Calamity Jane (1953)

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1. 

   neocowboy

   How long after the wedding does Wild Bill get shot in the back? 6 years 2 months ago
2. 

   Siskoid

   The natural double feature partner to Annie Get Your Gun, 1953's Calamity Jane has a similar heroine, terribly racist attitude towards Native Americans (though it's more name-calling than caricature, since the Sioux are in the background attacking white folk, presumably to get them to pipe down with the singing), and Howard Keel's fragile ego on gender norm patrol. While its songs aren't as strong - "I Can Do Without You" is still a highlight and I love the callbacks in the epilogue - Keel (as an odd clean-shaven Wild Bill Hickock) isn't as much of a misogynist, and Doris Day is irrepressibly charming in the lead role. Which makes me think I like it better. Where Annie Get Your Gun was a bit feminist, Calamity Jane goes the extra mile being both feminist and LGBTQ-adjacent, with the romcom structure convincing no one ("Secret Love" is the climax's song, okay?!) that it isn't going on. There's a lot of cross-dressing, Calamity thinking her room mate is the purtiest thing she's ever seen, and ultimately, if we 'ship the ladies in these things, it's because the men are macho fools who don't deserve them, but just happen to be there to fulfill the Hollywood ending requirements. 4 years 3 months ago
3. 

   corchap

   ugh. I like the songs that Doris and Howard sing together. but the racism and gender-role enforcing is incredibly disappointing. 4 years 5 months ago

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