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Calamity Jane

Play trailer Poster for Calamity Jane 1953 1h 41m Musical Play Trailer Watchlist
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73% Tomatometer 22 Reviews 87% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
In the lonely Deadwood, Dakota, territory, sharpshooter Calamity Jane (Doris Day) falls for cavalry Lt. Danny Gilmartin (Philip Carey) when she is forced to rescue him from the Indians. Recognizing that the women-starved townsmen long for a "real" woman, Calamity journeys to Chicago to bring back famous singer Adelaid Adams, but mistakenly brings her maid Katie instead. Heartbroken when Danny falls for Katie, Calamity all but ignores her jovial friend Wild Bill Hickok (Howard Keel).
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Calamity Jane

Critics Reviews

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Jonathan Romney Observer (UK) 04/10/2016
4/5
Boisterous fun, with Day's performance - as the song goes - as busy as a fizzy sarsaparilla. Go to Full Review
Kate Muir The Times (UK) 04/07/2016
3/5
As a pistol-packin' cowgirl in fringed leather trousers, Day is terrific, an object of athletic awe and irrepressible good cheer. Go to Full Review
Peter Bradshaw Guardian 04/07/2016
5/5
The tunes are gold, and as Jane approaches a local creek, resplendent in her gorgeous yellow gown, we get one of the most famous visual gags in the history of the musical. Go to Full Review
Kat Halstead Common Sense Media 12/09/2020
4/5
Colorful '50s musical has problematic portrayals, language. Go to Full Review
Clyde Gilmour Maclean's Magazine 11/05/2019
Doris Day and Howard Keel in a Wild West musical comedy that is only phonily western, hardly ever comical, and only mildly musical. Go to Full Review
PJ Nabarro Patrick Nabarro 10/31/2019
3/5
Bold, camp and a clear indicator of cinema's lineage to theatre and a vaudeville tradition. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Rare T 09/10/2024 The perfect fusion resulting in what could be called a Western musical. It has a somewhat unpredictable plot, is funny, and includes some euphonious numbers. Doris Day showcases an extensive range of her capabilities from being tough to being soft, funny to serious, manly to vivacious, potty-mouthed to mellow singer… All alongside Allyn Ann McLerie who provides no less impressive of a performance, and so goes for Howard Keel. Calamity Jane is enjoyable from start to finish. See more Farah R @Farah 05/02/2023 Butler's whimsical musical of the famous Wild West heroine is elevated by Doris Day's captivating performance. She adds charm and humor to a well-crafted story and a beautiful voice to a fantastic soundtrack. Calamity Jane is one of the best classic musicals. See more joel h 07/06/2022 I'll admit that it took me a while to grow accustomed to Doris Day acting like Calamity Jane. Her rough & tumble persona felt a little forced. However, the characters are likeable, the story is enjoyable, and the music is occasionally memorable. This isn't one of my favorite musicals, but in the end I appreciated riding shotgun with Calamity. See more 02/03/2022 Fun. Doris Day is suburb as Calamity Jane. Quite a difference from beginning to end See more 01/03/2022 This is a Doris Day classic. Great songs. Lots of camp. See more 06/13/2021 A truly great, slapstick fun, romantic comedy musical, which actually gets better in repeat views in my opinion. An opinion I arrived at because my father, who has dementia, loves watching it over and over gain. My favorite line from the Doris Day Calamity Jane..."Come to think of it, that ain't so funny." My favorite quote from the real Calamity Jane..."I figure if a girl wants to be a legend, she should go ahead and be one." PS I hate reviewers who go out of their way to find fault simply because it is not the type of movie they would like it to be, rather than on what it is is or was meant be. Doris Day deliberately and I say brilliantly, exaggerates everything about her character (who was, after all, a truly larger than life character in real life) for comedic effect, but switches as needed to serious, when needed, to tug at the viewers heart strings. Likewise some idiot gave it no stars because of the comedic (almost F-Troop worthy) Cowboys vs Indians treatment of some hostile Indians from a different era 70 years ago, yet fails to mention the movie was happy to show no ill will from the townsfolk directed at Indians travelling in a stage coach with 'Frances' or in a VIP box at the theatre with Wild Bill Hickock. See more Read all reviews
Calamity Jane

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Movie Info

Synopsis In the lonely Deadwood, Dakota, territory, sharpshooter Calamity Jane (Doris Day) falls for cavalry Lt. Danny Gilmartin (Philip Carey) when she is forced to rescue him from the Indians. Recognizing that the women-starved townsmen long for a "real" woman, Calamity journeys to Chicago to bring back famous singer Adelaid Adams, but mistakenly brings her maid Katie instead. Heartbroken when Danny falls for Katie, Calamity all but ignores her jovial friend Wild Bill Hickok (Howard Keel).
Director
David Butler
Producer
William Jacobs
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co
Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Genre
Musical
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 4, 1953, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 18, 2010
Runtime
1h 41m
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