|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
|
Annie Cast |
|
Albert
Finney .... Oliver 'Daddy' Warbucks |
|
Annie Crew |
|
Directed
by |
|
Annie Songs |
|
Tomorrow |
|
Oscar Winning Director John Huston begins "Annie" with practical 'title cards', a nice throwback to the style of many of the older movie musicals. Over this visual, the audience hears Annie singing her theme song "Tomorrow". Aileen Quinn gives a nice rendition of "Tomorrow." That song is easily Annie's individual theme song, but here it is taken totally out of the context of the story. On stage, this song is utilized to show one little girl's optimism. On film? Its just credit music and, to add insult to injury, it is no longer a solo. Annie is joined by a multi-voice choir. This weakens the potential power of the song. Of course, if one is not at all familiar with the stage show, this point is irrelevant.
|
|
Maybe |
|
Annie, now an actual on-screen person, sings "Maybe", a song addressing her wish to be reunited with her parents.
The
song is one of the best showtunes of the 70s with its catchy, simple
melody and poignant, clever lyric. But, on the flip side of the previous
song, Annie sings this one to herself.. On stage, she sings this to
her young friend Molly which cheers them both up and builds Annie's
"giving" personality. Once again, if you have never seen
the stage version, this will have no negative impact. Aileen Quinn's
voice is sufficient but, I find it hard to believe that this is the
voice that toppled so many other miniature diva dreams of stardom. |
|
It's the Hard Knock Life |
| The
orphans sing of their horrible plight as they scrub the floors and work
at strenuous chores. All of this is done under the watch of the evil
Miss hannigan. On the way from stage to screen, they converted this wonderful number into an underachiever Much of the choreography is lackluster and only saved by occasional gymnastics. The vocals are fine but, unlike the stage production, there is little to no attention to introducing the individual characters. The screen is just filled with orphans, sometimes close to 30 filling the screen.  |
|
Dumb Dog |
|
Now out on her own, Annie tries to shoo away the dog that keeps at her heels. Written directly for the film, this song is counterproductive. Annie is supposed to be a loving, optimistic girl, not one who focuses in on the negative aspects of a character, animal or not. Still,
any new song is a good thing from the team of Strouse and Adams. |
|
Sandy |
|
Annie comes to the rescue and saves the dog by naming her Sandy. Also
written directly for the film, this song fares slightly better than
"Dumb Dog" before it. In fact, it is a slight variation. It has a
cute catchy melody line. It is a shame that it lacks complete structure.
Still, a short new song is better than no new song. The performance
and presentation would not have played on stage but is more in line
with film Director Huston's vision. One that pulls success on its
own terms, but not in transferring the stage show. |
|
I Think I'm Gonna Like it Here |
|
Through some wonderful charming, Annie is selected to be a guest of Billionaire Oliver Warbucks. His assistant Grace Farrell offers Annie a tour of the Warbucks mansion including its enormous staff. Like
Hard Knock Life, the choreography is most interesting when it becomes
gymnastic and acrobatic. Ann Reinking brings much 'grace' to Grace,
a testament to her theatrical background. Hers
is one of the best performances in the film. |
|
Little Girls |
|
Miss Hannigan is overrun with hatred for the girls under her drunken supervision. She blames them for her shortcomings and lets everyone know in this show-stopping number. The Wonderful Carol Burnett does a great job with this role. Even before the camera started rolling, it seemed to be tailored to her many talents. Her comic drunk was especially good at the time the film was made, but today's society is no longer kind to comedic interpretations of alcoholics. Still, she does bring some great pratfalls and mugging. With the song "Little Girls", John Huston has Hannigan sing this song as if she is alone but, everywhere she turns are little girls. That certainly hammers the subject of the song, but, it truly repositions the orphans from cute, little girls that deserve a better life to annoying, obnoxious brats that need to be sent to their room.
|
|
Let's Go to the Movies |
|
Grace convinces Oliver Warbucks to take Annie out for a night at the movies. Written for the film, this is a very clever song that works well with Huston's vision. It documents the show Annie like it were one of Hollywood's early musicals. This is carried throughout the film and, although a bad transfer of the stage production, it is an acceptable new story. The wonderful Radio City Music Hall makes an appearance in the film and it is in itself a splendid character that helps the film settle as a period piece. "Let's go to the Movies" can't hold a candle to the song it replaces from the stage production - NYC, but is a good song even out of context. |
|
We Got Annie |
|
Annie has made quite an impression on the Warbucks staff and Oliver himself is looking to make an official adoption. This is a number written for the film that showcases the dancing talents of Ann Reinking and the rest of the Warbucks household staff. Their lives have been improved by Annie's optimism. And they're dancing to show it! |
|
Sign! |
|
In order to adopt Annie, Oliver must get a signature from the orphanage mistress, miss hannigan. But she has something else in mind. She is looking to land a wealthy husband... Yet another song written for the film. "Sign!" is a lyrical piece that has Hannigan making a pass at Oliver Warbucks while he, in counterpoint, draws attention to her weaknesses and atrocities. A good number for both of them in that it shows off Burnett's comedic side and is comfortably written in Finneys three note "singing" range. |
|
|
|
Annie is in search of her original parents and makes an appearance, through Oliver Warbucks influence on a popular radio program. This radio show is reproduced here with a bit more focus on reality than fun. Peter Marshall has a cameo appearance as Bert Healy. This number is hindered by a poorly realized use of slapstick, Punjab knocking everyone out. Punjab is not in the stage production. Of course, this scene is a highlight of the stage production followed by an adorable re-creation by the orphans. But in this film, the orphans re-create the radio show with very little flavor. Why they never get a cute moment is beyond me...
