DKosty123 What's not too like.? Capra producing and directing. If there is a problem here, it is the huge egos of the cast. With Capra though, the egos of Bette Davis and others in a large big name cast are not carried over into the film. Glenn Ford is a surprise as the top star, but he brings off that role pretty well. Hope Lang is not just good, but her beauty here is amazing as putting her into a dancing costume on stage is an amazing sight. Of course there was a previous version of this starring Warren William in the 1930's but this film is not totally a remake. The cast is so great you really don't care. Peter Falk (Columbo) is great in support as are many others including Edward Everett Horton.There is good comedy, and the music is really well done. Some critics of this were negative when this was released, but when I watched it, I was hard pressed to figure out why. This is an entertaining film. Sheldon Leonard is classic in this doing his big con man routine.

utgard14 Frank Capra's final feature film is a remake of his earlier movie Lady for a Day, one of my favorite movies from the '30s. The story is about an elderly street peddler named Apple Annie who is turned into a society matron by a gangster named Dave the Dude. The original movie starred May Robson and Warren William, both largely forgotten today except among classic film fans. This one has more well-known stars, Bette Davis and Glenn Ford, but isn't as good. It just isn't as much fun and doesn't have the same heartwarming quality the original did. Davis and Ford are okay but represent a change in the times I'd say. Davis' Annie is ghoulish and Ford's Dave is hard to like. The charm of the previous film, made in a much different era for filmmaking, is gone. Also the original movie was made during the period it was set in, which gave it a feeling of authenticity this one doesn't have. On the plus side, Peter Falk and Hope Lange are good in supporting parts, Ann-Margret is fine in her screen debut, and reliable vet Thomas Mitchell enjoyable as ever in his final film. Lots of old familiar faces like Sheldon Leonard, Edward Everett Horton, Barton MacLane, and Jerome Cowan is another plus. It's overlong and not among Capra's best but certainly something fans will want to see. I recommend seeking out the 1933 classic first, though.

Armand in this case, the name of director is the best definition for the movie. like many of movies by Capra, Pocketful of Miracles is a superb fairy tale. but not only. Bette Davis does an admirable job and Ann Margret is charming at whole at first steps on screen. Glen Ford is a special gangster and Hope Lange far to be a surprise. a family film who represents gate to another time. a film about values, hopes and mankind . and, sure, about magic in a profound and lovely sense. a film who, out of artistic value, is a trip in an useful atmosphere heart. that is its best virtue. and the source of delicate joy after its end. because the romanticism and the friendship are essential pillars. always. for everybody.

Michael_Elliott Pocketful of Miracles (1961) ** (out of 4) Legendary director Frank Capra's final film had him working with Bette Davis and Glenn Ford in a remake of his 1933 film LADY FOR A DAY. The two films are pretty straight forward in terms of their story. The homeless Apple Annie (Davis) is considered a hero by gangster Dave the Dude (Ford) who believes that her apples bring him luck. Annie eventually is shocked to learn that the daughter she hasn't seen since a baby is coming to visit her with a rich Duke and doesn't want her to know she's homeless. With the help of Dave, Annie transforms into a royal mother. I enjoyed LADY FOR A DAY for its heart and charm but the same can't be said for this overlong remake that just goes on and on and on. The movie runs a whopping 137-minutes, which is about, at least, half an hour too long. This film and the original tell the exact same story but like a lot of remakes from this era, this film has to throw in countless subplots and must expand the film as much as they can and in doing so they kill everything good that it does have going. The main reason to watch this film is for the performance by Davis who really shines in both parts of her character. I found her incredibly touching as the homeless woman and this is especially true during her scene in the hotel where she's trying to get a letter that her daughter wrote her. Davis also does a very good job in the "rich" style and this includes when she first pops out of the bedroom to display her new self. That walk and facial gesture she gives is priceless. Hope Lange, Peter Falk and Ann-Margret, in her first film, all turn in nice supporting performances. The weakest link is Ford, believe it or not. He's a great actor but this role just wasn't right for him. A lot of this is due to the screenplay, which makes him too much of a jerk but even Ford appears to be sleepwalking through a lot of the wondering scenes. Capra's direction is decent throughout and he still knows how to hit the heart but the comedy is lacking and there's certainly no reason for the extended running time. Even though there's some nice stuff here, in the end you can't help but look at this as a disappointment considering Capra, Davis and Ford are doing the work.