Annie Get Your Gun

This cornpone "sharpshootin' musical funfest" stars Betty Hutton as Annie Oakley, a backwoods dead-eye who sets her loving sights on the resident sharp-shooter in Buffalo Bill's Traveling Wild West Show. In the film's favor are some of Irvin Berlin's greatest songs staged by famed choreographer Robert Alton. Unfortunately, this DVD also contains two scenes originally shot with Judy Garland, who was forced to bow out of the production due to illness. The nuance that Garland brought to the role in just these two outtakes only underlines how unpleasantly broad as a barn was Hutton's own take. Still, this light-hearted (and-headed) tuner has its barn-burning moments, and is an indisputable popular fave, making this a strong optional purchase. (S. C. Sickles)