Little Orphant Annie Analysis

Over the course of the last century, a young orphan by the name of Annie has been plastered amongst a media-driven world. Crawling into the minds and hearts of many, the iconic tale of Annie and her exposure to the world of the social elite has made way for a magnitude of adaptations. Deriving from a 1885 poem, Little Orphant Annie by James Whitcomb Riley, Annie and her adventures has been illustrated as comic strips (Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray), books (Annie by Thomas Meehan), and musicals (Annie and Annie 2: Miss Hannigan’s Revenge by Thomas Meehan) (“Little Orphant Annie”)(Cronin)(“Annie {Musical} Plot & Characters”). The latest takes on an Annie adaptation has been met with the big screens. Within the last thirty years, directors John Huston and Will Gluck have released two different versions of the life and journey of a young girl (“Annie” {1982})(“Annie” {2014}) .

Amongst the turmoils of America’s Greatest

Depression, the 1982 young orphan faces the cruel reality of Hudson Street Orphanage. Sheltered by the walls and judicial system of Miss. Agatha Hannigan, a vintage Annie portrays an overwhelmed and secluded individual to the outside world. Confined to the walls of her and her roommates’ bedroom, the only hope to escape comes in the form a run-down fire escape. However, as she is bombarded with the truths of cruel punishments and poverty, her encounter with Mr. Daddy Warbucks illustrates an opportunity for change. By alluding to a monumental separation between the cold streets of Harlem to the glitzing floor of a mansion, the 1982 adaptation showcases the climax from indigence to the upper class. By entering into a new world of wealth and elitism, Annie’s adoption creates extra feelings of triumph and change. In order to pull at the hearts of many, Marshall displays a child and her transformation from the criticism of a rundown orphanage to the rise of her social belonging.
On the contrast, Gluck portrays a modern day twist upon the famously known Annie.

While Annie still resides in Harlem, the film is influenced by the social and technological advancements of the time. One example of the influential power of social norms shines through in the form of foster care. Ditching a history of orphanage based child care, a modern Annie finds herself within the home of Colleen Hannigan. However, the current portrayal of a young Miss. Hannigan is consumed with the thoughts of her failed acting career and the search for love. With her sights set on herself, a new empowered Annie is able to slip through the cracks of Hannigan’s view. Taking advantage of her freedom, the young girl engages in a very manipulative and street smart nature by exploring the streets. Due to her almost pain free livelihood, Annie’s rise to the life of rich and powerful comes off as a small enhancement rather than a transformational change. Failing in both tension and climax, the modern adaptation takes away the inspirational nature of the

film.
In addition to the role of Annie, Miss. Hannigan becomes tainted with a soft heart. Unlike the rigid and controlling nature of the past Hannigan, the enhanced care taker becomes plagued with remorse and guilt. Stricken with guilt over the separation of Stacks and Annie at her hands, Hannigan 2.0 even engages in the rescue of Annie from her false parents. While the Hannigan’s kind action adds for a happy ending, the overall hardship of Annie and her struggle diminishes with Colleen Hannigan’s cold heart.
Even the character Daddy Warbucks takes on a new modernized aura. Buying to the technological atmosphere of the time, a new William Stacks makes way to display the materialistic image of the elite. While Stacks search for Annie’s real parents is merely to remove her from hindering his political campaign, Daddy Warbuck’s search is driven solely on remorse and the journey of fixing a broken locket. While Daddy Warbuck’s showcases the power of his influential wealth, he also dives into a meaningful and heart warming with his new daughter.
Although both films focus on the story of a young girl with missing parents, each takes a different historical approach. Both set in the rundown neighborhood of Harlem, New York, “Annie” portrayals a girl and her odds with the organization of childcare. Giving her the freedom and parents she never had, “Annie” and her rescuers tugs at the hearts of millions.