Calamity Jane (1953)

 

Calamity Jane - 1953

Coming up next is 1953's "Calamity Jane", a musical comedy about that firecracker of the west Calamity Jane and her adventures in Deadwood City, Dakota Territory.   Let's get started, Whip Crack Away!

The film's cast includes Doris Day, Howard Keel, Allyn McLerie, Philip Carey, Dick Wesson, Paul Harvey, Gale Robbins, and Bess Flowers.

Calamity Jane, fearless with a gun, sees in the Deadwood Stage and sings its praises as she escorts the stage home to Deadwood City, Dakota Territory.

Her best friend is Wild Bill Hickok, also legendary in his own right.  "I'm glad to say he's a very good friend of a friend of mine," sings Calam with a twinkle in her eye.

In matters of the heart, Calamity has her heard set on Lt. Danny Gilmartin, whom she must rescue from the clutches of an Indian war party.

After rescuing Danny, Calam has to go to Chicago to bring an actress (Adelaide Adams) back to Deadwood to perform at the saloon.  Bill tells her to pay attention to how woman dress and fix their hair while she's in Chicago.  He laughs as he watches the coach depart.

Calam brings back someone, but it isn't Adelaide Adams.  It's her maid, Katie Brown, masquerading as the famous actress.  All the men in Deadwood are keen to pay their attentions to "Miss Adams".  (The truth later comes out, and they are just as eager to show attention to Katie.)

Everyone wants to know about Calamity's trip to Chicago.  "Boys," she starts, "Chicagie's the biggest noise in Illinois".  Then she launches into a song describing "The Windy City".

Calamity takes Katie to room with her at her one room cabin.  As she walks around, Katie isn't impressed.  The place definitely needs something.

It needs "A Woman's Touch".  Katie gets busy scrubbing up the place and with it Calamity, too.

Although, Calamity can't keep clean long enough to impress any callers.  When Danny and Bill come to visit, Calam thinks something's up.  "Well, gosh amighty, look who's here.  What brung you to this neck of the woods?  Injun trouble?" she asks seriously.  The boys actually came over to ask the girls to a dance.  Danny goes with Katie, and Bill winds up with Calamity.

On the way to the dance, the group sings "Take Me Back To The Black Hills" (my personal favorite song of the film).  Bill compliments Calamity on her coat.  "It was Custer's, Bill.  Gave it to me hisself.  If it was good enough for Custer, it oughta be good enough for Fort Scully," she says matter-of-factly.

Once at the dance, nobody, especially Bill, can believe how different Calamity is in an evening gown.

Eventually, Bill and Calam realize their feelings for one another and share a kiss.

Later, Calamity sings to the world how her "Secret Love" is no secret anymore.

The film ends with a double wedding (Bill and Calam's and Danny and Katie's) and also a medley of all the songs from the movie.  The couple's drive away in a coach that proclaims them to be "Just Hitched".

Cast rundown:

   Doris Day.....................................Calamity Jane

   Howard Keel.................................Wild Bill Hickok

   Allyn McLerie................................Katie Brown

   Philip Carey..................................Lt. Danny Gilmartin

   Dick Wesson.................................Francis Fryer

   Paul Harvey..................................Henry Miller

   Gale Robbins................................Adelaide Adams

   Bess Flowers.................................Officer's Wife

And that's it for Calamity Jane.  Doris Day proclaimed this to be her personal favorite out of all of the films she made during her time on the silver screen.  She filmed the song "Secret Love" in only one take.  Day's performance as Calamity Jane inspired was the inspiration for the character "Jessie" from the Toy Story franchise.

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