Brilliant director John Huston may have been an unlikely candidate to helm Annie, a big-screen adaptation of the Broadway hit musical, about millionaire Daddy Warbucks (Albert Finney), who suddenly decides to adopt the young and perky orphan Annie (Aileen Quinn).
Grade: B
Tim Curry and Bernadette Peters play vividly the con artists croonies of Miss Hannigan (Carol Burnett), the head of the orphanage, but Ann Reinking is miscast as the romantic interest and there’s no chemistry between her and Finny.
There are some good, melodic songs by Martin Charnin and Charles Strouse.
The mixed critical response did not prevent this movie musical from becoming a box-office hit.
Oscar Nominations: 2
Art Direction-Set Decoration: Dale Henesy
Original Score: Ralph Burns
Recycling
The place is run by Agatha Hannigan, a cruel alcoholic who forces the orphans to clean the building daily. She likes to create bathtub gin and engage in other illegal activities.
With half of locket as her only possession, she remains optimistic that her parents, who left her on the doorstep as a baby, will return for her.
Annie sneaks out with help from laundry man, Mr. Bundles, adopting a stray dog which she names Sandy, but she is escorted back to the orphanage.
To improve his public image, Grace Farrell, secretary to billionaire Oliver Warbucks, invites an orphan to live with him for a week.
Warbucks, at first dismissive of Annie, is charmed into letting her stay, and gradually begins to develop affection for her. Grace urges him to adopt Annie.
Warbucks reveals his plans to Annie, offering her new locket, but she declines. Warbucks then appears on Bert Healy’s radio show and offers $50,000 to find Annie’s parents. A mass hysteria follows, with many would-be parents wishing to claim the reward.
To escape the madness, Warbucks flies Annie to the White House, introducing her to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his wife Eleanor. Roosevelt informs them of his plan to introduce a social welfare program to help America’s impoverished and asks Warbucks to head it.
Hannigan’s con artist brother Rooster and girlfriend Lily St. Regis plot to pose as Annie’s parents to gain the reward. Annie is kidnapped after leaving, but her friends tell Warbucks the truth; he informs the police, who begin city-wide search.
In the end, Rooster and Lily are arrested and Annie is adopted by Warbucks. At a party attended by the orphans, a redeemed Hannigan, and the Roosevelts, Warbucks gives Annie the new locket.
Sean Connery and Cary Grant (who had retired in 1966) were also considered for the role before Finney was cast.
Bette Midler was considered for the role of Hannigan before Burnett was chosen.
Aileen Quinn was chosen out of the 8,000 girls who auditioned for the lead part.
Cast
Aileen Quinn as Annie Bennett Warbucks, orphan, age 10.
Albert Finney as Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks, billionaire businessman
Carol Burnett as Miss Agatha “Aggy” Hannigan
Ann Reinking as Grace Farrell, Warbucks’ personal secretary
Tim Curry as Daniel Francis “Rooster” Hannigan, Aggy’s con-artist brother
Bernadette Peters as Lily St. Regis, petty thief and Rooster’s co-conspirator girlfriend
Edward Herrmann as Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President, usually portrayed in a wheelchair
Lois de Banzie as Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady
Geoffrey Holder as Punjab, Warbucks’s turban-donning bodyguard, named for Pakistan’s and India’s Punjab province
Roger Minami as The Asp, Warbucks’s Japanese chauffeur and bodyguard, who teaches Annie karate
Toni Ann Gisondi as Molly, fellow orphan who acts as Annie’s surrogate sister
Rosanne Sorrentino as Pepper, fellow orphan who commands others
Lara Berk as Tessie, fellow orphan who exclaims “Oh my goodness!” throughout the film
April Lerman as Kate, an orphan caring for the younger orphans
Robin Ignico as Duffy, fellow orphan who is Pepper’s best friend
Lucie Stewart as July, fellow orphan who rarely speaks
Peter Marshall as Bert Healy, radio show host
Larry Hankin as the pound man
Irving Metzman as Mr. Bundles, a man who works for Chinese laundry company
Ken Swofford as Weasel, greasy uniformed police officer who chases down Annie when she escapes
I. M. Hobson as Drake, Warbucks’s head butler
Colleen Zenk, Mavis Ray, and Pamela Blair as Cecile, Mrs. Greer and Annette, Warbucks’ maids
Lu Leonard as Mrs. Pugh, Warbucks’s maid and cook
Victor Griffin as Saunders, Warbucks’s servant
Angela Lee, Martika, Amanda Peterson, and Shawnee Smith as orphans
The Rockettes as Themselves (uncredited)
