Annie
Director: Rob Marshall
Cast: Alicia Morton, Victor Garber, Audra McDonald, Kathy Bates, Allan Cumming, Kristin Chenoweth, Sarah Hyland.
An orphan in a facility run by the cruel Miss Hannigan (Kathy Bates), Annie (Alicia Morton) believes that her parents left her there by mistake. When a rich man named Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks (Victor Garber) decides to invite an orphan to share Christmas with him, Annie is chosen to come live with Daddy Warbucks in his lavish mansion. While Annie grows accustomed to living the life of a princess in Warbucks' home, she still longs to find her birth parents. So, Daddy Warbucks conducts a nation-wide search for Annie’s parents and a reward, which brings out many frauds…including Miss Hannigan.
Family is a powerful theme in this film and nowhere is it illustrated more beautifully, than in the character of Annie herself. This is illustrated beautifully by the broken locket that Annie wears, and the letter that was left with the locket. When Annie was a baby, she was left at the orphanage with nothing but a locket and a promise from her parents that they would someday return to her. Her parents hold the other half of Annie’s broken locket. They kept it so that Annie would recognize them when they returned for her. At the beginning of the film, Annie shows Molly (the youngest orphan) her locket and reads her parents’ note to her, telling Molly that she prays that someday soon, her parents will return for her...a prayer she has held onto for eleven long, lonely years.
Family is also illustrated in the bond Annie shares with Daddy Warbucks. While initially, Oliver Warbucks is flabbergasted by this young orphan who has come into his life and doesn’t know what to do with her, he soon warms to the notion of having Annie with him. When Daddy Warbucks decides to adopt Annie as his own daughter, he tells Grace to get Annie a gift…a new locket. When he shows Annie the locket, she tells Daddy Warbucks that her broken locket came from her parents and would rather have that one so they can find her. Understanding Annie’s pain, Daddy Warbucks vows to help Annie find her parents. Daddy Warbucks tells Annie that while he is rich and powerful, something is missing from his life...something precious and unique. He tells Annie that his wealth and power mean nothing compared to the love he has for her and he wants Annie to stay in his life, as his daughter. In the end, Annie agrees to become Daddy Warbuck’s daughter, and he gives her the new locket once again, this time cementing their bond as father and daughter.
Hope is another powerful theme in this film. When Annie sings the song “Tomorrow” at the beginning of the film, it is her hope that she will someday find her beloved parents and they will be together again. When Annie is celebrating her adoption with Daddy Warbucks and Grace, her “parents” arrive, with the other half of the locket, claiming Annie is their daughter. Although this has been her life-long dream – to be reunited with her parents – Annie does not feel joy now that she is finally reunited with them. When Grace finds Annie crying in her bedroom, she holds Annie close and sings Tomorrow to Annie once again while comforting the child. I think in this moment, Grace is telling Annie that while her life may look bleak right now, there is still hope that she will find her real family...and in the end, Annie's dream comes true when she finds a new family with Daddy Warbucks and Grace.
Of the three versions of the "Annie" story that I have seen, this version is by far the best. The casting is flawless, particularly for Alicia Morton who plays the world's most beloved orphan, Annie and Audra McDonald who plays the beautiful and kind-hearted Grace. Victor Garber, as well, shines in his role as "Daddy Warbucks and Kathy Bates is perfect as the villainess Miss Hannigan. I would highly recommend this film.
© 2021 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved
Director: Rob Marshall
Cast: Alicia Morton, Victor Garber, Audra McDonald, Kathy Bates, Allan Cumming, Kristin Chenoweth, Sarah Hyland.
An orphan in a facility run by the cruel Miss Hannigan (Kathy Bates), Annie (Alicia Morton) believes that her parents left her there by mistake. When a rich man named Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks (Victor Garber) decides to invite an orphan to share Christmas with him, Annie is chosen to come live with Daddy Warbucks in his lavish mansion. While Annie grows accustomed to living the life of a princess in Warbucks' home, she still longs to find her birth parents. So, Daddy Warbucks conducts a nation-wide search for Annie’s parents and a reward, which brings out many frauds…including Miss Hannigan.
Family is a powerful theme in this film and nowhere is it illustrated more beautifully, than in the character of Annie herself. This is illustrated beautifully by the broken locket that Annie wears, and the letter that was left with the locket. When Annie was a baby, she was left at the orphanage with nothing but a locket and a promise from her parents that they would someday return to her. Her parents hold the other half of Annie’s broken locket. They kept it so that Annie would recognize them when they returned for her. At the beginning of the film, Annie shows Molly (the youngest orphan) her locket and reads her parents’ note to her, telling Molly that she prays that someday soon, her parents will return for her...a prayer she has held onto for eleven long, lonely years.
Family is also illustrated in the bond Annie shares with Daddy Warbucks. While initially, Oliver Warbucks is flabbergasted by this young orphan who has come into his life and doesn’t know what to do with her, he soon warms to the notion of having Annie with him. When Daddy Warbucks decides to adopt Annie as his own daughter, he tells Grace to get Annie a gift…a new locket. When he shows Annie the locket, she tells Daddy Warbucks that her broken locket came from her parents and would rather have that one so they can find her. Understanding Annie’s pain, Daddy Warbucks vows to help Annie find her parents. Daddy Warbucks tells Annie that while he is rich and powerful, something is missing from his life...something precious and unique. He tells Annie that his wealth and power mean nothing compared to the love he has for her and he wants Annie to stay in his life, as his daughter. In the end, Annie agrees to become Daddy Warbuck’s daughter, and he gives her the new locket once again, this time cementing their bond as father and daughter.
Hope is another powerful theme in this film. When Annie sings the song “Tomorrow” at the beginning of the film, it is her hope that she will someday find her beloved parents and they will be together again. When Annie is celebrating her adoption with Daddy Warbucks and Grace, her “parents” arrive, with the other half of the locket, claiming Annie is their daughter. Although this has been her life-long dream – to be reunited with her parents – Annie does not feel joy now that she is finally reunited with them. When Grace finds Annie crying in her bedroom, she holds Annie close and sings Tomorrow to Annie once again while comforting the child. I think in this moment, Grace is telling Annie that while her life may look bleak right now, there is still hope that she will find her real family...and in the end, Annie's dream comes true when she finds a new family with Daddy Warbucks and Grace.
Of the three versions of the "Annie" story that I have seen, this version is by far the best. The casting is flawless, particularly for Alicia Morton who plays the world's most beloved orphan, Annie and Audra McDonald who plays the beautiful and kind-hearted Grace. Victor Garber, as well, shines in his role as "Daddy Warbucks and Kathy Bates is perfect as the villainess Miss Hannigan. I would highly recommend this film.
© 2021 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved