But Clancy must be rolling over in his grave. Russians, RUSSIANS? I hate feeling sorry for the Russians but why are they usually the stock replacement terrorists for MUSLIMs? In Dearborn Michigan to boot?
How about at least making it the ****ing Chinese instead?Don't wanna offend them either? The musical "Annie" features FDR as a heroic figure that Annie and Daddy Warbucks look up and meet during the story (I think they even have a perky musical number together and sing a duet of "Tomorrow"), whereas Gray's original comics were vehemently AGAINST the New Deal and portrayed FDR's socialist policies as causing misery and ruining Daddy Warbucks.
Interesting. That must have pissed the author off.
It would have, except Harold Gray died in '68, and the musical version of Annie debuted in '77. ;-)
FYI, here’s some background information about Harold Gray and “Little Orphan Annie’s” political leanings that I took from Wikipedia (sorry, I’m lazy tonight). Bet you never knew the cutesy little redheaded musical was originally a staunch voice of conservative ideology:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Orphan_Annie
Harold Lincoln Gray (January 20, 1894 – May 9, 1968) was an American cartoonist, best known as the creator of the newspaper comic strip Little Orphan Annie. He is considered to be the first American cartoonist to use a comic strip to express a political philosophy.
Gray, whose politics seem to have been broadly conservative and libertarian with a decided populist streak, introduced some of his more controversial storylines. He would look into the darker aspects of human nature, such as greed and treachery. His hostility toward labor unions was dramatized in the 1935 story “Eonite”. Other targets were the New Deal, communism, and corrupt businessmen.[9]
By the 1930s, Little Orphan Annie had evolved from a crudely drawn melodrama to a crisply rendered atmospheric story with novelistic plot threads. The dialogue consisted mainly of meditations on Gray’s own deeply conservative political philosophy. Gray made no secret of his dislike for the New Deal ways of President Franklin Roosevelt and would often decry unions and other things he saw as impediments to the hard-working American way of life.
In November 1932 Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected President and proposed his New Deal. Many, including Gray, saw this and other programs as government interference in private enterprise. Gray railed against Roosevelt and his programs.
Gray even killed Daddy Warbucks off in 1945, believing that Warbucks could not coexist in the world with FDR. But following FDR’s death, Gary resurrected Warbucks, who said to Annie, “Somehow I feel that the climate here has changed since I went away.”[4] Annie’s life was complicated by not only thugs and gangsters but by New Deal do-gooders and bureaucrats. Organized labor was feared by businessmen and Gray took their side.
Some writers and editors took issue with this strip’s criticisms of FDR’s New Deal and 1930s labor unionism. The New Republic described Annie as “Hooverism in the Funnies”, arguing that Gray’s strip was defending utility company bosses then being investigated by the government.[5] The Herald Dispatch of Huntington, West Virginia stopped running Little Orphan Annie, printing a front page editorial rebuking Gray’s politics.[6] A subsequent New Republic editorial praised the paper’s move,[7] and The Nation likewise voiced its support.[8]
Gray was especially critical of the justice system, which he saw as not doing enough to deal with criminals. Thus, some of his storylines featured people taking the law into their own hands. This happened as early as 1927 in an adventure named “The Haunted House”. Annie is kidnapped by a gangster called Mister Mack. Warbucks rescues her and takes Mack and his gang into custody. He then contacts a local senator who owes him a favor. Warbucks persuades the politician to use his influence with the judge and make sure that the trial goes their way and that Mack and his men get their just desserts. Annie questions the use of such methods but concludes, “With all th’ crooks usin’ pull an’ money to get off, I guess ‘bout th’ only way to get ‘em punished is for honest police like Daddy to use pull an’ money an’ gun-men, too, an’ beat them at their own game.”
Last I heard, Will Smith wanted to remake the musical so he daughter Willow would play the title role, moving the source material even further away from its roots.
Here’s an idea... Hollywood loves all these “dark and gritty reboots” that take characters back to basics. How about a serious, NON musical version of Annie that accurately captures the tone and themes of the original 1930s comic strip, and presents conservative ideas to kids in a family film? Unfortunately I think we all know it would have to be self-funded, or it would be made when hell freezes over. Liberals went nuts with the Ted Cruz coloring book. Imagine how they’d react to an movie version of “Annie” that was actually accurate? It’s a hard knock life, indeed. ;-)