|
|
Easy Street |
|
Miss Hannigan is reunited with her swindler Brother and his girlfriend. They plot a scheme to get Warbucks money by claiming to be Annie's parents. What
do you do when you have three of the stage's best performers attached
to one of the best comedic numbers of the past 30 years? Well, if
you are John Huston, you abridge it. On stage, the song goes on forever
and even has a reprise. Shortened version aside, the screen interpretation
is also aggressively vulgar piece. Bernadette Peters is presented
here as only a pair of legs.
|
|
I Don't Need Anything But You |
|
the evil plan is foiled after a long chase that ends in a Hithcockian battle atop a raised drawbridge. After some time, she is saved by Punjab in a helicopter. (Oops! The story takes place in 1933, the helicopter would not be invented for another decade) Back at the Warbuck's mansion, they make the adoption official and sing in celebration. After the anti-theatrical chase atop the raised train bridge, we get a glimpse of the original stage musical with this number, where Finney and Quinn appear most like their stage counterparts, even though the song occurs at a different point in the show and is shortened. |
|
We've Got Annie |
|
And finally, during a big celebration, Annie is awarded the best gift, a parent. The traditional tap dance is a nice touch but, it comes so late in the movie. (Why find out in the last number that our star can dance?) The production values are big. But, why the ending was moved from Christmas to the fourth of July is beyond explanation. Almost as odd is the captured villain Miss Hannigan's appearance atop an elephant at Annie's party. Oh, well. If you got this far, don't forget to rewind because there is a $1.00 fine if the kid behind the counter has to do it. |
Annie
is an enigma. The stage show is a family favorite as the original comic
strip was many years back. The idea of a movie version was batted around
and in 1978 the screenplay was finally bought, it brought in the highest
amount ever paid for a single screenplay (9.5 Million). Judging the
film solely as a stage to screen transfer, Annie is a complete failure.
But, that would be unfair. Huston's interpretation is far from a documentation
of the stage show. It has got to be one of the most reworked transitions
in Movie Musical history. With a slew of new songs of varying quality
and the removal of several songs it even sounds different.
The entire film is less like the stage show than it is like the comic strip. Mrs. Roosevelt, Punjab and the Asp are added although they never appeared on stage. In fact, if you are a close fan of the stage play, every scene of the film has at least one thorn that'll stick you good. With all that said, Huston has a couple of scenes that work well and none of them existed on stage. When Warbucks, Grace, Annie and Sandy go to the movies, we see - in addition to a long bit of the old film Camille - a great character opportunity. That night while Daddy Warbucks and Grace put Annie into her bed is charming. But, the flipside is such idiocy as the helicopter chase culminating in the Hitchcockian moment of Annie hanging several hundred feet from the water below, a definite icy death. No wonder she has no pupils. As a sidenote, most shows go through massive changes on their journey to stage as well. Andrea McArdle (Broadway's original Annie), said ANNIE started off as a campy piece starring Bette Midler as Annie surrounded by orphans played by children. A few years ago, Disney created another version of Annie that played on ABC. this was in itself a major abridgment of the stage show but probably a more accurate transition of the stage show. So, this Annie isn't for everybody. (I know of some young girls that just love it) The movie opened on May 20, 1982. Annie was a financial disaster with a bloated budget over 50 million dollars and a final take under $37.48 million. But, it also brought thousands of young girls to the theatre! The Broadway Production opened in April 21, 1977 and closed in 1983 after 2,377 performances. It was awarded 5 tony awards. choreography, Best Musical, Best Actress in a Musical (Dorothy Louden as Miss Hannigan), Scenic Design, Choreography and Costume Design. The show was followed by a couple troubled sequels (Annie 2 which had a brief life followed by a slightly more successful ANNIE WARBUCKS. ANNIE returned to the stage in a popular 20th anniversary revival and tour. |
|
or to suggest another Movie Musical, |
|
contact us here... |
|
Annie Store |
|
Click
on the Picture |
Click
on the Picture |
Click
on the Picture |
|
Click
on the Picture |
|
Click
on the Picture
|
|
|
Click
on the Picture |
Click
on the Picture Annie, On the Town and The Sound of Music
|
|
Click
on the Picture |
Click
on the Picture |
Click
on the Picture |
