Pocketful of Miracles

Pocketful of Miracles
Title	Pocketful of Miracles
Director	Frank Capra
Producer	Frank Capra
Screenplay	Hal Kanter, Harry Tugend
Based on	"Madame La Gimp", by Damon Runyon, Lady for a Day, Screenplay by Robert Riskin
Starring	Bette Davis, Glenn Ford, Hope Lange, Peter Falk, Thomas Mitchell
Music	Walter Scharf
Cinematography	Robert Bronner
Editing	Frank P. Keller
Studio	Franton Productions
Distributor	United Artists
Released	1961, 12, 18
Runtime	136 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$2.9 million
Gross	$3 million

Pocketful of Miracles is a 1961 American comedy-drama film directed and produced by Frank Capra. A remake of Capra's own 1933 film *Lady for a Day*, it is based on the Damon Runyon story "Madame La Gimp" and stars Bette Davis as a poor New York City apple seller transformed into a society matron. The film features Glenn Ford, who also served as an uncredited producer, alongside a supporting cast including Hope Lange, Peter Falk in his Academy Award-nominated role, and veteran actor Thomas Mitchell.

Plot

In Depression-era Manhattan, Broadway gangster Dave the Dude (Glenn Ford) believes his luck comes from buying apples from a beggar woman known as Apple Annie (Bette Davis). When Annie's long-lost daughter, Louise (Hope Lange), arrives from Spain with her aristocratic fiancé Carlos and his father, Count Romero, Annie must appear as a wealthy socialite. Dave and his girlfriend, Queenie Martin (Ann-Margret), enlist the help of fellow mobsters like Joy Boy (Peter Falk) and Judge Henry G. Blake (Thomas Mitchell) to orchestrate an elaborate deception, transforming Annie's tenement into a mansion and her friends into high-society figures. The ruse is tested during a gala at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, leading to a climactic and heartwarming resolution that touches all involved.

Cast

The ensemble cast is led by Bette Davis in a rare comedic role as Apple Annie, with Glenn Ford portraying the superstitious Dave the Dude. Hope Lange plays Annie's daughter, Louise, while Peter Falk received an Academy Award nomination for his performance as Joy Boy. Notable supporting players include Ann-Margret as Queenie Martin, Thomas Mitchell as Judge Henry G. Blake, and Edward Everett Horton as Hutchins, the butler. The film also features Mickey Shaughnessy as Junior, David Brian as Governor, Sheldon Leonard as Steve Darcey, and Barton MacLane as Police Commissioner. Comedian Jack Elam and actor John Litel appear in smaller roles, rounding out the Runyonesque characters.

Production

The project originated with Glenn Ford, who purchased the rights as a vehicle for his then-wife, Eleanor Powell, though the role eventually went to Bette Davis. Director Frank Capra, returning to filmmaking after an eight-year hiatus, faced numerous challenges, including conflicts with Davis and a ballooning budget that reached nearly $3 million for his company, Franton Productions. Filming took place primarily at the Goldwyn Studios in Hollywood, with some location work in Los Angeles. The screenplay by Hal Kanter and Harry Tugend expanded upon Robert Riskin's earlier script for *Lady for a Day*. The score was composed by Walter Scharf, and cinematography was handled by Robert Bronner.

Release

United Artists released *Pocketful of Miracles* on December 18, 1961, positioning it as a major Christmas season attraction. The premiere was held at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City, accompanied by a stage show featuring the Rockettes. Despite the high-profile release, the film faced stiff competition from other holiday releases and struggled to recoup its significant production and marketing costs during its initial theatrical run.

Reception

Critical reception was mixed upon release. While some reviewers praised Bette Davis's performance and the film's sentimental heart, others found it overly sentimental and dated compared to Capra's earlier classics like It's a Wonderful Life. Peter Falk's performance earned him an Oscar nomination, but the film received no other major awards recognition. Commercially, it was a disappointment, grossing approximately $3 million against its $2.9 million budget, which was considered a financial failure given its high production and promotion expenses.

Legacy

Although not a success in its time, *Pocketful of Miracles* has gained attention as Frank Capra's final directorial effort, marking the end of a celebrated career that included Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and It's a Wonderful Life. The film is often studied for Bette Davis's departure from her typical dramatic roles and for Peter Falk's breakthrough Oscar-nominated performance. It remains a notable, if flawed, example of Capra's enduring theme of "Capraesque" populist sentiment and the transformation of ordinary lives through communal effort, preserving a link to the pre-war Hollywood studio era in the changing landscape of early 1960s cinema.

Category:1961 films Category:American comedy-drama films Category:Frank Capra films Category:Films based on works by Damon Runyon Category:United Artists films