Annie (USA,1982)

Nine Things About the Movie "Annie" (1982)


[After watching the 2014 version of "Annie" I decided tonight to go back and watch the original 1982 version again. I hadn't seen it since I was a kid, and I remember loving it when I was little. This review reflects my adult perspective on the revisiting. I realize that this review will make a lot of die-hard fans very angry with me.]

1. What did I just watch? OK, the songs are just as catchy as they were. And fine, Carol Burnett still rules.

2. But the movie itself? The movie is utterly ridiculous. And weird. And there is entirely too much dancing. Most kids today wouldn't have it.

3. I realize that this movie is based in the Depression, and is based on the original comic, which had different social standards. But I still find the movie disturbing in ways that were completely over my head when I was 11.

4. This movie is blatant capitalist propaganda. It openly worships money and power, and demonizes the poor. It even manages to make fun of communism.

5. I was horrified to now understand the context in which the song "Tomorrow" was used - to encourage the President of the United States to distract poor people from paying attention to their situation.

6. In this movie, money is always the solution, and people are essentially property.

7. Besides being classist, the movie is sexist and racist.

8. The character of Punjab is a car crash of gasp-inducing stereotypes.

9. But they all smile and sing about it, so that counts for something, I guess.