Annie (1999 film)

Annie
DVD cover
Based on Annie
by Charles Strouse
Martin Charnin
Thomas Meehan
and
Little Orphan Annie
by Harold Gray
Written by Irene Mecchi
Musical:
Charles Strouse
Martin Charnin
Thomas Meehan
Directed by Rob Marshall
Starring Kathy Bates
Alan Cumming
Audra McDonald
Kristin Chenoweth
Victor Garber
Andrea McArdle
Alicia Morton
Theme music composer Danny Troob
Songs:
Charles Strouse (music)
Martin Charnin (lyrics)
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
Production
Producer(s) John Whitman
Craig Zadan
Neil Meron
Chris Montan
Cinematography Ralf Bode
Editor(s) Scott Vickrey
Running time 90 minutes
Production company(s) Walt Disney Television
Columbia TriStar Television
Storyline Entertainment
Chris Montan Productions
Distributor Disney-ABC Domestic Television
Sony Pictures Television
Release
Original network ABC
Original release November 7, 1999 (1999-11-07)

Annie is a 1999 American made-for-television musical-comedy-drama film from The Wonderful World of Disney, adapted from the 1977 Broadway musical of the same name by Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin, and Thomas Meehan, which in turn is based on the 1924 Little Orphan Annie comic strip by Harold Gray. The musical was previously adapted into a 1982 theatrical film.

It was directed by Rob Marshall, written by Irene Mecchi, and produced by Walt Disney Television, Columbia TriStar Television, Storyline Entertainment, and Chris Montan Productions. Annie marks the first film collaboration between The Walt Disney Company and Columbia Pictures since Columbia distributed some of Disney's short animated Silly Symphony films from 1930 to 1932. It stars Kathy Bates, Alan Cumming, Audra McDonald, Kristin Chenoweth, Victor Garber, Andrea McArdle, and introduces Alicia Morton as the titular character.

Annie premiered on ABC November 7, 1999. The program was a smash during its initial airing, with an estimated 26.3 million viewers, making it the second-most watched Disney movie ever to air on ABC behind Cinderella (1997). This version earned two Emmy Awards and a George Foster Peabody Award.

Plot

In 1933-(during the Great Depression), 11-year-old orphan Annie was left on her own at an all girls' orphanage when she was an infant. The only two things that she received from her family was half a heart-shaped locket with a key hole, and a note from her parents saying that they'd come back for her. The orphanage is run by the tyrannical Miss Hannigan, who starves the orphans, forces them to do slave labor, and she even makes them suffer. In the middle of the night, after getting tired of waiting for her parents, Annie tries to escape to find them, but is caught by Miss Hannigan in the process. When Miss Hannigan gets distracted, Annie hides in the dirty laundry bin and she finally succeeds in running away. While out on her own, Annie befriends a dog, whom she names Sandy. But a policeman catches her and returns her back to the orphanage. When billionaire Oliver Warbucks decides to take in an orphan for Christmas, his secretary, Grace Farrell, chooses Annie. She is brought to his wealthy estate and bathes in a grand life.

Although at first uncomfortable with Annie, Warbucks is soon charmed by her. He desperately wants to adopt Annie, but Annie still wants to find her real parents, so she announces on the radio a $50,000 reward for anybody who can prove they're her biological parents. The orphans accidentally tell Miss Hannigan, and her ex-con brother Rooster, and his dimwitted girlfriend Lily St. Regis cook up a scheme to get the reward by posing as Ralph and Shirley Mudge (Annie's "so called" parents).[1]

Lily is left with the orphans after Miss Hannigan and Rooster leave, but Lily accidentally tells the secret. The orphans make her tell them what is going on, and she realizes that Rooster could leave her hanging as he has done before in the past. She and the orphans come to Warbucks' mansion where Lily demands her part in the cut while the orphans reveal the scheme. While fleeing from the orphans, Miss Hannigan and Rooster are intercepted upon the arrival of President Franklin D. Roosevelt along with his Secret Service. The President reads the papers that identifies Miss Hannigan, Rooster, and Lily. This causes Miss Hannigan to lose her sanity and she is carted off to a lunatic asylum with Rooster and Lily also being escorted out of the mansion to jail.

President Roosevelt then presents the evidence to Annie that her real parents are actually David and Margaret Bennett, but sadly they both had died several years earlier which explains why they never returned for her. Although Annie is saddened that her real parents are dead, she is cheered up when Warbucks officially takes her in as one of his own. The President ensures a happy ending for all as he promises that each of the orphans will be adopted by a stable and happy family. Warbucks and Grace become engaged, and Annie lives happily with her new parents.

