Annie (1982)

 

Annie - 1982

Coming up next we have 1982's "Annie", a high-spirited musical that follows a forgotten orphan named Annie as she finds a family with one of the wealthiest men in America.  Leapin' lizards!

The film's cast includes Aileen Quinn, Albert Finney, Carol Burnett, Ann Reinking, Tim Curry, Bernadette Peters, Geoffrey Holder, Roger Minami, and Edward Herrmann.

Meet Annie.  She's an orphan that wonders who her parents are and what they are like.  "Betcha they're good, why shouldn't they be?  Their one mistake was givin' up me!" she sings.

Annie and the other orphans live in a run-down orphanage operated by a constantly drunk Miss Hannigan, who basically enslaves the girls in her charge by "making this dump shine like the top of the Chrysler Building!"

While the girls do the chores Miss Hannigan has assigned to them, the sing about how "It's A Hard-Knock Life".

While out of the orphanage one day, Annie saves a dog from the dogcatcher.  She comes home with him and she and the girls decide on what to name him.  They eventually call him "Sandy".

One day, Miss Hannigan gets a visit from Grace Farrell, the secretary to Oliver Warbucks, the billionaire.  Mr. Warbucks wants to invite an orphan to share his home with him for one week.

Grace chooses Annie, who is eager to go and see what Mr. Warbucks is like.

Miss Hannigan is not prepared to let Annie go without a fight.  She lets Annie go once Grace threatens her job.

So, off Annie (along with Sandy) go to the huge Warbucks mansion.  Annie is so excited to be there.

It takes Mr. Warbucks a bit of getting used to, that's for sure, but he soon warms up to Annie.

He also starts to fall for his secretary, Grace.  Annie is delighted when Mr. Warbucks takes them both out to see "Camille" with Greta Garbo at a special showing at Radio City Music Hall.

Eventually, Mr. Warbucks decides to adopt Annie, and he has a terrible time trying to convince Miss Hannigan to sign the adoption papers.

When Annie is told of the plan to adopt her, she is very hesitant.  She's grateful that Mr. Warbucks wants to adopt her, but she would still like to find her birth parents most of all.

Mr. Warbucks is galvanized into action.  He gets as many people as he can on the case: J. Edgar Hoover, William Randolph Hearst, Walter Winchell, just to name a few.

Mr. Warbucks even goes on the radio offering a reward of $50,000 if Annie's birth parents will come forward to claim her.  Miss Hannigan hears this and is suddenly struck with an idea.

To escape all the craziness that his announcement has caused, Mr. Warbucks takes Annie on a trip to Washington D.C. to visit President and Mrs. Roosevelt.  Annie tells them all that the sun will come out "Tomorrow".

Back in New York, Miss Hannigan has convinced her criminal brother and his floozy girlfriend to pose as Annie's birth parents in an effort to claim the reward.  Miss Hannigan knows that Annie's parents are really dead, and she is the only one in possession of this information.  Her brother kidnaps Annie and nearly kills her.

After Annie comes back safe and sound and the adoption is finalized, Annie proclaims, "I love you Daddy Warbucks".  An adoption party is hosted by Mr. Warbucks, and Annie gathers with her new family (including Grace) to watch a dazzling fireworks display.

Cast rundown:

   Aileen Quinn...................................Annie

   Albert Finney...................................Oliver Warbucks

   Carol Burnett..................................Miss Hannigan

   Ann Reinking..................................Grace Farrell

   Tim Curry.......................................Rooster Hannigan

   Bernadette Peters............................Lily St. Regis

   Geoffrey Holder...............................Punjab

   Roger Minami..................................The Asp

   Edward Herrmann...........................Franklin D. Roosevelt

And that's all for Annie.  Albert Finney shaved his head for the role of Mr. Warbucks.  When it came time for the premier, his hair had regrown, and young Aileen Quinn didn't recognize him.  Young actresses who auditioned for the role of Annie included Drew Barrymore and Kristin Chenoweth.  Shadow Lawn stood in for the Warbucks mansion.  Originally owned by the president of F.W. Woolworth Company, it was later sold for $100 at the end of the Great Depression.

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The Three Musketeers (1993)

The Three Musketeers - 1993

Our next feature is 1993's "The Three Musketeers", which follows the story of D'Artagnan and his quest to become a Musketeer.  This Disney version of the story, however, shows a major departure from the storyline.  It is a more simplified version.

The film's cast includes Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland, Chris O'Donnell, Oliver Platt, Tim Curry, Rebecca De Mornay, Gabrielle Anwar, Julie Delpy, and Hugh O'Conor.

