About the movie
"Tomorrow, tomorrow ..."
It's easy to look back with pleasure on an era that looked forward to hope. Annie, the film version of the hit Broadway musical, is a return to the optimism that characterized America in the 1930s. People didn't have new clothes. Some times they didn't have the rent. They also didn't have nuclear proliferation, an angry Third World, hazardous wastes, or computers Everything didn't cause cancer. What they did have was tomorrow.
In Annie, the heroine is a plucky litte red-haired orphan who is our kind of heroine-not a martyr like Joan of Arc, not merely a survivor, but a winner.
The original comic strip was essentially an upbeat morality play. The Broadway show humanized it. Annie, the motion picture, draws on the tradition while going a step further, focusing more sharply on the relationships and making them more realistic.
"Basically, it is a love story," says producer Stark, "between a little girl with nothing but the courage to dream and an adult with everything except someone to share it with. She opens him up to human emotions, and he becomes the father she has been looking for all her young life.
"The screenplay by Carol Sobieski retains the warmth and humor, the basic theme and emotional thrust of the play," Stark says. "She made the people believable by rooting them, and the story, in reality. Not realism, but reality." Mrs. Sobieski amplifies on this. "In the play Annie is close to Pollyanna, a grownup's edition of the perfect child. It would be unacceptable on film. I gave her a rough edge. She's determined and willful and independent. Warbucks would fall in love with a real child."
Two years in preparation, Annie began filming April 29, 1981, and concluded principal photography September 4. It cost more than $35 million. An estimated 1,913 people worked on the movie, among them 117 dancers, 82 actors, some 1,000 extras, 225 crew mem-bers, 190 construction workers, 59 police and security guards, 65 musicians, and 175 people from Radio City Music Hall: stage-hands, Rockettes, musicians, and all.
Frequently there were more people watching than working. A crowd conser-vatively nunbered at 1,000 watched even-ing filming in New York Greenwich Villlage area; hundreds more gathered at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Public Library, and Plaza Hotel. There were even 500 watching the finale in New Jersey. Among the more notable set visitors were former U.S. Vice President Walter Mondale, current Nigerian Vice President Joseph Wayas, and New Jersey Governor Brendan Byrne, who helicoptered in to the location to sign a bill allowing more flexibility for night filming with minors.
Annie not only had its own law, it had its own horse race, the fifth race at Monmouth Park June 10. Dubbed the "Annie Stakes" by the track, it was attended by Stark and Finney, both racing fans. Finney not only presented a trophy to the winning jockey but also, very pleased, cashed a couple of winning tickets on the race.
The Music
When a successful Broadway musical is transferred to the motion picture screen, the filmmakers are presented with the opportunity to expand the scope of the original stage play. In the case of the musical numbers, the transition can be quiet a difficult task. On stage, the musical numbers are performed live, actors and dancers perform in time to the music provided by an orchestra. For film, however, the music is prerecorded. This may sound like the job is made easier, but in fact, it becomes much more difficult. The cast must follow the music exactly. There are no margins for error, especially with the characters who have to sing. They must lip-sync their dialogue perfectly. In a close-up shot, it's very easy to see when the singer is not properly following the song.
Much of the responsibility for seeing that the musical numbers in Annie came out right fell onto two very talented men, composer Ralph Burns and music editor Sinichi Yamazaki. Winner of the coveted Academy Award for his work on Cabaret and Bob Fosse's All That Jazz, Ralph Burns adapted the songs from the play that were written by Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin. Probably the best example of the task Burns had to face was the production of the musical number "I Think I'm Gonna Like it Here." On Broadway, the number was performed on a single set as Grace Farrell and the staff of Warbucks' home told Annie how they would take care of all her needs during her stay. It was a relatively simple number to stage. On film, however, it was far from simple and it became quite a challenge.
Executive Producer Joe Layton, whose responsibilities included the supervision of the musical numbers, decided that the song was an ideal vehicle to show off Warbucks' immense mansion. Layton handed the concept to the film's choreographer, Arlene Phillips, who developed the new routine with dance music arranger Peter Howard, who handled the same job on the original play. Working out the number required the music to be expanded in length. As Burns explained, "Joe created some more stuff (as the number was developed). He'd say something like, 'Give me eight more bars so I have time to do a long-shot here,' and I'd add the music with a repeat (or a musical phrase) or a bridge or something similar."
Prior to the filming of the musical number, Ann Reinking (Grace), Aileen Quinn (Annie) and other principal actors spent five hours in a Manhattan studio recording the song to the accompaniment of a piano and drum (which would later be erased before the orchestral tracks were added). Eight singers were hired to back up the lead singers. What appears to be a dismally entail chorus eventually became a large group of 40 people through the magic of studio multitracking. The chorus would sing the number several times and then five of their best takes would be edited together. This practice is common in the recording industry. Many of the popular rock stars actually back themselves on their albums.
Eventually, Burns and Yamazaki would sit down, choose the best takes from all the sessions and mix them all onto one master tape that would be played back to the performers to follow during shooting in Wilson HalI at Monmouth College.
