User reviews

First of all I really like both the 1982 version and the 1999 version- the reason why I do prefer the 1982 version is because that in particular is a childhood favourite. I do admit there was a time when I didn't really like this, but now considering that it was a TV remake, and that it is a lot more faithful to the stage play, it is not as bad as I initially thought. True it is too short, and despite her truly beautiful voice I just wasn't sure about Audra MacDonald as Grace. For my tastebuds, it was a tad sugary sweet at times for my liking. However, it does look lovely, and the music is marvellous, and the same with the 1982 version. The performances are great too. I really loved Aileen Quinn,(and I wish people would stop making horrible comments about her) but Alicia Morton is closer than what Annie is like in the stage show, in terms of age, and while both girls were wonderful, Morton has got the better voice. Annie's friends were well done too, but the scene stealer has to be Kathy Bates as Miss Hannigan, just like the wonderful Carol Burnett. There were times when she was absolutely hilarious, and Victor Garber while just lacking the gruffness of Albert Finney was a delight as Daddy Warbucks. Alan Cumming and Kristen Chenoweth were fine as Rooster and Lily, and I also much enjoyed the portrayals of Tim Curry(who is my favourite actor of all time and vastly underrated as an actor) and Bernadette Peters. This version is closer to the stage musical, and has a real Christmas feel to it. The problem I had with the 1982 version were John Huston's direction, and I know they changed the ending, but to be fair, the 1982 version is NOT the first musical adaptation to take liberties with the stage musical, how about My Fair Lady and Oklahoma! Overall, seeing this again recently proved my initial opinion of it wrong. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Disney Plus has this excellent adaptation of "Annie" as a stand-alone movie within its ranks at the moment, and my alphabetical trawl through the site has now landed on it.

Little Orphan Annie (Alicia Morton) is temporarily reprieved from her life of drudgery at Miss Hannigan's (Kathy Bates) orphanage, when as part of a P. R stunt, she spends Christmas with local magnate and millionaire Oliver Warbucks (Victor Garber) who eventually comes to care for her. Two con-artists, Daniel Hannigan (Alan Cumming) and Lily St Regis (Kristen Chenoworth) spy an opportunity to make some money, so attempt to convince Warbucks that they are Annie's long missing parents.

I appreciated the way that this adaptation of the musical was set up. It's obviously done on a budget, so the bones of the film are single sets that look like they could be the stage production. Much of the bigger set pieces, such as "Hard Knock Life" and "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here" look like they're lifted, choreography and all, from a stage version. There are some wider shots though, using what I suspect is a combination of back lot work and location shooting in L. A.

The cast is particularly impressive. Bates is primarily an dramatic actor, rather than a musical star (though she has song several times and is good here) but the triumvirate of Garber, Cumming and Chenoworth and all legendary Broadway performers and seeing them together on one film is pretty special. It's unfortunate that Alicia Morton hasn't been working much since, as she's good here. Sarah Hyland features as one of the other orphans and is given quite a bit to do.

It's really a lovely version and I'm glad to see that the number of film performances of musicals (even though this strictly isn't one of those) being recorded for prosperity is growing. I can't really remember any of the other version of the story, so for now, I'll just conclude by saying that this was an enjoyable time.

This one is a tough one to call when comparing to the 1982 version, however it is still very good in it's own right and is probably the *closest* transition from stage to screen this show will ever receive.

When comparing this to the 1982 theatrical version, it's easy to be a little disappointed. Kathy Bates puts in a good bid as Miss Hannigan, but it's impossible to tell whether the character is nicer or meaner than Carol Burnett's version. While Bates version seems nicer all around, she does not turn over a new leaf at the end nor does she oppose the murder of poor Annie.

Some notable omissions from this version include no Punjab or Asp, Rooster's "Cock-a-doodle-doo", the Hannigan-Warbucks "Sign" number, Annie's curls, and the emphasis on "Tomorrow".

Overall, it is an enjoyable watch, however if you are looking to see the very best version, I'd recommend the 1982 classic.

This adaption of "Annie" is an excellent piece of film making. The casting,

direction, writing, choreography all come together in perfect balance to entertain people of all ages.

My only wish is that budget and time constraints would have allowed for the

entire original story and score to remain in tact. The Hooverville / "We'd Like to Thank You Mr. Hoover" sequence in the original stage musical was perfect in

showing the effects of the depression, as well as giving us the introduction to Sandy. I only hope that future TV musicals allow the time for the full production, much like the 1993 version of "Gypsy" starring Bette Midler.

