Heavy colts in delicate hands

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Movie
German title Heavy colts in delicate hands
Original title Calamity Jane
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1953
length 97 minutes
Age rating FSK 6
Rod
Director David Butler
script James O'Hanlon
production William Jacobs
music Ray Heindorf
(musical director)
camera Wilfred M. Cline
cut Irene Morra
occupation

Heavy Colts in soft hands (original title: Calamity Jane ) is a US-based Western comedy with musical performances by David Butler from 1953. The title role of "Calamity Jane" Canary is in one of its most exceptional roles of Doris Day played, Howard Keel is seen as "Wild Bill" Hickok ; however, the musical has no references to these two authentic figures from the old west. The film premiered in the USA on October 28, 1953 in the Minnesota metropolises of Saint Paul and Minneapolis . In Germany it was first shown in cinemas on August 16, 1963.

action

The well-known western heroine Calamity Jane arrives in the town of Deadwood in South Dakota , where her friend Wild Bill Hickok also lives. There is a surplus of men in the city. Henry Miller, the operator of the "Golden Garter" saloon, is desperately looking for women who should entertain the men with their performances. The last show was a letdown after the supposed singer Frances Fryer turned out to be a male entertainer due to a wrong interpretation of the first name by Miller. Jane promises the owner, in order to avoid unrest, to bring the prominent performer Adelaid Adams, who is a guest in Chicago at the same time , to the city. The skeptical Hickok doesn't think Jane will make it, and promises if she can get on stage disguised as a squaw.

In Chicago, Adelaid Adams gives her farewell performance because she is going to Europe. In the locker room, her maid Katie Brown tries on her costume and sings. At that moment Jane arrives and makes her request. Katie, who dreams of a stage career, after a moment's hesitation takes the chance and travels to Deadwood as Adelaid with Jane. On the journey they are attacked by Indians, but Jane is able to drive them away. When Katie's first appearance, Jane becomes suspicious because Katie sounds different to Adelaid on stage. During the performance, Jane talks to Katie about her doubts, whereupon Katie collapses and confesses her betrayal in front of the audience. Jane ends the ensuing tumult with a shot in the air. People let Katie finish the show and are excited about her. Jane is tied up by Hickok in his disguise as a squaw and hung on the railing of the staircase.

Kate and Jane become friends. Jane offers to share the hut she lives with her. One evening, Hickok and his friend, Lieutenant Danny Gilmartin, whom Jane is in love with, are taken to a party in Fort Scully. When she sees Katie and Danny kissing, jealous Jane storms home and throws Katie's things in her suitcase. The next time Katie appears, she tells her to leave town. But Katie is calm. She takes a Colt and has Jane hold up a glass. A shot is fired and the glass is hit. However, it wasn't Katie who shot, but Hickok, whose shot was not noticed by the people. He lets Katie do the praise while Jane storms out of the saloon. But before Jane can mount her horse, she is grabbed by Hickok and placed on a horse-drawn cart, with which Hickok leaves town.

In the forest, Hickok tries to speak to Jane. He explains to her that he shot the glass. Jane feels ashamed and tells Hickok about her feelings about Danny, whose life she once saved when he was captured by Indians. Hickok then confesses to having fallen in love with Katie. The two hug. When asked what should happen to the lieutenant, Jane replies that she has never heard from him.

When Jane returns to town the next day, she learns that Katie is traveling back to Chicago by stagecoach. Jane rides behind the carriage and soon reaches it. She tells Katie that she will marry Hickok. Katie hugs her and follows her back to Deadwood. A double wedding ensues. Hickok finds a gun under Jane's wedding dress. She explains that this weapon is only there in case more singers arrive from Chicago. The two happy couples ride out of town.

background

Studio boss Jack L. Warner tried in vain to buy the film rights to the screenplay for Duell in der Manege , in which Doris Day was to play the leading role. At least he was able to engage the main actor of this film, Howard Keel, as a partner of Doris Day. For producer William Jacobs it was the last film work. He died six weeks after the film premiered.

In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter on the occasion of her 97th birthday, Day named Heavy Colts in tender hands as her favorite film of her own. She herself was boyish in her childhood and youth and the character was therefore fun to play, and the music in the film was outstanding.

Soundtrack

The songs for this western musical were written by Sammy Fain (music) and Paul Francis Webster (lyrics):

  • The Deadwood Stage - sung by Doris Day
  • Introducing Henry Miller - sung by Doris Day
  • Hive Full of Honey - sung by Dick Wesson
  • I Can Do Without You - sung by Doris Day and Howard Keel
  • It's Harry I'm Planning to Marry - sung by Gale Robbins and Allyn Ann McLerie
  • Just Blew in From the Windy City - sung by Doris Day
  • Keep It Under Your Hat - sung by Allyn Ann McLerie
  • Higher Than a Hawk - sung by Howard Keel
  • A Woman's Touch - sung by Doris Day and Allyn Ann McLerie
  • The Black Hills of Dakota - sung by Doris Day, Allyn Ann McLerie, Howard Keel and Philip Carey
  • Secret Love - sung by Doris Day

Reviews

“Idealizing and without any claim to historical loyalty. The comedy of the story is developing more and more into a clowning ”, judged the lexicon of international films . Variety praised the colorful settings and costumes, but said the script wasn't original enough and the dialogues were banal. Doris Day worked "very hard" to be like Calamity Jane, but was not believable. Bosley Crowther of the New York Times called the film "a high-pitched and ridiculous musical western".

For Ken Hanke from Mountain Xpress , Secret Love was the musical highlight of the film, which was "neither great and maybe not even very good", but "a charming artifact" nonetheless.

Awards

The song Secret Love , composed by Sammy Fain (music) and Paul Francis Webster (text) and sung by Doris Day, won an Oscar in 1954 . In the category of Best Original Score ray heindorf was nominated for an Oscar in the category of Best Sound William A. Mueller .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Laurie Brookins: Doris Day, in Rare Interview, Talks Turning 97, Her Animal Foundation and Rock Hudson: "I Miss Him . " In: The Hollywood Reporter , April 3, 2019.
  2. ↑ Heavy colts in a delicate hand. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed May 29, 2019 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used 
  3. ↑ See Calamity Jane . In: Variety , 1953.
  4. ^ Bosley Crowther : Musical Western Horses Into Paramount With Calamity Jane Holding the Reins . In: The New York Times , November 5, 1953.
  5. ↑ Ken Hanke: Calamity Jane . In: Mountain Xpress , February 28, 2007.