Of course, before an inch of film was exposed, the performers had to spend many hours rehearsing to the tape, making sure that their dance steps and lip movements were carefully synchronized to the tape. Their work far from over on this one number, Burns and Yamazaki had to be present on the sets during filming. "Even while we were filming," Burns remembers, "Joe was still adding or subtracting, saying, 'Ralph, we'll need another four bars here later." ' As if Joe Layton's changes during filming weren't enough, the two men had to keep on top of changes made by supervising film editor Margaret Booth. Her job was to cut the various film takes, shot from different angles and in different rooms, into one continuous sequence. "We didn't make changes on the singing," comments Burns, "just on the dancing. And even these changes are temporary."
To the average moviegoer, 'I Think I'm' Gonna Like' It Here" and the other musical sequences in Annie look as 'if they were performed in one continuous take to a mysterious orchestra hidden somewhere off-screen.
The orchestral tracks and incidental music were recorded at The Burbank Studios in California last December. Many members of the "Annie Studio Orchestra" were members of such prestigious groups as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, all the 'finest musicians available. This recording replaced the piano and drum track used to provide a minor backing during the filming of the musical numbers.
However, not all of Annie was done in this fashion. Burns found one of the new musical numbers, written especially for the film reminded him of his former days when he wrote the music for Eleanor Powell's movies. The then 18-year-old Composer played the piano in Woody Herman's band and they would record the musical numbers on the spot. Much the same had to be done for the new song "Let's Go to the Movies." Sound mixer Gino Cantamessa recorded the first part of the number with Albert Finney, Ann Reinking and Aileen Quinn on the set, without the use of a studio or special sound equipment. The finale of "Let's Go. . ." which was being changed almost until the day it was to be filmed, was also shot on location at Radio City Music Hall. The filmmakers hired the "Rock 'n' Roll Truck," a portable 24-track studio originally built for the recording of live rock concerts.
Looking back now, Ralph Burns can probably say that he'll never forget Annie. He spends an average time of about three months scoring and recording the average film. Of course, being a far from average film, it was only natural that Burns would be required to spend four times the average amount. But everyone agrees, it was well worth the effort.
The Dancing
Top dancers from the hottest musicals on Broadway, including Sugar Babies and Dancin', attended the open auditions held by noted British choreographer Arlene Phillips and all were ready to take leaves or vacations from their successful shows for the chance to gain national exposure and to work (again, in many cases) for executive producer Joe Layton, the Tony and Emmy-award winning director-choreographer.
The talented team or Layton and Phillips is the key to the successful presentation of the multitude or dance numbers in Annie. Layton whose many credits include three Tony Awards for George M!, No Strings, and Greenwillows and two Tony nominations for Barnum, received an Emmy and three Emmy nominations for directing Barbra Streisand in her four TV specials. Layton has also worked with the National Theater or the Deaf for the past 12 years. As Annie's executive producer, Layton had the unique task of supervising all of the musical production numbers and worked closely with choreographer Arlene PhiIIips. Ms. Phillips, whose choreography for the bouncy Dr. Pepper commercials brought her American recognition, has staged and choreographed dance sequences for British TV and films as well as for two American movies, Can't Stop the Music and The Fan. As Annie's choreographer, she regards this film as her toughest challenge to date. Coordinating the demanding and spectacular production number staged at the Radio City Music Hall, a fantasy which allows Ann Reinking to display her dancing prowess, was indeed no simple task!
However, Phillips challenge began long before she went to Radio City. Her first task was casting her company from the hundreds of talented men and women who auditioned for roles in Annie. Many of those that earned to the open casting session were veteran Broadway dancers with long lists of credits and awards but some were newcomers, eager for the chance to obtain national exposure as well as the opportunity to work for Phillips and Layton.
Working with this group of highly trained and talented professionals was both a joy and a challenge for Phillips and Layton. Especially with Reinking, whom Phillips raves about. "She's so magnificent it's incredible, the grade and the strength!" In turn, Reinking assesses the talents of Layton and Phillips.'
'They both have great big imaginations, lots of ambition
and ideas. Even when" there are only three dancers' in a number, they
see it big. It's like Joe's Barnum on Broadway: The Greatest Show on Earth,
don't give them one ring, give them three."
'"Arlene loves dance; Joe loves theatre. I think the audiences are going
to like what they've come up with."
Fun Facts
Did you know that...?
* There were over 8 000 girls who auditioned for the part as Annie. The search took almost a year and took place in 22 cities in the U.S. plus Toronto and London.
* The dog Sandy was played by 4 dogs. The leading dog was named Bingo, a six-year-old Otterhound, trained by Moe Di Sesso.
* They had Warbucks to go to the orphanage with the adoption papers instead of Grace, because they wanted Carol Burnett and Finney to have an own scene. But Carol Burnett thought the scene was too short so she started to push for a song. The result became "Sign".
