Pocketful of Miracles (1961)

Superbly directed by the peerless Frank Capra, this remake of Lady For A Day is pure Hollywood magican unforgettable combination of comedy, whimsy and romance that was nominated* for three OscarsÂ(r)! Impoverished Broadway peddler Apple Annie (Bette Davis) has a problem. Her daughter, Louise (Ann-Margret), educated abroad since infancy, is coming for a visit and bringing her wealthy fiancÃ(c) with her. The problem is that Louise has believed all her life that Annie's a wealthydowager, and the poor old woman doesn't know what to do! Enter Dave the Dude (Glenn Ford)a big-hearted racketeerwho enlists the aid of his colorful mob of hooligans in a wild and crazy schemeto pass Annie off as a high-society grande dame so Louise can marry her fairy-tale prince and everyone can live happily ever after! *1961: Supporting Actor (Peter Falk), Song, Costume Design

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

Thank you!

First time with this seller, but would use again. DVD arrived when stated, with no damage. Great movie, can watch anytime now instead of only at Christmas. B February 10, 2008

classic

My 19 year old son has learned to appreciate the classics by watching them with me over the years. This movie is a little gem we saw together several years ago and he loved it. It's an enchanting old classic and he was so happy to receive it for Christmas. I bought several last minute items for gifts from Amazon just a week before Christmas and they arrived on time. January 12, 2008

A Happy Little Movie

I am a Bette Davis fan. Having never seen this movie, I wasn't sure what to expect. It was a cute movie with Bette Davis, as always, giving her best. As Apple Annie, she is a classic. Later, as she portrays a society lady, you want to cheer for her. It's a comedy at times with all her old pals trying to help out to fool her daughter's rich father. It's a feel good movie. You just know everything will turn out right at the end and it does. January 10, 2008

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