Calamity Jane

Of course, the real Hickok was killed in 1876 without ever (openly) marrying anyone, and by that time his eyesight was failing to the point where he probably couldn't have done any of the trick shooting Keel demonstrates. But once you suspend your disbelief on this and other historical points and accept the inevitable way the scriptwriters will resolve the story, it's thoroughly enjoyable, a gentle, family-oriented romp. The best part, of course, is the original songs by Fain & Webster: the joyous "Deadwood Stage," the music-hall numbers "Hive Full of Honey," "It's Harry I'm Planning to Marry," and "Keep It Under Your Hat," Keel's "Higher Than a Hawk," Day's strutting "Just Blew In From the Windy City," the two Keel-Day duets, and the classic "Secret Love." All in all, a good introduction of its kind to a pair of fascinating Wild West characters.


Doris Day, At Her Best As A Tomboy   September 8, 2005
C. O. DeRiemer (San Antonio, Texas, USA)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful

Doris Day, in my opinion, never looked better than when she was in tight, dirty buckskins, and that's for most of Calamity Jane. She's a tough-talking tomboy who downs sarsparilly, rides a horse better and shoots straighter than most men and...of course...at first falls for the wrong man before she realizes that true love is right in front of her.

This is a corny, energetic musical with some nice songs, some broad performances and a winning turn by Day. Calamity Jane (Day) sets out to bring Abigail Adams, a Chicago headliner, to Deadwood in the Dakota territory. But she gets the wrong woman, Katie Brown (Allyn Ann McLerie), the maid who always wanted to be a musical star. By the time everyone realizes the mistake, Calamity finds out the Army lieutenant she dreams about has fallen for Katie, and so, it seems, has her best friend and mutual irritant, Wild Bill Hickock (Howard Keel). Things finally get sorted out, and Calamity realizes her secret love's no secret any more...and it's Wild Bill, not the lieutenant.

The score, in my view, is a better than average original Hollywood effort, not in the league of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, but with some show stoppers like "Whip Crack Away," "I Just Blew in from the Windy City," and "Keep It Under Your Hat." But it's Day who keeps things moving. As Calamity, she struts, dances, shoots and rides. She brags, grins, glowers and "has the biggest mouth in the Territory." In the opening sequence with "Whip Crack Away," she starts out riding shotgun on the Deadwood stage and ends whooping it up in The Golden Garter. She sings the number clambering in and out of the rocking stage coach, jumping up and down on the tables of the hotel, sliding along the bar, leaping up to the balcony and swinging down onto the stage. Along the way she does a credible soft shoe. It's a first-rate performance.

Allyn Ann McLerie plays Katie Brown as shy at first, but who blossoms once she gets her courage up to sing and dance. McLerie had an unsatisfying career after a very strong start on Broadway. She was a smash sensation with Ray Bolger in her breakout Broadway musical, Where's Charley?. She was hailed as sharing the musical crowns worn by Ethel Merman and Mary Martin. Irving Berlin signed her to star in Miss Liberty. The musical didn't do well but she received more raves. Then the bottom fell out. She and her husband demanded as much money, billing and clout as Merman and Martin were getting or she wouldn't star on Broadway. They tried Hollywood but the attitude and demands were in place and she went nowhere. By the mid-Fifties she had no clout in Hollywood and had lost momentum on Broadway, where Gwen Verdon was the new smash. So it was a second lead in Calamity Jane and then small parts for years in movies and television. Like Verdon, she was an excellent dancer who could sing and had a personality. You can hear her at her prime in the original cast recording of Miss Liberty. She's very good.

The DVD picture looks first-rate. The few extras didn't seem particularly interesting. There are a few but relatively inoffensive Indian stereotypes and some of Calamity's problems are put to "female thinking." All in all, this is a happy musical which is fun to watch, thanks in large part to Doris Day's broad, tomboy performance.