ANNIE OAKLEY (RKO Radio, 1935), directed by George Stevens, stars Barbara Stanwyck in one of her most notable roles of the 1930s. Being her first movie under the RKO Radio banner, and second of three opposite Preston Foster, this adaptation, from the story by Joseph A. Fields and Ewart Adamson, is more fiction than fact on the real life story of Annie Oakley, female sharpshooter, produced years before the popular Irving Berlin musical of "Annie Get Your Gun" starring Ethel Merman, the 1950 screen version of the same name starring Betty Hutton for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and the basis of a television series (1954-1957) starring Gail Davis.
Rather than starting with the traditional biographical fashion of Annie Oakley as a child who develops her shooting skills at a very young age, the story begins with this opening title: "No fiction is stranger than the actual life of Annie Oakley who came out of a backwoods village half a century ago to astonish the world" before moving to its plot summary. Set at the turn of the century, Annie Oakley (Barbara Stanwyck), a farm girl known for quail shooting, in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her mother (Margaret Armstrong), sister, Susan (Adeline Craig) and little brother, Wesley (Delmar Watson) to participate in the shooting contest against Toby Walker (Preston Foster), "the greatest shot in the whole world." With name mistaken for Andy Oakley, James MacIvor (Andy Clyde), the local hotel owner, finds it impossible for a woman to be an expert marksman. Annie proves her worth at the contest, nearly beating Toby until she purposely misses a shot for Toby to come out the winner. With her skills observed by press agent, Jeff Hogarth (Melvyn Douglas), he convinces Annie to join the troupe of Buffalo Bill's (Moroni Olsen) Wild West Show. Being the only female among cowboys, she becomes Toby's counterpart in sharpshooting events. During their union, Toby teaches Annie some shooting tricks to advance her style. As much as he has fallen in love with her, Toby finds it to be good publicity pretending to be rivals in the public eye. His scheme works all too well when, following a shooting accident that affects his eye vision, Toby goes on with the show. When shooting a coin held by Annie, through misjudgment, injures her hand. This incident loses Toby's standing with the Wild West Show, with Jeff preventing Toby from seeing Annie ever again.
Pert Kelton co-stars as Vera Delmar, Toby's former vaudeville partner; with Chief Thunder Bird as Chief Sitting Bull. Dick Elliott (Major Ned Buntline), Si Jenks, Brandon Hurst and Willie Best can be seen in smaller roles. Being more fiction than historically accurate, ANNIE OAKEY aims to please through much of its 88 minutes. The re-enactment and well-staged Wild West Shows are one of the highlights. Although some could imagine Jean Arthur playing Annie Oakley, Barbara Stanwyck gives it her best shot. Preston Foster's character of Toby Walker, based on the real sharpshooter named Frank Butler, is also properly cast here as is Melvyn Douglas. Some humor involving Indians for comedy purposes is tastefully done. For any accurate accounts not presented in the movie on the real Annie Oakley, simply read books written about her life and career.
Formerly available on video cassette and once shown regularly on American Movie Classics prior to 2001, ANNIE OAKLEY, currently on DVD, can be seen on occasion on Turner Classic Movies. (*** rifles)
Rather than starting with the traditional biographical fashion of Annie Oakley as a child who develops her shooting skills at a very young age, the story begins with this opening title: "No fiction is stranger than the actual life of Annie Oakley who came out of a backwoods village half a century ago to astonish the world" before moving to its plot summary. Set at the turn of the century, Annie Oakley (Barbara Stanwyck), a farm girl known for quail shooting, in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her mother (Margaret Armstrong), sister, Susan (Adeline Craig) and little brother, Wesley (Delmar Watson) to participate in the shooting contest against Toby Walker (Preston Foster), "the greatest shot in the whole world." With name mistaken for Andy Oakley, James MacIvor (Andy Clyde), the local hotel owner, finds it impossible for a woman to be an expert marksman. Annie proves her worth at the contest, nearly beating Toby until she purposely misses a shot for Toby to come out the winner. With her skills observed by press agent, Jeff Hogarth (Melvyn Douglas), he convinces Annie to join the troupe of Buffalo Bill's (Moroni Olsen) Wild West Show. Being the only female among cowboys, she becomes Toby's counterpart in sharpshooting events. During their union, Toby teaches Annie some shooting tricks to advance her style. As much as he has fallen in love with her, Toby finds it to be good publicity pretending to be rivals in the public eye. His scheme works all too well when, following a shooting accident that affects his eye vision, Toby goes on with the show. When shooting a coin held by Annie, through misjudgment, injures her hand. This incident loses Toby's standing with the Wild West Show, with Jeff preventing Toby from seeing Annie ever again.
Pert Kelton co-stars as Vera Delmar, Toby's former vaudeville partner; with Chief Thunder Bird as Chief Sitting Bull. Dick Elliott (Major Ned Buntline), Si Jenks, Brandon Hurst and Willie Best can be seen in smaller roles. Being more fiction than historically accurate, ANNIE OAKEY aims to please through much of its 88 minutes. The re-enactment and well-staged Wild West Shows are one of the highlights. Although some could imagine Jean Arthur playing Annie Oakley, Barbara Stanwyck gives it her best shot. Preston Foster's character of Toby Walker, based on the real sharpshooter named Frank Butler, is also properly cast here as is Melvyn Douglas. Some humor involving Indians for comedy purposes is tastefully done. For any accurate accounts not presented in the movie on the real Annie Oakley, simply read books written about her life and career.
Formerly available on video cassette and once shown regularly on American Movie Classics prior to 2001, ANNIE OAKLEY, currently on DVD, can be seen on occasion on Turner Classic Movies. (*** rifles)