D'Artagnan is a young man from Gascony on his way to Paris to join the Musketeers, like his father before him.  On the way, he gets drawn into a private battle with a former flame's brother.

He flees the battle on horseback and charges full steam ahead for Paris.

Unfortunately, he's too late to join the Musketeers.  They've been officially disbanded so that they can enlist in the coming war against England and the Duke of Buckingham.

On the way to Paris, D'Artagnan meets and falls in love with Constance, a lady-in-waiting to the Queen.

He also has the effrontery to insult three men: Athos, Porthos, and Aramis.  All challenge him to a duel, which he accepts.  Porthos is especially ready to teach D'Artagnan some manners.  "This sash was a gift to me from the Queen of America," says Porthos.  "There's no Queen of America," scoffs D'Artagnan.  "I beg to differ, infant," counters Porthos.  "We're on quite intimate terms, unless you can prove otherwise."

In the palace, Cardinal Richelieu catches the Queen alone, unnerving her.  He exploits her loneliness and isolation in her newly adopted country by pretending to get close to her.

When the time for D'Artagnan's duels arrives, he realizes that all three of his opponents are Musketeers.  They are interrupted by the Cardinal's guards, and D'Artagnan assists them in fighting.  Afterwards, the Musketeers leave together and tell D'Artagnan to give up his dream and go home.

When more of the Cardinal's guards show up, they knock D'Artagnan unconscious and have him thrown into the dungeon, where he is questioned by Rochefort, the Cardinal's right hand man.

D'Artagnan escapes and stumbles upon Richelieu and the Countess d'Winter having a secret conversation.

He overhears the Cardinal giving the Countess a treaty which must be signed by the Duke of Buckingham.  She tells him to consider it done.  D'Artagnan also hears that Richelieu intends to take over as King.  Of course, D'Artagnan is again caught and sentenced to death.

He's rescued by the Musketeers, who steal away in Richelieu's carriage, where they find "the Cardinal's sacred snack chamber".

The Musketeers and D'Artagnan ride out to intercept the Countess, but end up in a skirmish with some guards.  D'Artagnan is forced to continue the journey alone.

He passes out from exhaustion along the road, and he is picked up by the Countess d'Winter.

When she questions him about what he is doing in that part of France, he tells her that he's there to intercept a spy and a plot against the king.

She tries to seduce and kill him.  D'Artagnan struggles with her and eventually sees the mark of a criminal on her shoulder (having earlier been warned about her by Athos).

The Musketeers catch up with them and take the treaty from the Countess.  She and Athos have a long talk about their earlier relationship.  He tells her that she is condemned to death and there is nothing he can do.

As they prepare for her execution the next day, the Countess tells Athos what Richelieu's plans are: to assassinate the King at his birthday celebration.

She then jumps over the side of a cliff to her death.  (Note: This is the very first suicide in a Disney movie.)

Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D'Artagnan race back to Paris, leaving a message for all the disbanded Musketeers to muster.

It turns out that Richelieu is indeed planning everything that the Countess d'Winter said.  As the King and Queen step out onto the palace balcony, a marksman prepares to take a shot.  He is interrupted by D'Artagnan, which causes him to miss his mark.

The mustered Musketeers then begin to do battle with the Cardinal's guards for the very soul of France.

Inside the palace, Richelieu holds the King and Queen captive and tells them his plans for taking over the throne.  The fighting makes its way inside the palace.  Eventually, Richelieu is defeated after being knocked out by the King.

After order is restored to the kingdom, D'Artagnan and the Musketeers come before the King.  D'Artagnan is told that he is in the King's debt and deserves a reward.

His greatest wish is to become a Musketeer, and this is granted.  He also gets a kiss from Constance.

D'Artagnan finds that it is "All for one and one for all" when his Musketeer brethren help defend him in that unfinished duel at the beginning of the film.

Cast rundown:

   Charlie Sheen....................................Aramis

   Kiefer Sutherland...............................Athos

   Chris O'Donnell..................................D'Artagnan

   Oliver Platt........................................Porthos

   Tim Curry..........................................Cardinal Richelieu

   Rebecca De Mornay............................Countess d'Winter

   Gabrielle Anwar..................................Queen Anne

   Julie Delpy.........................................Constance

   Hugh O'Conor.....................................King Louis XIII

And that's all for this edition of The Three Musketeers.  Charlie Sheen was originally wanted for the role of Porthos.  Winona Ryder was considered for the role of Countess d'Winter.  Brad Pitt turned down the role of D'Artagnan.  The Musketeers and D'Artagnan (except for Charlie Sheen) had six weeks of riding and fencing lessons.  Charlie Sheen, missing all this training, generally does hand-to-hand combat in the film.

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