Cast

  • Victor Garber as Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks, a billionaire businessman who opens his heart to Annie and becomes her adoptive father.
  • Alicia Morton as Annie, an 11-year-old orphan searching for her biological parents.
  • Audra McDonald as Grace Farrell, Personal Secretary to Oliver Warbucks.
  • Kathy Bates as Miss Agatha Hannigan, the cruel owner of the orphanage where Annie lived.
  • Alan Cumming as Daniel Francis "Rooster" Hannigan/Danny the Dip, Agatha's brother and con-artist.
  • Kristin Chenoweth as Lily St. Regis/Sadie Algonquin/Phyllis the Filcher, Rooster's girlfriend.
  • Erin Adams as Tessie
  • Sarah Hyland as Molly
  • Lalaine as Kate
  • Nanea Miyata as July
  • Marissa Rago as Pepper
  • Danielle Wilson as Duffy
  • Andrea McArdle as Star-To-Be
  • Dennis Howard as Franklin D. Roosevelt, the President of the United States.
  • Douglas Fisher as Drake
  • Kurt Knudson as Justice Brandeis
  • Ernie Sabella as Mr. Bundles
  • Emma and Layla, as Sandy, a stray dog (later Annie's pet)

Musical numbers

The film's soundtrack was released on November 2, 1999 by Sony.

The songs in this version reflect those of the original 1977 production, but does not include "We'd Like to Thank You, Herbert Hoover", "Tomorrow (Cabinet Reprise)", "Annie", or "New Deal for Christmas". However, it does include a reprise of "N.Y.C." and of "Little Girls" that takes place at the end of the film, rather than after the song itself.

  1. "Overture"
  2. "Maybe" - Annie
  3. "It's the Hard Knock Life" - Annie and Orphans
  4. "It's the Hard Knock Life" (Reprise) - Orphans
  5. "Tomorrow" - Annie
  6. "Little Girls" - Miss Hannigan
  7. "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here" - Grace, Annie, and Warbucks' Staff
  8. "N.Y.C." - Warbucks, Grace, Annie, and Star-to-Be
  9. "N.Y.C." (Reprise) - Warbucks
  10. "Lullaby" - Warbucks
  11. "Easy Street" - Rooster, Miss Hannigan, and Lily
  12. "Maybe" (Reprise 1) - Annie
  13. "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile" - Bert Healy and the Boylan Sisters
  14. "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile" (Reprise) - Orphans
  15. "Something Was Missing" - Warbucks
  16. "I Don't Need Anything But You" - Warbucks and Annie
  17. "Maybe" (Reprise 2) - Grace
  18. "Tomorrow" (Reprise) - Grace
  19. "Little Girls" (Reprise) - Miss Hannigan
  20. "Finale: I Don't Need Anything But You" (Reprise) - Warbucks, Grace, and Annie

Production

The dancers' costumes and the stage set of the Broadway section of "N.Y.C." are taken directly from the "Broadway Melody" ballet in Singin' in the Rain.

Release

Annie premiered during The Wonderful World of Disney on ABC November 7, 1999. After its premiere on ABC, Annie has aired on cable channels such as ABC Family, Starz, and the Hallmark Channel.

Home media

Annie was released on VHS December 14, 1999, and DVD January 24, 2000 by Buena Vista Home Entertainment.

Reception

The program was a smash during its initial airing, with an estimated 26.3 million viewers, making it the second-most watched Disney movie ever to air on ABC behind Cinderella (1997).[2][3]

Awards and nominations

Wins
Nominations

See also

References

  1. ↑ Michael Scheinfeld. ""Annie" (1999) review". Common Sense Media. Retrieved 2007-11-02. ...the conniving Hannigan and her unscrupulous brother pose as Annie's parents...
  2. ↑ 'ANNIE' HELPS SEAL TOTAL VICTORY FOR ABC FAMILY VIEWERS PROVIDE NET WITH NIELSEN EDGE New York Daily News, Retrieved May 17, 2015
  3. ↑ NEW 'ANNIE' SWEEPS UP ABC GETS NO HARD KNOCKS: 'MILLIONAIRE' IS ALSO TOPS Retrieved, May 17, 2015
  4. ↑ 59th Annual Peabody Awards, May 2000.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.