Pocketful of Miracles (1961)

Great Christmas Story

This is one of my favorite Christmas Movies. I searched all over till I fond it on Amazon.com. I even watch it just when I need to have to feel like Christmas in July kind of thing. They don't make good old glamorous hollywood movies like this any more. If you can think of any pass it my way. When I watch a movie to be entertained I want to feel good when it's over...sometimes I just don't want it to end. September 16, 2008

fab classic

if you have a beating heart, you will laugh and cry, this is a timeless classic fairytale, that leaves you assured life can produce miracles. September 8, 2008

a great classic moive

these movie is also a good movie its set at christmas time and its a lighthearted fun movie and glenn fordl, and bette davis are really good in it i would recommend these movie for all the fans that are classic movie buffs July 20, 2008

Charming fairy tale with a mid-century American setting - not just for Christmas viewing!

Pocketful of Miracles is a charming urban fairy from 1961. It was the last movie directed by Frank Capra, who specialized in mid-century American fairy tales ( It Happened One Night, It's A Wonderful Life (Two-Disc Collector's Set) (B/W & Color), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Arsenic and Old Lace).

The movie is based on a story by Damon Runyon and features his usual cadre of well intentioned gangsters and ladies with dubious reputation (Little Miss Marker, Guys and Dolls). Capra himself told this same story almost thirty years earlier (Lady for a Day).

The plot centers around Dave "the Dude" (Glenn Ford), a very superstitious gangster who can't make a move until he buys a lucky apple from his favorite bag lady, Apple Annie (Bette Davis). Dave is in the middle of negotiating a big deal that will leave him Boss of the New York territory, but he can't go into the meeting without his lucky apple. However, Annie's secret past has caught up with her and she is nowhere to be found.

Apparently peddling apples on the sidewalks of NYC is more lucrative than we imagined. Years earlier Annie had a baby girl, Louise (Ann-Margaret), who she promptly packed off to a European boarding school to protect her from her shady origins. For years Louise and her mother have been exchanging letters. But now Annie has received a letter, in care of the posh hotel where she has her mail sent, letting her know that her daughter is finally coming home. Louise wants to introduce her aristocratic boyfriend to her mother. Annie is horrified that her daughter will learn the truth about her, and that she will be the cause of ruining her daughter's happiness.

Annie is in despair and going on the mother of all benders. Dave is in a panic because he can't make a move without his lucky apples. The rest of the underworld community is united in their efforts to devise a solution to their friends' dilemas.

There is a terrific supporting cast in this movie. Peter Falk is Dave's right hand man, "Joy Boy"; Hope Lange is Dave's girlfriend, "Queenie". Ann-Margaret is Annie's daughter, "Louise."

The DVD has an original theatrical trailer. You can watch the film with either an English or Spanish spoken track, and subtitles are available in Spanish or French. Too bad there aren't more features. A commentary track would have been a nice bonus, but the movie is delightful on it's own and really doesn't require explanation. Five star movie, but I'm deducting one star because of the bare bones DVD package and the less than stellar quality if the print. This classic deserves better treatment.

The film has been marketed as a seasonal movie at Christmas, but it's not as holiday centered as something like Miracle on 34th Street (Special Edition). You can watch "Pocketful of Miracles" in July and it's still fun!

If you like Damon Runyon characters and/or Frank Capra fairy tales, this is a terrific movie. Highly recommended! July 13, 2008

Too Bad

Great film with great actors. Quality of DVD very poor and it was returned for a refund. May 27, 2008

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