I've noticed that some people have commented about the multi-racial casting

and how secretary Grace would never have been a black woman. Historically,

this is most likely correct, but again let's keep in mind that this is musical theatre and for people to just start singing with invisible musicians isn't very realistic either. I'm glad to see that Audra MacDonald was cast because she has the

perfect acting skills, personality and voice to play Grace. Even though many of these stories are traditionally "white", the ability to cast multi-ethnic roles only enriches the piece and is completely appropriate in our modern society.

Like the ridiculous notion that Ridley Scott was ostensibly toying with a few years ago of remaking 'Citizen Kane' this re-adaptation of 'Annie' pales beside John Huston's magnificent film of this stage musical.

However, Rob Marshall before 'Chicago' is clearly very much in charge of the theatrics, and his choreography and mise en scene is fine. The problem is simply in the casting. Almost without exception, the roles are, simply, too big for the players. In singing & dancing, Alicia Morton can stand beside Aileen Quinn, but not in charisma and screen presence. Victor Garber and, particularly, Audra McDonald slip further down the comparison ladder, as does Alan Cumming. While Kathy Bates is no Carol Burnett, however, she does give a certain gravitas to Miss Hannigan. Only improvement, as far as I can see is that Sandy makes a better mutt.

For cinephiles, also, there is a major let-down in the substitution of the anaemic 'NYC' for the sensational 'Let's go to the movies' sequence in Huston's film. All of the above notwithstanding, if we remember it is only a TV movie, with all of the budgetary implications of that, it is an honourable effort, but why would anyone want to watch this rather that Huston's minor masterpiece.

I loved this version! It was just as good as the original starring Albert Finney and Carol Burnett. It follows the original Broadway version instead of it's predecessor of the silver screen. Kathy Bates was maybe a little nicer than Burnett's Hannigan but she still had that mean-lady aura she had in "Misery". The 3-time Tony-Award-winning First lady of the Broadway musical theater Audra Ann McDonald's portrayal of Grace Farrell put her on the road to becoming a big star in Hollywood as well, and Victor Garber (of "Titanic" and tv's "Invisible Child") makes for an even better Oliver Warbucks than Albert Finney. Kristin Chenoweth is a perfectly ditzy, empty-headed Lily St. Regis ("Named from the hotel") and is a fresh, promising face for Hollywood as well. And let's not forget Alicia Morton's sweet-smiled Annie ("Leapin' lizards!"). But the one who really stole the show (at least for a few minutes) is Broadway star Alan Cumming as Rooster Hannigan (Tony-Award winner for 97-98's "Cabaret" revival) with his show-stopping rendition of "Easy Street". The arrangement for the score in this version was even better than the original version also so the soundtrack should sell a couple of million copies at least. Kathy Bates and Alan Cumming should hopefully get Emmy nominations! Yes, "the sun HAS come out" on "Annie".

I remember seeing this before, years ago - but I don't think I ever watched the whole thing. This time I did. It's very good, but it lacks the campy charm of the original. That being said, this cast is superb, but I do miss Carol Burnett. I think that's the part I missed the most. Carol Burnett's Miss Hannigan is the signature Miss Hannigan, and she at least ended up having a redemption ark, unlike in this version.

There are a few differences here, such as the fact that Daddy Warbucks in this one doesn't have the cantankerous nature of Daddy Warbucks in the original. He's much more smooth, right from the start. This is also a shorter version, there are a few things that might have been cut, such as the guy with the turbine in the original. He's not even in this one. But this version does have some things the other one doesn't have - such as a Christmas setting, and a couple of songs that are not in the original.

All in all, it's close in quality to the original, but still not quite up to it. But whether somebody prefers this one over the original we'll just have to do with how much they enjoy Carol Burnett, I think.

This film proves that Television can make great musicals. In 1982 Columbia released the much anticipated "Annie" which was based on the Broadway musical. The score had already 2 well known songs by the time that film was released. Those songs are "Tomorrow" and "It's a Hard Knock Life". However that film failed to really catch on! It was a minor hit but the film took a critical pounding! The film only made money after it was sold to Cable & Broadcast Television.

In 1999 Disney/Abc/Columbia gave us this television version which is a this version which is a far superior product.

The film follows closely the Broadway Show and that is plus. This film is also runs 30 minutes shorter than the 1982 film.

In this film the major number is "NYC". this musical sequence there is a cameo by the best known Broadway Annie which of course Andrea Mcardle.

Running 90 Minutes the film avoided the major problems that the theatrical film had. With 1/4 of the original films budget the film stays well grounded. The sets are not over done. The film also streamlined the subplots.

The film is well worth watching. The cast was great. In 2014 there was another theatrical remake. In a few more years I am sure that Broadway will once again have a revival.

In the 3 "Annie" musicals that have been made this one is the best.

