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Taken as individuals, Buffalo Bill Cody and Annie Oakley were legends of "The West." Put them together and you have a form of entertainment that seems almost unfathomable to today's sensibilities.
In his day "[his celebrity] was not exceeded by anyone in the world.... Cody
was one of the first performers to truly acquire superstardom," writes Larry
McMurtry, author of LONESOME DOVE, one of the best examples of cowboy fiction
(not to mention Pulitzer-winning), as he goes the nonfiction route in THE COLONEL
AND LITTLE MISSIE.
Although not as riveting as DOVE, McMurtry does an admirable job in explaining
how Cody parlayed his reputation as a scout non-pareil and Indian fighter into
a lucrative form of theater, bringing that daring lifestyle to areas of the country
--- and the world --- to which his exploits seemed, well, like fiction.
Over several decades Cody and his troupe put together dramatic renditions of "fights
with the noble savages," as well as other exhibitions of western skills.
When sharpshooter Annie Oakley joined his company, their success was all but guaranteed.
McMurtry describes Cody and Oakley mostly in glowing terms, although he does not try to make them saints; such would never do in the modern world. Instead he depicts them realistically, minor warts and all, along with the major characters in the development of Cody's wild west show. The amount of work that went into such an undertaking is truly mind-boggling, especially when the reader takes into consideration the lack of modern technology: imagine trying to organize and promote such an enterprise without the benefit of phones, faxes, or computer communications. It makes the accomplishments of Cody and his staff all the more impressive.
McMurtry seems to get a little frustrated at times, unable to find the definitive description of Cody. The author quotes John Ford, the illustrious director, who "is said to have decreed that if you have to choose between the truth and the legend, print the legend." Many writers have followed that course when writing about the wild west and its colorful characters.
Oakley gets short shrift; the first 140 pages of the book are devoted almost exclusively to Cody and his "back story," with the heroine of the story getting barely a dozen before McMurtry shifts his focus to the troupe's European tour, beginning with Queen Victoria's Jubilee in 1887. Indeed, many of the chapters are teasing, needing further elucidation. Unfortunately, it is seldom forthcoming; like Oakley's shotgun, McMurtry's style is a bit scattershot. He jumps from discussions about Cody's shortcomings as a businessman ("Cody was trapped by his own ambition. He couldn't afford either to quit or not to quit") to interactions between various principles like Cody, Oakley, Frank Butler (Oakley's husband), Cody's numerous partners, his wife, his mistress, et. al.; it can get a bit confusing trying to follow a timeline. Too often he employs phrases such as "it will never be known why" or cites conflicting reports, which the modern reader, accustomed to instant analyses and "final answers," might also find frustrating.
Even with all these minor annoyances, THE COLONEL AND LITTLE MISSIE offers a fascinating look at the entertainment industry in the pre-electronic age, as well as a peek into the lives of two enduring American legends of the old west.
--- Reviewed by Ron Kaplan (RonK23@aol.com)
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