Calamity Jane Letters is our blog topic on this Sunday as we look at the book “Calamity Jane’s Letters to Her Daughter” written by Calamity Jane (Jane Cannary Hickok).
Given today, April 03, is Doris Day’s birthday (age 92 !) it was a natural to have Calamity Jane for our blog topic, especially since the movie “Calamity Jane” starring Doris Day has one of my Mom’s favorite songs. I’ve included “Secret Love” sung by Doris Day.
Calamity Jane Letters
There is a insightful book review from January 2016 on the The Paris Review website entitled “Truth in Advertising” about the book Calamity Jane’s Letters to Her Daughter.
It stresses that while the book is “allegedly formed of letters found after Martha Jane Cannary’s death” that it probably is not and even with that stipulation the book is endorsed.
“But whether or not the book is genuine—many historians believe it unlikely—it’s wonderful: a historical document of the “Old West,” yes, but also a very moving story of motherhood and real struggle.”
Doris Day as Calamity Jane
Get out your DVD or stream it – have some fun watching this if its been a while – or it may be your first viewing of the movie. Over at the TCM Turner Classic Movies website they have a whole page on Calamity Jane – Doris Day that shares some insights about the movie including talking about how she looked nothing “like the real Calamity, Martha Jane Cannery (1852-1903), who was large, dark-haired and homely in her photographs and further described as tough, weathered and soaked in alcohol. But Day threw herself into the spirit of the role wholeheartedly and with an almost reckless physicality, leaping, sliding, riding horseback and cracking a whip.”
“Secret Love” from the movie Calamity Jane – the song won 1954 Academy Award for Best Original Song
Thank you for joining me today for Calamity Jane Letters. Join me tomorrow as we kick-off the new week here at AnchoredScraps.com.
In the meantime, I’m off to go find the phone and call Mom to share with her today’s blog post. Wishing you a great Sunday!
Anchors Aweigh,
Helen
Attribution & Thank you to the following who are referenced today —
YouTube Doris Day sings “Secret Love” from “Calamity Jane” (1953) posted by John LeGear
The Paris Review – Our Daily Correspondent – “Truth in Advertising” January 29, 2016 by Sadie Stein
Image of cover shown here from Shameless Hussy Press published Calamity Jane’s Letters to Her Daughter 1976
TCM Turner Classic Movies Calamity Jane – Doris Day