I know people are saying this shouldn't be compared to the '82 "Annie," so I'll try to refrain from doing that, though I haven't seen the Broadway version, so it'll be hard. First, I have to say I grew up watching the '82 version, and it was my favourite movie. I had the whole thing memorized. I didn't even know they'd made a new "Annie" until one of my friends mentioned she'd seen it. She'd never seen the first movie, but she didn't like this one. I can't say I was too fond of it either. The fact that there were only 7 orphans in the whole orphanage was kinda weird. I mean, I know in the stage version there were the same number, but this is a MOVIE. On stage you can't exactly have 30 girls running all over the place, but movie versions of theatrical productions should be more realistic. While Kathy Bates is a great actress, why couldn't she have been meaner? Carol Burnett was hilarious as the drunk, man-chasing woman. And those kids wouldn't have been scared of her (Bates) if all she did was threaten them. They probably could've beaten her up. I thought Alicia Morton sang well, but could it have hurt to curl her hair? Something else that bugged me was that all the characters were devoid of any personality, except for Lily and Rooster. Even though there were only 7 of them, all the orphans' personalities seemed the same, so I couldn't keep them straight. Not that it mattered. But I LOVED Roseanne Sorrentino as Pepper in the '82 version, because she made the character mean and tough. This Pepper didn't seem menacing at all. Too bad, because she's my favourite orphan. Other people mentioned this, so I won't go into it: Oliver Warbuck's and Annie's relationship seemed nonexistent. If they had added maybe an extra half an hour to the movie it would've been nice, since then we could have seen more of the characters interacting, and it wouldn't have seemed so rushed. However, there was one thing I loved about this version. Alan Cummings and the "Easy Street" song. I liked Tim Curry a lot (who wouldn't?), but I thought the Easy Street number was better done by all in this one than in the '82 film. The dancing was good, and Lily, Miss Hannigan and Rooster seemed smoother and more evil, like the money-grabbers that they were. I would buy the soundtrack just for that song. So, all in all I was somewhat disappointed. I mean, I enjoyed it once, but I wouldn't twice. (Except for "Easy Street" which I watched about 10 times.)

This movie is far superior over the 1980s movie. An excellent cast and a movie that sticks much closer to the original Broadway show. Alicia Morton is a delightful child actor with a great voice. Victor Garber (one of my all time favorite actors) was a wonderful Daddy Warbucks. Alan Cumming is perfect casting as Rooster. The only negative I have of this movie is Kathy Bates. She was the weakest part of the movie.

So those of you who hated this movie and loved the 1980s version need to have your heads examined!

Certainly the TV version is not without flaws compared to the various stage presentations. It does however stand out as being infinitely more watchable than the 1982 Huston version which shifted the conclusion to July 4 primarily as I dimly recall due to problems in getting access to the Grace Mansion. I will avoid commenting on the choreography but wonder what was going through his mind in the staging. The 1999 version benefits from a better Warbucks in Garber and McDonald's voice which soared beyond Reinking. The ending which was not over powering at least avoided the ridiculous movie ending. Overall, the 1982 movie had so much overacting and poor decisions that anything had to look better in comparison. Its been a while since I first saw both of these products but it was fun to see the TV version again recently.

I have to say, I am an avid Annie fan. I first saw the 1982 version, like most people and I loved it. I then saw the stage musical twice and loved that too. There were a lot of differences in the stories on the stage and on the film. Then I saw the 1999 version and I thought that it was great, about as great as the 1982 one but with better actors. I now have both film versions on video and I have seen both many times and I can honestly say that in my opinion the 1999 one is far better. The 1982 one is bigger, with more action and generally a larger production, but that is to be expected as the 1999 one was only a TV movie and with a much smaller budget. I like Alicia Morton a lot more as I think she is perfect for the part. Aileen Quinn was good for the spunky, tough side of Annie but she wasn't really very sweet and was not at all good vocally. One thing that has stood out for me with the 1999 version is the music and orchestration - I have never really noticed the quality of the music (not the vocals, the orchestra) in anything before this. Basically I love the 1999 version as I think it captures the story wonderfully. The 1982 version as also very good but they tailed off the original story too much and made too Hollywood-y for me, so I recommend the 1999 version overall.

It might not be the version of 'Annie' that everyone knows potentially, or indeed loves, but I thought it was a conscise and effective offering from Disney.

It's quick, it covers the big numbers we all know and love with aplomb, and all the roles are well cast.

It's a TV film version that doesn't look like it was made in a hurry or on the cheap, and Alicia Morton is perfectly lovely in the central role. Not over the top or flashy, in fact she's very genuine.

All in all I'd recommend people check this version out, if only to compare and contrast how the numbers are produced/sound and to compare performances.

At 83 mins, this flew by.

