Pocketful of Miracles

Pocketful of Miracles

1961 "You have to see it to belove it!"
Pocketful of Miracles
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Pocketful of Miracles
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Pocketful of Miracles

7.1 | 2h16m | NR | en | Drama

A New York gangster and his girlfriend attempt to turn street beggar Apple Annie into a society lady when the peddler learns her daughter is marrying royalty.

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7.1 | 2h16m | NR | en | More Info
Released: December. 18,1961 | Released Producted By: United Artists , Franton Production Country: Budget: 0 Revenue: 0 Official Website:
info

A New York gangster and his girlfriend attempt to turn street beggar Apple Annie into a society lady when the peddler learns her daughter is marrying royalty.

Genre

Drama , Comedy

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Pocketful of Miracles (1961) is now streaming with subscription on Prime Video

Cast

Glenn Ford , Bette Davis , Hope Lange , Arthur O'Connell , Peter Falk , Thomas Mitchell

Director

Hal Pereira

Producted By

United Artists

Pocketful of Miracles Videos and Images

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  • Top Credited Cast
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  • Crew
Hal Pereira
Hal Pereira

Art Direction

Roland Anderson
Roland Anderson

Art Direction

Robert J. Bronner
Robert J. Bronner

Director of Photography

Edith Head
Edith Head

Costume Design

Walter Plunkett
Walter Plunkett

Costume Design

Nellie Manley
Nellie Manley

Hairstylist

Wally Westmore
Wally Westmore

Makeup Supervisor

Arthur S. Black Jr.
Arthur S. Black Jr.

Assistant Director

Frank Capra
Frank Capra

Director

Ralph Axness
Ralph Axness

Second Assistant Director

Glenn Ford
Glenn Ford

Associate Producer

Joseph Sistrom
Joseph Sistrom

Associate Producer

Frank Capra
Frank Capra

Producer

Walter Scharf
Walter Scharf

Original Music Composer

Jimmy Van Heusen
Jimmy Van Heusen

Original Music Composer

Robert Riskin
Robert Riskin

Original Film Writer

Hal Kanter
Hal Kanter

Screenplay

Harry Tugend
Harry Tugend

Screenplay

Damon Runyon
Damon Runyon

Story

Pocketful of Miracles Audience Reviews

Softwing Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??
Helloturia I have absolutely never seen anything like this movie before. You have to see this movie.
Keeley Coleman The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;
Edwin The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.
Gerry Nelson A bevy of stars highlight this silly film about a bootlegger Dave the Dude (Glen Ford) who is convinced that the apples he buys from Apple Annie (Bette Davis)-a street peddler- bring him luck. His right hand man, Joy Boy (Peter Falk), gives an Academy Award Nominated performance, which, according to Frank Capra, was "a bright spot in this 'miserable film'"Annie's daughter Louise (Ann-Margaret), believing the lie that her mother is a well-to-do socialite, sends a letter that she is engaged to marry into royalty and is on her way to New York to introduce her intended and his father, a Count to her.
jjnxn-1 Existing in a Damon Runyon universe this charmer has only the most ephemeral touch in common with the real world but is that necessarily what you watch a Frank Capra movie for? Let the whimsical spirit of the film carry you along and it's most beguiling. Bette Davis' guttersnipe perhaps too easily transforms into a regal lady but she is wonderful here no matter. The whole cast is swell actually with many standouts, Peter Falk is a riot as Joy Boy and received an Oscar nomination for it. The picture's happy nature is infectious and it you roll with it by the end you'll have a smile on your face. While the costume and set design may not be accurate it's certainly high class and sumptuous. A pleasure from another era.
kellyadmirer This is a scene-by-scene remake by Frank Capra of his 1933 Depression-era classic "Lady for a Day." By itself, this is an enjoyable and supremely colorful tale of redemption and generosity. Unfortunately, it suffers by comparison with the original and plays as a dumbed-down version that has no soul.Glenn Ford plays Dave the Dude, a flamboyant mobster who relies for his luck on Apple Annie, played by Bette Davis. Transformation-type roles are difficult to pull off, and this is not one of Davis' better turns. She doesn't inhabit the character as emotionally as May Robson did in the original. Once she "transforms" into a society lady, she loses the character completely and leaves all traces of the original Annie behind. Peter Falk is the real standout, playing Ford's sidekick Joy Boy who has a wisecrack at every turn and several funny bits early in the film (he virtually disappears midway through, and the film suffers noticeably.Unlike in the original, the rest of the supporting cast is fairly dull, especially Ann-Margret as Louise. How they could make a young and vivacious Ann-Marget dull is beyond me, but they managed it. Sheldon Leonard is wasted as "Big Boss" Steve Darcey, and aging Edward Everett Horton should have been in the original, not the remake. Thomas Mitchell does OK as Judge Henry G. Blake, though Guy Kibbee set the standard in the original version. Several casting choices are just eccentric. Arthur O'Connell as a Spanish Count? He chews the scenery with gusto, and is a hoot to watch mangling a Spanish accent, but who came up with that winner?Ford is the empty center of the film. He does not come across as a powerful mobster figure at all, and ultimately has to do a lot of arm-waving and vigorous gesturing to get people to do what he wants when all it should take is a look. Some of the characterizations are interesting in their own right, and the addition of vivid color makes this watchable, but except for Falk and the splendid color, everything in this version is inferior compared to the original. Yes, everything. Everything!They kept the same dialog as in the original in the majority of the scenes, but sometimes it doesn't work because of different acting styles and mannerisms. Dialog fashioned to refer to actors' particular characteristics is retained despite the fact that there are different actors - I'm sorry, that is plain silly. The wit and originality of the original is replaced by style and flashy production values, and it doesn't work for me. A lesson in the pitfalls of doing remakes for no discernible reason except to "upgrade" the product.Almost everyone involved in this project did much, much better work elsewhere. Worth viewing for the tale itself and the colorful atmosphere, but better off seeing the original instead.
marybird9 The only redeeming value in this film is Glenn Ford, Peter Falk, and the rest of their gangster goodfellas. They were the best part of this film. I really didn't like this film. I didn't find this film heartwarming at all. Why was everyone so willing to help Apple Annie? This question was never answered for me. The gruffness of Apple Annie comes across well. Her physical appearance (before the makeover) is just awful? Did they have to make her look quite so bad? I didn't see any genuine sweetness in her at all, except towards her daughter, Louise. Just because she said "God bless you" and sometimes exempted her friends from paying what amounts to shakedown money? In the final scene, Apple Annie says to her street friends, "I'm going to have to ask you for an extra $1 a month." After they went above and beyond to help Annie out of her predicament?! I fail to see any redeeming quality in Ms. Davis' portrayal of Apple Annie or in this film. It leaves me cold.