Customer Reviews

Biography - Annie Oakley: Crackshot in Petticoats

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This DVD is a dandy, full of great photography of the post-Civil War belle epoch era that Annie Oakley inhabited as America's first female pop-cultural superstar, right on down to perhaps the greatest treasure of all; experimental Edison film clips that give us little fleeting glimpses of the actual Annie in action. Considering what a huge star and personality Annie was, it is amazing how little known and understood she is today, with what little the average American does know about her being complete and total bunk. The fact is, Annie was a fascinating character from a fascinating period of American history, and this film does a highly workmanlike job of telling her story.

This is a most interesting DVD. I never really understood who Annie Oakley was or how she became famous, and most especially what she looked like. This DVD shows you actual photos and tells the real life story of Annie Oakley. Especially interesting is to learn of her magnificient skills with guns and the fact that she married someone who had similar skills. It also tells of their tenure with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. I enjoyed it very much and am glad to have it in my collection of biographies of people from the Old West.

I found this bio to be inspiring! Years ago, my husband and I used to take rifles down to the irrigation pond on his grandfather's farm and shoot at tin cans until they sank. Great fun! I've loved Annie Oakley since I was a child. This bio reminded me of why. Time to pick up my rifle again and practice target shooting.

This is the DVD to buy if you want to know everything about the great female sharp shooter.

This was a good documentary about Annie Oakley that did not appear to be biased by the autobiagrapher's personal opinions.

Jeffery and I agree about the gun aspect of the Oakley legend, but that alone should not distort the fact that Annie was a true pioneer for American women, not to mention the fact that this documentary by the Biography Channel is VERY well done. This piece if Americana is well worth your purchase!

Annie Oakley was the first female sharpshooter. This documentary will delight those interested in females firsts and women who break gender barriers.

Like many Biography episodes, the interviewees were biographers and the subject's relatives. This included photographs and footage of Ms. Oakley and her peers. There were no cheesy reenactments shown or needed.

Ms. Oakley was purposely feminine and wore modest clothes though she could have shot better if she had more leg freedom. Unfortunately, many anti-feminists deride non-traditional women as wanting to be men or wanting to bed every man in sight. Ms. Oakley's femininity and modesty was strategic and beneficial. However, it is a shame that women have and had to limit themselves like this.

The interviewees claim Oakley was not a feminist because she did not promote female suffrage or a change in clothing options. Yes, but her choices can be read as feminist. She encouraged women to learn to shoot. When WWI began, she offered to train women to shoot in battle. This occurred decades before much feminist action against the military took place. I wouldn't put her totally outside of the progressive camp.

Oakley reminds me of Josephine Baker in that going to Europe was important to them and Europeans had diverse reactions to the women.

As a resident of Blue America and a person who agrees with much of Rosie O'Donnell's activism, it was hard to view gun usage as being a good thing. I tried to place Oakley and her craft in its historic context. Still, those who oppose the proliferation of weapons may automatically have a distaste for this work.