This film was wonderful. It had perfect casting in every role. Alicia is a wonderful Annie who has a beautiful voice and was a touching Annie, she seemed like a real little girl. Audra, Victor, Alan, Kathy, Andrea and Kristin were awesome. It was nice to see an Annie that made the characters real people instead of cartoon characters. The new orchestrations and movie version of Annie was refreshing, it was like watching it for the first time and listening to new songs. I noticed people comparing this film to the 1982 film version, thinking it was supposed to be a remake of that. This movie is based on the Broadway show which made it's debut in 1977, the characters like Punjab and the Asp do not exist in the stage production nor do songs like Dumb Dog, Sandy, I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here. Those changes were made strictly for the 1982 film. The new film is very true to the stage show, much more so than the original film which in my opinion was poorly done and cast. So I was thrilled when they announced the making of this film and especially with the finished product. Finally a good film version of the stage show. Can't wait until the video is released.

I found the acting was good, but not as good as the original. Also, the songs, staging, and virtually everything were kept precisely the same, which made this remake unnecessary.

The new actress playing Annie didn't have the same charm as the original, but had a good singing voice. Kathy Bates is one of my favorite actresses, so the opportunity to see her singing and dancing was quite a pleasure. That being said, she is no Carol Burnett, who was divine in the original.

My daughter thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and I enjoyed it as well, but it paled in comparison to the original.

this movie was awesome.. I saw it a few years back but I realize that Anni is my fav movie.. the new one! Erin Adams - Tessie- has an amazing voice.. and so does the little girl who plays Anni- i wish i saw them in more movies, id definitely go see them. Annie is a classic movie that I am inspired by now that i am taking theatre. I still cant believe how awesome that movie is, even though i saw it a very long time ago. well about 5 years. anyhow i hope this Hus inspired those who haven't seen it to go rent or buy it. I could rant and rave about this movie all cay.. its one of my favourites.you really should go see it. Its bright and colourful and has great songs.

I first saw Annie at the Alvin in 1978. I fell in love. I was sorely disappointed by the John Huston film, it deviated to much from the characters in Annie. Of course, the 2014 version betrayed the source by changing the songs to fit the updated setting. This one, while not perfect, got it the best yet. I'm anticipating the Annie: Live coming up in 2021 to be good, we'll see if it measures up to this.

The role of Miss Hannigan was made for Carol Burnett or Bette Midler; Kathy Bates is merely above average for the part. Alicia Morton is good in the title role, with excellent mugging for the camera, but isn't any more believable as an orphan than Aileen Quinn was. Victor Garber has a wonderful voice for musicals, but his acting is quite inconsistent for Dady Warbucks, a classic Silas Marner role that requires very quick development. Overall, the cinematography, choreography, and set design felt as if they were merely adapted from "The Wizard of Oz" and "Mary Poppins", with perhaps a bit of "Beauty and the Beast" (Disney version) thrown in. When someone with a lot of money remakes a well-known picture, I expect a better treatment than this. It's worth 90 minutes to watch, but I won't see it a second time.

I wasn't going to write any comments on this movie I thought it stood alone and didn't need any commenting but I see I am wrong. I felt that while this movie was much slimmer and a little chopped from any previous version it was the most faithful retelling so far. This movie was based on the original Broadway musical, not on the 1982 movie version which really doesn't resemble the Broadway musical at all. In the 1982 version some of the songs are the same, but many are different, changed, added, or deleted. This version restored many of those songs (i.e. "N.Y.C." & "Something Was Missing") but even in this version there were a few that are still missing ("We'd Like to Thank You Herbert Hoover.") The 1982 movie added many songs "Sandy", "Dumb Dog", "Sign" all of which were never in the Broadway version and really weren't necessary (in my opinion) also if I remember correctly (and I might be mistaken) in the Broadway version Miss Hannigan is not a drunk that was added in the 1982 version. Also added in the 1982 version is the number of orphans, on stage there are 7, this was trying to be truer to that. I have to say that I do feel better saying this because I think there is at least a little bit of confusion as to what this is a remake of. It isn't a remake of the 1982 movie, but of the original 1977 Broadway musical. As to performances in this version, I thought they were all excellent and I liked the re-writing of Hannigan being Annie's mother.

This movie was extremely awful! Annie was my all time favourite musical when I was a kid. Aileen Quinn and Albert Finney really brought the musical to life. Most of the people who complained about the original version complained largely because it strayed from the original broadway plot. They didn't take into account the incredible chemistry between characters in the original. This movie felt dull and lacking of chemistry and vital energy in comparison. The one number that I enjoyed was 'Easy Street' in this version. The rest were dull. Annie in this movie seemed to have less spunk. Aileen Quinn really did a remarkable job when she played Annie. She really brought the character to life. This Annie didn't seem half as tough or convincing. Rent the original if you want to enjoy a musical brought to life for film without the political correctness and mass chease fest!