Calamity Jane.

A must see musical. Often a musician or lover of musicals will note that most musicals do not have any good songs for women, take Les Miserables for example- the only strong soloist is Eponine and there are two strong solo's and one lovely duet sung by a woman (and the duet is sung with a man) in the entire going on for three hour musical.

Calamity Jane is a strong female character, not one of the sterotypical pathetic women that is there to look good standing next to the man who is supposed to be considered to be very attractive. Jane holds her own and Doris Day has a fantastic singing voice. The songs are memorable and the characters are memorable. 

This film is the hope for other musicals. Calamity Jane was made in 1953 and should have laid down the path for stronger and more independent women in musicals and most films but for some reason that didn't really take off until the eighties. I still like this film very much as the idea of the first really strong musical that isn't dominated by men. Any fan of musicals needs to have this in their collection so that they can truly understand and appreciate the development of musicals.

Howard Keel starred with Doris Day but he was at times unnoticeable next to her. He tried and he probably helped to sell the film but Doris Day was so strong and dominant that at times you didn't even realise that Howard Keel was sharing the stage with her.

Some of the costumes were fantastic. 1950's fashion was interesting but the ball gowns haven't changed and never got uglier. A ball is something that should never lose it's essence of what it is and therefore it's dress code. No Jeans and T-Shirts, always a floor length gown for the women and a suit of the highest quality for the men. Calamity's dress was hideous but Allyn McLerie's dress was lovely.

Thanks to Bex and Rhys for lending this to me!