Annie is a 1982 American musical comedy-drama based on the 1977 Broadway musical of
the same name by Charles Strouse,
Martin Charnin and Thomas Meehan, which in turn is based on the Little Orphan Annie
comic strip created by Harold Gray.
Directed by John Huston and written by Carol Sobieski, the film stars Albert
Finney, Carol Burnett, Ann Reinking, Tim Curry,
Bernadette Peters, Geoffrey Holder, Edward Herrmann and Aileen Quinn as the title
character.[3]
Set during the Great Depression in 1933, the film tells the story of Annie, an
orphan from New York City who is taken
in by America's richest billionaire, Oliver Warbucks. Principal photography took
place for six weeks at Monmouth University in New Jersey.
Produced by Ray Stark's Rastar and released by Columbia Pictures on June 18, 1982,
Annie received mixed reviews from film critics and grossed $57 million on a $50
million budget.
The film was nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Production Design and Best
Song Score and its Adaptation.
A television film sequel, titled Annie: A Royal Adventure! was released in 1995.
In their first film collaboration, Disney and Columbia Pictures produced a made-
for-television film version in 1999.
Columbia released another film adaptation on December 19, 2014.
Plot
In 1933, after the Great Depression, a young orphan named Annie lives in the Hudson
St.
Home for Girls in New York City, which is run by Miss Hannigan, a cruel alcoholic
who forces the orphans to clean the building daily
("It's the Hard Knock Life for Us"). With half of a locket as her only possession,
Annie remains optimistic that her parents,
who left her on the doorstep as a baby, will return for her ("Maybe"). Annie sneaks
out with help from a laundry man named
Mr. Jules Bundles and adopts a stray dog, which she names Sandy ("Dumb Dog").
Unfortunately, a police officer returns Annie to the orphanage shortly after ("Lt.
Ward").
Grace Farrell, secretary to billionaire Oliver Warbucks,
arrives to invite an orphan to live with Warbucks for a week in order to improve
his public image.
Annie is chosen and she and Sandy travel to Warbucks' mansion where they meet his
many servants and two bodyguards,
Punjab and the Asp ("I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here"). Initially dismissing Annie
due to her being female,
Warbucks is charmed into letting her stay; he takes Annie and Grace to the Radio
City Music Hall to watch a movie,
Camille, while beginning to develop affection for Annie ("Let's Go to the Movies").
Grace urges him to adopt Annie ("We Got Annie") and he meets with Miss Hannigan,
convincing her to sign the adoption papers while Hannigan drunkenly tries to seduce
him ("Sign").
Warbucks reveals his plans to Annie, even offering her a new locket, but she
declines.
She explains the purpose of her broken locket and her hope that her parents will
return with the other half.
Warbucks appears on Bert Healy's radio show and offers $50,000 to find Annie's
parents ("You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile").
This causes mass hysteria with many would-be parents appearing to claim the money.
To escape the madness, Warbucks flies Annie to the White House and introduces 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; Annie encourages him to help
("Tomorrow").
Upon returning home, Annie is disheartened when Grace reveals none of the potential
parents knew about the locket.
Miss Hannigan's con artist brother Rooster and his girlfriend Lily St. Regis visit
her,
plotting to pose as Annie's parents to gain the reward.
The trio search the orphans' belongings and Miss Hannigan reveals that Annie's real
parents died in a fire years ago;
therefore she (Hannigan) possesses the other half of the locket ("Easy Street").
Annie's friends overhear the conversation and try to sneak out, but are caught and
locked away.
Rooster and Lily succeed with the ruse and Annie is kidnapped minutes after leaving
the mansion ("Maybe (Reprise)").
However, her friends ultimately reach Warbucks and tell him the truth; shocked and
horrified, he informs the FBI and the police,
who begin a citywide search.
Annie convinces the felons to pull over, only to escape and destroy Warbucks's
check.
In his fury, Rooster chases Annie up a raised railroad bridge in an effort to kill
her;
Miss Hannigan, who never wanted Annie hurt, attempts to stop Rooster, but her own
brother knocks her out.
As Rooster and Annie reach the top of the bridge, Punjab is able to rescue Annie,
reuniting her with Warbucks and Grace.
Rooster and Lily are arrested while Annie is officially adopted by Warbucks ("I
Don't Need Anything But You").
At a Fourth of July party in which the orphans, a redeemed Miss Hannigan, and the
Roosevelts attend,
Warbucks gives Annie the new locket and she embraces her new father.
Warbucks also kisses Grace (reciprocating the feelings she secretly harbors for
him) implying that the two will eventually marry.
The fireworks as in the ending credits crackle overhead and write Annie's name.
