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.
Annie | |
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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 |
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.
Screenplay
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).
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.
- 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)
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.
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.
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.
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).
- Wins
- American Choreography Award — Rob Marshall
- American Comedy Award — Kathy Bates
- Costume Designers Guild Awards — Excellence in Costume Design for Television - Period/Fantasy (Shay Cunliffe)
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography - Rob Marshall
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Direction - Paul Bogaev
- Young Star Award Best Young Actress/Performance in a Miniseries/Made-For-TV Film - Alicia Morton
- TV Guide Award for Favorite TV Movie or Miniseries
- Peabody Award
- Nominations
- Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film - Kathy Bates
- Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie - Kathy Bates
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Made for Television Movie
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (Kathy Bates)
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special (Rob Marshall)
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries, Movie, or a Special
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Hairstyling for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Single Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or a Movie
- Annie Jr. - School and amateur productions of Annie.
- Annie (1982 film)
- Annie (2014 film) - loosely based on the same story
- Annie (musical) - The musical which the films are based on.
- Little Orphan Annie - The Harold Gray comic strip from which the whole Annie universe is based.