A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Educational Value
very little
The film is intended to entertain, rather than educate, but kids may learn a little about the Depression and New York City in the 1930s.
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Positive Messages
some
Families can be based on more than blood relationships. Loyalty and friendship are strong themes, as are courage, gratitude, and perseverance. Promotes the "rags to riches through determination" idea of the American dream, which is idealized and not achievable for all.
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Positive Role Models
some
Annie displays grit, determination, and optimism as she tries to make the best of her situation. Sometimes she tries to solve problems by fighting but does better when she shows kindness to others. Her friends are loyal to her, and Daddy Warbucks and Grace grow to love her and want to help her. Grace demonstrates a strong moral code by insisting Annie stay with them. On the downside, Miss Hannigan is irresponsible and conniving, and Rooster and Lily tell lies, steal, and try to cheat Daddy Warbucks. They care more about money than Annie's safety or happiness.
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Diverse Representations
very little
The only non-White characters are Daddy Warbucks' bodyguards, "Punjab," played by Black Trinidadian American Geoffrey Holder, and "The Asp," who is East Asian (Hawaiian actor Roger Minami). Grace treats them with respect and they're good at their jobs, but both are portrayed in racist ways: They're servants, generic "Eastern-sounding" music plays around them, and they're insensitively named ("Punjab" is a region in India, and "asp" is a generic term for a poisonous snake). Punjab plays into cliché of "magical" Eastern cultures by having mind control, healing, and levitation powers. On the plus side, the film tackles wealth inequality by contrasting Annie's poor living conditions with Daddy Warbucks' "billionaire" lifestyle. Adoption and non-parent caretakers are represented as good ways to form strong, loving families. Women have stereotypical jobs like secretary and maid, but girls and women are important heroes and villains in the story. President Roosevelt uses a wheelchair, and some domestic workers have different body sizes, although most characters are thin. Film minimizes and makes light of the seriousness of alcohol addiction.
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Violence & Scariness
a little
Peril: Annie hangs from a bridge after being kidnapped and chased by a man who's trying to hurt her. Someone throws a lit bomb into Daddy Warbucks' office. Miss Hannigan often shoves the children around and is generally cruel to them by denying them food and sleep and threatening them. Children get in a few fistfights and sing about forcing Miss Hannigan to drink a drugged beverage. Annie stops a group of boys from harming a dog that Miss Hannigan later threatens to send to the "sausage factory."
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
very little
Kissing and insinuations between Lily and Rooster. Flirting from Miss Hannigan, including the phrases "make hay" and a "tumble with the bundle."
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Language
a little
"Goddamn." Children are referred to as "pig droppings" and "brats."
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
some
Miss Hannigan often appears drunk, slurring her speech and clutching bottles of alcohol. Adult characters smoke cigarettes.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Annie is the beloved 1982 adaptation of the popular radio show, comic strip, and Broadway musical. Overall, it's a charming and entertaining family movie that's full of memorable songs. Annie (Aileen Quinn) and her friends demonstrate courage, gratitude, and perseverance in tough situations. But Miss Hannigan (Carol Burnett), who runs the ramshackle orphanage where intrepid, determined Annie lives, is often drunk, slurring her speech and clutching bottles of liquor in a way that's intended to be funny. She's also cruel to the children in her care. There's kissing, flirting, and occasional references to sex ("make hay," "tumble with the bundle"). Things never get too scary, but someone throws a lit bomb into an office, and some tense scenes show Annie hanging from a bridge after being kidnapped and chased. Women have stereotypical jobs like secretary and maid but are important in the story. The movie also includes racist stereotyping in the form of bodyguards Punjab (Geoffrey Holder) and The Asp (Roger Minami) and promotes the "rags to riches" idea of the American dream, which is idealized and not achievable by all. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
What's the Story?
In this film version of the Broadway musical -- itself based on the classic comics -- about Depression-era orphan ANNIE (Aileen Quinn), the optimistic, determined red-headed child perseveres in spite of indignities and cruel treatment at the hands of neglectful orphanage director Miss Hannigan (Carol Burnett). Ever hopeful Annie dreams of the day that her parents will arrive to retrieve her, often singing songs and dancing to the delight of the other orphans. Hoping to boost his public image, billionaire Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks (Albert Finney) takes Annie in for a week at his swanky Manhattan mansion. Annie's kindness and gratitude win over her new caretakers, but Miss Hannigan and her cronies Lily (Bernadette Peters) and Rooster (Tim Curry) see an opportunity to increase their cash flow by claiming they're Annie's "true" family.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about musicals like Annie. Why do you think musicals have been popular, both on Broadway and in film?
Talk about how characters of color are portrayed in Annie. What kinds of stereotypes do you recognize? How does that affect your enjoyment of the movie? Has society changed since this movie was made?
How do the characters in Annie demonstrate courage, gratitude, and perseverance? Why are those important character strengths?
What message do you think the filmmakers want viewers to take away from watching? Do you think Annie's rags-to-riches journey is one that people can actually achieve in real life? Why, or why not?
Movie Details
- In theaters: June 9, 1982
- On DVD or streaming: August 1, 2004
- Cast: Aileen Quinn, Albert Finney, Carol Burnett
- Director: John Huston
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: Columbia Tristar
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Adventures, Great Girl Role Models, Music and Sing-Along
- Character Strengths: Courage, Gratitude, Perseverance
- Run time: 127 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: peril
- Last updated: June 16, 2024
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