Annie Get Your Gun

The Status Quo at 2 minutes (2% through the runtime) establishes Annie Oakley is introduced as a poor, uneducated backwoods girl living with her siblings, hunting to provide food for the family. She's content but isolated from the wider world.. Of particular interest, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.

The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when Annie defeats Frank Butler in a shooting match, humiliating him publicly. This event disrupts both their lives: Annie is suddenly noticed, and Frank's pride is wounded. The romantic and professional rivalry begins.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.

The First Threshold at 26 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 24% of the runtime. This shows the protagonist's commitment to Annie actively chooses to join Buffalo Bill's show and pursue both her career and Frank Butler. She commits to the show business world and to winning Frank's heart, leaving her simple life behind., moving from reaction to action.

At 54 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. The analysis reveals that this crucial beat False victory becomes defeat: Annie's success surpasses Frank's, and his male pride cannot handle being overshadowed. "Anything You Can Do" crystallizes their competition. Frank becomes cold and distant despite their mutual love. The stakes raise - she must choose between career and love., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.

The Collapse moment at 79 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Annie realizes she's lost Frank entirely - he's engaged to another woman. Her professional success is hollow without love. The "death" is the death of her dream of having both career achievement and Frank's love. She's achieved everything but lost what matters most., reveals the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.

The Second Threshold at 86 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 81% of the runtime. Annie has a realization: she can choose to lose to Frank in the final shooting competition, allowing him his pride while keeping her essential self. She synthesizes her two worlds - she can be both talented and in love if she's wise enough to let him win., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.