* The number "It's the Hard-Knock Life" took 5 days to film and involved 37 children.
* Grace's dressing room where the song "Let's Go To The Movies" was filmed does not exist in the Warbucks Mansion. It was filmed in a studio in California.
* The Movie Finale was originally much longer and included more dialogues.
* The Original version of "Easy Street" took place outdoors with loads of streetdancers. However, they decided to remove it and make a new version. The original version included more of the stage lyrics.
* The "Maybe" reprise had a new lyric in the movie and Sandy would put Annie's things back into the closet as they packed. But the dog did not want to do it as the camera rolled so they changed the scene and switched back to the original lyric.
* At the Radio City Music Hall a number was filmed with a lot of dancers looking exactly as Grace Farrell (Ann Reinking) dancing with the men who sings as they enter Radio City. But the number was cut.
* Toni Ann Gisondi (Molly) didn't like dogs.
* In the scene where Molly tells the orphans about Miss Hannigan's plan to kidnap Annie, Toni Ann made fool-faces to the kids as she had the camera behind her. The director kept saying "cut" as the girls giggeled before they finally said "She's making us laugh!".
* They also had to give Toni Ann new sugar-candy during the fianle as she kept eating it.
* In the scene where the orphans try to run away but are caught, Bernadette Peters twisted Lara Berk's arm so much that Lara started to cry...
* Albert Finney (Warbucks), Tim Curry (Rooster) and Lucie Stewart (July) are from England. Lucie played the part as Molly in the London production of Annie and was one of the 9 semi-finalists to the part as Annie in the movie.
* Bernadette Peters (Lily) would actually play Annie in a version long before it opened on Broadway.
* Robin Ignico (Duffy) was one of the 3 last finalists to the part as Annie.
* Rosanne Sorrentino (Pepper) starred as Annie in the National Tour right before the movie.
* April Lerman (Kate) played Tessie in a National Tour of Annie. Lara Berk (Tessie) was offered the part as Molly but didn't take it. She wanted to be with her family.
* April Lerman and Lara Berk was in the same off-Broadway musical, Really Rosie, before they got cast in Annie.
* Aileen Quinn played the swing orphan in the Broadway production of 'Annie' before she auditioned for the movie. She also starred as Annie in a stage production when she was 14.
* The movie was over 3 hours long before they started to cut it down. They didn't want it any longer than about 2 hours. Much had to be cut and changed. They decided to totally remove the opening of the movie and film a new, much shorter version where Annie doesn't try to escape. The first scene in the movie was filmed in December 1981- 3 months after the principal shooting was concluded. The same was made with the orphan version of "You're Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile". This explains why so many still photos are different to the scenes in the movie.
* In the finale the mansion and the grounds were illuminated by 10,000 light bulbs and a rael circus was hired.
* Warbucks' mansion is filmed in Monmouth College in West Long Branch, N.J. which the film-makers rented. Formerly the home of Hubert T. Parson, president of the F.W. Woolworth Co., and built on the site of Woodrow Wilson's former summer White House, the structure was built from 1929-30 at a cost of $10.5 million. It has 130 rooms, 19 baths and a 100-foot Venetian stained glass ceiling.
* The White House Rose Garden scene was filmed on the grounds of the college's library, formerly a mansion owned by one of the Guggenheims. This time nature did not cooperate, and the movie's greensman had to wire 6,000 rosebuds individually to plants that refused to bloom in time.
* The Orphanage scenes and Annie's escape were filmed at the $1,000,000 tenement street which had been designed by production designer Dale Hennesy and erected for the film at The Burbank Studios in California. Construction of the four-story street, which is closed at both ends like a city block to allow 360-degree filming, took five months andemployed more than 130 carpenters, plasterers, painters, laborers, and heavy equipment operators. Some 250,000 board feet of 2x4s and 2x6s and other chunks of lumber were utilized, as well as 125,000 square feet of plywood wall surface, 400 cubic yards of concrete, 38,000 square feet of fiberglass and resin bricks, $14,000 worth of glass, and 58 telephone poles anchored in concrete to keep the whole thing from blowing over. It is a permanent set, the largest at the studio.
* The railroad drawbridge in the end of the movie is located by the Passaic River in East Newark. The bridge is nearly vertical, perhaps 85 degrees. Many of the ties, used like rungs on a giant ladder, were rotting. Fog and rain made the ascent more difficult and dangerous; when it didn't rain, a fireboat wet down the structure. Annie, Rooster and Punjab were played by stuntmen in this scene, but not only did they and Jim Arnett, the second unit director and stunt coordinator, have to clumb, but also all the men and equipment needed for filming had to go up the same way. A cameraman who would attempt it, Ray de la Motte, was brought out from California; working on a five-foot beam at the end of the span, the others had to hang over the edge, out of his way, when the camera rolled. A camera plane, a Bell Jet Ranger, captured the action from the air. The top of the bridge was filmed in a studio with the real actors. The landing was filmed on location with the real actors- very exciting for Aileen Quinn.
