John Huston's 1982 film version of "Annie" is as wildly underrated - by critics - as Rob Marshall's dull 1999 TV version is overrated.Largely by the same critics.
Huston did some clever maneuvering in bringing "Annie" to the screen, ably abetted by scenarist Carol Sobieski: He brought Punjab (played by Geoffrey Holder) back into the story; he directed star Albert Finney (as Daddy Warbucks) to affect Huston's own vocal intonations (it's a terrific voice impersonation); he famously told Carol Burnett to play Miss Hannigan "soused"; he hired the perfect kid - Aileen Quinn - to play Little Orphan Annie, and he had the composers Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin write a fluid new number for Ann Reinking's Grace Farrell.
It's called "We Got Annie" and it's gorgeous.
The number: “We Got Annie!”
The composers: Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin
The singers: Ann Reinking, Lu Leonard and company
The choreographer: Arlene Phillips
The dancers: Reinking, Geoffrey Holder, Roger Minami and company
The cinematographer: Richard Moore
The editor: Michael A. Stevenson
The production designer: Dale Hennesy
No better legs than Anne. I came out of that theater with a huge crush on Reinking.
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