Calamity Jane (1953)

The American Western musical Calamity Jane (David Butler, 1953) was Warner Brothers studio's response to the success of the MGM musical Annie Get Your Gun (1950). Doris Day stars as Martha Jane Cannary Burke better known as Calamity Jane, who worked as a scout for the American army and was friends with Wild Bill Hickok. According to legend, she was involved in battles with Indian tribes and is said to have served under General Custer. Calamity Jane was a success in cinemas and received an Oscar in the Best Original Song category for 'Secret Love'.


French postcard in the Picturegoer Series, London, no. D. 416. Photo: Warner Bros. Philip Carey, Doris Day and Howard Keel in Calamity Jane (David Butler, 1953).


French postcard in the Picturegoer Series, London, no. D 417. Photo: Warner Bros. Doris Day and Howard Keel in Calamity Jane (David Butler, 1953).

As tough-talking, hard-riding, and straight-shooting as any men

Dakota Territory in the 1870s. Indian scout Calamity Jane (Doris Day) is as tough-talking, hard-riding, and straight-shooting as any men. She has a crush on Second Lieutenant Gilmartin (Philip Carey). But the army lieutenant she favors doesn't really appreciate her overpowering personality.

Jane comes into contact with Wild Bill Hickok (Howard Keel). At night they go to a saloon in Deadwood, but the audience is angry when the singer who is supposed to perform turns out to be a man in drag. Jane promises everyone that she will bring the famous singer Adelaide Adams (Gale Robbins) from Chicago to perform.

Arriving in Chicago, Jane sees a woman in Adelaide's clothes. It is not the singer, however, but her chambermaid Katie Brown (Allyn Ann McLerie). Katie convinces Jane that she is Adelaide and travels with her to Deadwood. Soon the public finds out that Katie is not Adelaide and a riot threatens in the saloon. Jane, however, defends Katie and gets her to sing. The performance is a success and soon Katie is adored by Deadwood.

Jane and Katie become friends and out of gratitude, Katie promises to make a 'lady' out of Jane, who is sweet on handsome Lt. Danny Gilmartin she once saved during an Indian attack. They go out on the town where they meet Will Bill and his friend Gilmartin. However, Jane has to watch helplessly as Katie and Danny fall in love with each other. A quarrel ensues between Katie and Jane in the saloon and the latter storms out in a frenzy.

Jane is met by Wild Bill who tries to calm her down. It ends with Bill and Jane kissing and falling in love. When Jane returns to the saloon, it turns out that Kathy has returned to Chicago. Jane rides the stagecoach after her and tells Katie that she is no longer in love with Danny. Katie goes back with her and the two couples make it a double wedding in Deadwood.

Calamity Jane a.k.a. Martha Jane Cannary Burke (1852-1903) really existed, but various myths about her life began to circulate during her lifetime. One of the sources of all these fantastic stories was the lady herself. Calamity Jane liked to tell stories about her expeditions under General George Armstrong Custer, such as the punitive expeditions against Indian tribes in Arizona.

But according to historical sources, Calamity Jane never went to Arizona. Her love affair with Wild Bill Hickok is central to the film, but it is questionable whether she and Hickok were ever more than acquaintances. They were certainly not married and some sources even claim that Hickok disliked her. Calamity Jane did attend Deadwood and was also in love with Hickok in real life. After Hickok was shot during a poker game in 1876, Calamity Jane claimed to be his wife. She also said he was the father of her three-year-old daughter. However, no evidence of a marriage or Hickok's paternity was ever found.


French postcard in the Picturegoer Series, London, no. D. 418. Photo: Warner Bros. Allyn McLerie and Doris Day in Calamity Jane (David Butler, 1953).


French postcard in the Picturegoer Series, London, no. D 419. Photo: Warner Bros. Doris Day in Calamity Jane (David Butler, 1953).

A high, squeaky voice, sounding like Minnie Mouse!

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter on the occasion of her 97th birthday, Doris Day calledCalamity Jane (David Butler, 1953) her favourite film among the 39 films she made during her 20-year career: "I was such a tomboy growing up, and she was such a fun character to play. Of course, the music was wonderful, too — 'Secret Love', especially, is such a beautiful song."

Warner Bros. studio head Jack Warner decided to make Calamity Jane after he tried - and failed - to buy the movie rights to Annie Get Your Gun as a vehicle for Doris Day. He not only drew on another legendary 'wild woman' of the Old West for his heroine, he hired the same male star, Howard Keel, who'd appeared in the film of Annie Get Your Gun (George Sidney, 1950) opposite Betty Hutton. Keel stars as 'Wild Bill' Hickok.

In a TV interview decades later, Doris Day humorously recounted the experience of watching the rushes from the first day of shooting on this film, when she had mastered the gestures and physical manner to play Calamity, but had not yet figured out the character's voice. She said she had to laugh at herself, "galumphing around in buckskin and being all gruff - but with a high, squeaky voice, sounding like Minnie Mouse!"

She immediately realised she needed to bring her voice down to a lower register, and her character was then complete. Day recorded the Oscar-winning song 'Secret Love' in only one take. The tender ballad with music by Sammy Fain and lyrics by Paul Francis Webster, became a a million-selling hit and would remain a Doris Day trademark. The song and the film gained a strong LGBT following after gay audiences saw Calamity's chemistry with Katie confirmed in the song.

During early 1954, music from Calamity Jane reigned supreme in Billboard. A Doris Day-Howard Keel 10-inch LP of songs from the score, issued by Columbia Records, zoomed to second place amongst the popular albums. The musical numbers were staged and directed by Jack Donohue, who would later go on to direct the Day musical, Lucky Me (1954). The songs and screenplay would form the basis of a 1961 stage musical of the same name that has had a number of productions. Director David Butler had worked with Day on several previous efforts and also directed her next film, By the Light of the Silvery Moon (1953).

Kris Roboneil at IMDb: "With so many wonderful performances to pick from, I think of this as her best performance. She is so dynamic and alive in this role. It's a very cute story. The supporting cast members are all excellent. It's a beautiful movie to look at. The songs are wonderful. They're infectious. I love the Deadwood Stage - Whip crack away ! It's not just one of the best Doris Day musicals - it's one of the very best musicals on film."

And Craig Butler at AllMovie: "Doris Day got a real change-of-pace role when she took on Calamity Jane. Day pushes a little too hard as she tries to convince viewers that she's a rough, tough tomboy, and therefore is never quite believable, but Day puts so much energy and effort into it that most viewers will be willing to go along with her. The picture as a whole is one of Day's better musical vehicles."


French postcard in the Picturegoer Series, London, no. D 420. Photo: Warner Bros. Doris Day and Howard Keel in Calamity Jane (David Butler, 1953).


French postcard in the Picturegoer Series, London, no. D 421. Photo: Warner Bros. Doris Day and Howard Keel in Calamity Jane (David Butler, 1953).

Sources: Laurie Brookins (Hollywood Reporter), Hal Erickson (AllMovie), Craig Butler (AllMovie), Wikipedia (Dutch, German and English), and IMDb.