Fromclassicbookstofilm Review of Calamity Jane

Calamity Jane (1963 TV Movie)

Good for a a golden age of television early sixties remake.

[7/10 · 15 September 2016]

I came across this early sixties TV movie gem while looking for other early sixties television movie musical remakes.Carol Burnett's version is almost word for word remake of Doris Day's 1953 film a little different ending but Calamity does still end up with Wild Bill.Carol does a fine job in the remake but she is no Doris Day and people need to remember that and the television production values were not up to par as they are today.Most of the cast with the exception of Carol Burnett and Cathryn Damon I have never heard of but they did a good job.The acting from some of these lesser known actors who were in minor parts some ways were better and some worse than the actors in the 1953 film.The actors playing Wild Bill,Katie Brown,Danny Gilmartin couldn't compete with the likes of Howard Keel,Alyn Ann McLerie and Phil Carey.Cathryn Damon in an early role did a good job as Adelaide Adams but she was no Gail Robbins.Good Entertainment I enjoyed it because today film and television is a big mess butchering classics and modern screenwriters adding their own material and deviating heavily from the original sources (remakes of the works of the Bible,Ben Hur,The Three Musketeers,Pompeii,Dracula)and some of the modern actors can't even act, sing or dance (remakes of Grease,Rocky Horror Picture Show and Footloose sort of prove that)! This television movie can be purchased online and can be viewed at some streaming sites.If you like Carol Burnett pre-Carol Burnett show watch it you might like it.