Pocketful of indifference...
Added 3/23/2009
I think that sums up my feelings on the film as a whole, which I can't decide if it's worse or better than outright hating it. Honestly, when the film was over, aside from genuinely liking some of the performances, there was nothing I remembered or cared to repeat about this film. It was decent, and at times entertaining, but when all is said and done it just doesn't have that spark needed to make me want to watch it again.
So the film is a remake of Capra's own `Lady for a Day' from 1933. I'm not sure why he wanted to remake his own film, and honestly I have yet to see `Lady for a Day' (but it is in my Netflix queue) so I can't say if the remake was an improvement or not, but regardless of his personal intentions it is widely known that this was the movie that broke him. Thanks in large part to the very difficult star named Glenn Ford, Capra swore off film all together after suffering during the filming of `Pocketful of Miracles'.
The film is about Apple Annie, an alcoholic homeless woman who has a daughter she never sees. Her daughter lives overseas and is preparing to marry into wealth and so Annie calls upon local gangster Dave `the Dude' Conway to help her fake wealth. She has been writing to her daughter, pretending to be wealthy, and so she is afraid that her actually situation will cause her daughter's fiancée to have second thoughts. Conway uses his connections to turn Annie into a lady in order to save her daughter's impending marriage.
The film sports a longer running time (over two hours) yet it never manages to film that time with anything substantial. Annie never becomes three dimensional, which would have really aided the film drastically, and so we feel slightly disconnected to her concerns. Bette Davis was without question the greatest actress to ever grace the big screen, but still, even she couldn't elevate the lack of character given her character. Hope Lange and Ann-Margret are nice to look at and have their moments, but even their characters are extremely underwritten. It's Glenn Ford and Peter Falk that walk away with this film, adding layers to characters that could have otherwise appeared one-note. Some have said that Ford is hammy, but I found him refreshing in this otherwise droll film. Falk walked away with an Oscar nomination for his fiery portrayal of the Dude's right hand man Joy Boy. Watching him was like watching Pesci in `GoodFellas'; feisty and unforgettable.
Still, regardless of my admiration for Ford and Falk here I cannot say that they saved the film; they merely made it more tolerable. They prohibited me from turning it off before the credits began to roll. Now that the film is over I doubt I'll ever watch it again; but I will always think back to Ford and Falk with warm feelings. It's too bad they couldn't have starred in a better film.
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Minor Capra Better Than No Capra
Added 1/22/2009
This film doesn't work like classic Capra and I think the reason is two-fold. I think Capra worked best when dealing with the here and now and this is essentially a period piece. Color is also something that doesn't come to mind when you think of Capra. The film also suffers from a bit of overlength. Hey, these are minor quibbles. This is exquisite corn that only a salesmen like Capra can pull off. The cast is uniformly terrific. Bette Davis gives a graceful performance as Apple Annie recalling her halcyon Hollywood days. Peter Falk is a riot as a sarcastic gangster. It was great seeing Thomas Mitchell, Doc from "Stagecoach", in peak form as a pool shark judge. Ann-Margaret just glows in her film debut as Davis' daughter. The film only suffers when you think of the towering reportoire of the film's director.
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Christmas charmer
Added 1/12/2009
This story about a community of folks coming together to help one of their own is a real charmer.
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Pocket Full Of Miracles
Added 12/5/2008
DVD arrived very timely. This is one of my most favorite movies. Wonderfully funny movie staring Glenn Ford, Bette Davis, Hope Lange and Peter Faulk. Bette Davis is transformed into a beautiful lady from a very frumpy street person. Truly one of the best movies made!
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Great Christmas Story
Added 9/16/2008
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.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Pocketful of indifference...
Added 3/23/2009
I think that sums up my feelings on the film as a whole, which I can't decide if it's worse or better than outright hating it. Honestly, when the film was over, aside from genuinely liking some of the performances, there was nothing I remembered or cared to repeat about this film. It was decent, and at times entertaining, but when all is said and done it just doesn't have that spark needed to make me want to watch it again.
So the film is a remake of Capra's own `Lady for a Day' from 1933. I'm not sure why he wanted to remake his own film, and honestly I have yet to see `Lady for a Day' (but it is in my Netflix queue) so I can't say if the remake was an improvement or not, but regardless of his personal intentions it is widely known that this was the movie that broke him. Thanks in large part to the very difficult star named Glenn Ford, Capra swore off film all together after suffering during the filming of `Pocketful of Miracles'.
The film is about Apple Annie, an alcoholic homeless woman who has a daughter she never sees. Her daughter lives overseas and is preparing to marry into wealth and so Annie calls upon local gangster Dave `the Dude' Conway to help her fake wealth. She has been writing to her daughter, pretending to be wealthy, and so she is afraid that her actually situation will cause her daughter's fiancée to have second thoughts. Conway uses his connections to turn Annie into a lady in order to save her daughter's impending marriage.
The film sports a longer running time (over two hours) yet it never manages to film that time with anything substantial. Annie never becomes three dimensional, which would have really aided the film drastically, and so we feel slightly disconnected to her concerns. Bette Davis was without question the greatest actress to ever grace the big screen, but still, even she couldn't elevate the lack of character given her character. Hope Lange and Ann-Margret are nice to look at and have their moments, but even their characters are extremely underwritten. It's Glenn Ford and Peter Falk that walk away with this film, adding layers to characters that could have otherwise appeared one-note. Some have said that Ford is hammy, but I found him refreshing in this otherwise droll film. Falk walked away with an Oscar nomination for his fiery portrayal of the Dude's right hand man Joy Boy. Watching him was like watching Pesci in `GoodFellas'; feisty and unforgettable.
Still, regardless of my admiration for Ford and Falk here I cannot say that they saved the film; they merely made it more tolerable. They prohibited me from turning it off before the credits began to roll. Now that the film is over I doubt I'll ever watch it again; but I will always think back to Ford and Falk with warm feelings. It's too bad they couldn't have starred in a better film.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Minor Capra Better Than No Capra
Added 1/22/2009
This film doesn't work like classic Capra and I think the reason is two-fold. I think Capra worked best when dealing with the here and now and this is essentially a period piece. Color is also something that doesn't come to mind when you think of Capra. The film also suffers from a bit of overlength. Hey, these are minor quibbles. This is exquisite corn that only a salesmen like Capra can pull off. The cast is uniformly terrific. Bette Davis gives a graceful performance as Apple Annie recalling her halcyon Hollywood days. Peter Falk is a riot as a sarcastic gangster. It was great seeing Thomas Mitchell, Doc from "Stagecoach", in peak form as a pool shark judge. Ann-Margaret just glows in her film debut as Davis' daughter. The film only suffers when you think of the towering reportoire of the film's director.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Christmas charmer
Added 1/12/2009
This story about a community of folks coming together to help one of their own is a real charmer.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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