun. After visiting this board, I realize that my observation is not exactly original. Nevertheless, here are some similar things that I saw:

1. Of course, the main actor in both movies was Howard Keel.
2. Howard was an expert marksman in both movies.]
3. The female lead in both productions was very unfeminine like at first. Later, it was revealed that she was actually very pretty.
4. The female lead in both stories was also an expert marksman.
5. Indians play an important part in both plots.
6. Two great musical scores. Of course, Annie was by Irving Berlin and has many all time standards. But, Calamity has a great score also.

I know I've missed some. Please add yours.

[–] willjohn 13 years ago

Neither film represented the main characters accurately. Annie Oakley and Frank Butlin were married for years before either met Buffalo Bill Cody.

Martha Jane (Calamity Jane) Canary was a prostitute and Bill Hickock could not stand her. His friends buried her next to him as a joke.

[–] marhefka2000 13 years ago

Very interesting. Thanks for the information. So, the screenwriters took a few liberties in writing the plot for Calamity Jane.

[–] laurence01 12 years ago

4. The female lead in both stories was also an expert marksman.

I don't know where you get that idea from (or did you forget that Jane's brilliant shot was actually fired by Bill).

[–] marhefka2000 12 years ago

I have the mnovie on my computer but can't watch it right now. So, from memory:

1. Calamity shot a glass from Katie Brown's hands at the party.
2. Bill made the shot to save Katie's wild shot. It was not Calamity's shot.
3. It seems to me that Calamity also made other shots in the movie.

[–] LaneMarie88 12 years ago

I don't know where you get that idea from (or did you forget that Jane's brilliant shot was actually fired by Bill).
=======================================================

No, Katie's shot was fired by Bill.

America...Land of the free, because of the brave.
A Marine's Daughter

[–] laurence01 12 years ago

Yes I realize my mistake there.

[–] Patmarie 12 years ago

Saw 'Annie' as an outdoor play years ago, which was fun. But, tried to watch the movie, and it was just so unrelentingly racist toward Native Americans, I got a little over halfway through and could no longer stomach it. This movie had some of that too, as did probably all 50's westerns, but it wasn't nearly as bad as 'Annie'. 'Annie' felt more sexist also, at least to me. And, it just didn't seem as good, long stretches of it were just boring, even with Irving Berlin's music. I find 'Calamity Jane' much more enjoyable.

[–] theoctobercountry 12 years ago

Yes, it's pretty obvious that "Calamity Jane" was very much "inspired" by "Annie Get Your Gun." (nicer to say "inspired" than "rip-off"---ha!) I find "Calamity" a much more enjoyable film, however, in large part to the presence of Doris Day.

A case can also be made that "Calamity" was also partially inspired by "Oklahoma." If you look at the score for "Calamity," many of the songs have their direct equivalent in numbers from either "Annie Get Your Gun" or "Oklahoma."

[–] marhefka 10 years ago

A case can also be made that "Calamity" was also partially inspired by "Oklahoma." If you look at the score for "Calamity," many of the songs have their direct equivalent in numbers from either "Annie Get Your Gun" or "Oklahoma."

AGYG had "Anything You Can Do," while CJ had "I Can Do Without You."