A 1961 American comedy film starring Bette Davis and Glenn Ford, and directed by Frank Capra. The screenplay by Hal Kanter and Harry Tugend is based on the screenplay Lady for a Day by Robert Riskin, which was adapted from the Damon Runyon short story “Madame La Gimp”.
The film proved to be the final project for both Capra and veteran actor Thomas Mitchell but also featured the film debut of Ann-Margret.
Supporting player Peter Falk was nominated for an Academy Award but George Chakiris won that year for West Side Story. Capra said that Falk’s performance was a bright spot in this “miserable film.”
The 1989 film Miracles starring Jackie Chan and Anita Mui is based on Pocketful of Miracles.Read More »
Frank Capra
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Frank Capra – Pocketful of Miracles (1961)
1961-1970ComedyDramaFrank CapraUSA -
Frank Capra – Rain or Shine (1930)
1921-1930ClassicsComedyFrank CapraUSASynopsis:
After her father’s death, Mary Rainey takes over the Rainey Circus (which operates twice daily, rain or shine) but runs into financial troubles. In one bit reminiscent of the Marx Brothers, the circus performers are up to some ridiculous antics at a dinner party with the family of Bud Conway, Mary’s beau. As times become worse and the performers go on strike, Mary must try to save the circus from rioting patrons.Read More » -
Frank Capra – Platinum Blonde (1931)
1931-1940ClassicsComedyFrank CapraUSASynopsis:
Reporter ‘Stew’ Smith meets beautiful Ann Schuyler, a rich socialite, while covering the story of a scandal involving Ann’s family. Ann takes a liking to the wisecracking Smith and the couple eventually elope. Stew’s roots as a street smart reporter don’t prepare him well for mixing with Ann’s high society friends and he starts spending more time with his ‘pal’, female reporter Gallagher. Everything comes to a head when Ann and her family return home to their mansion one evening and find that Stew has invited all his ‘pals’ over for an impromptu drinking party.Read More » -
Frank Capra – Broadway Bill (1934)
1931-1940ComedyDramaFrank CapraUSATycoon J.L. Higgins controls his whole family, but one of his sons-in-law, Dan Brooks, and his daughter Alice are fed up with that. Brooks quits his job as manager of J.L.’s paper-box factory and devotes his life to his racing horse Broadway Bill, but his bankroll is thin, luck is against him, and he is arrested because of $150 he owes somebody for horse feed, but suddenly a planed fraud by somebody else seems to offer him a chance.Read More »
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Frank Capra – Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939)
Drama1931-1940ClassicsFrank CapraUSAQuote:
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) is producer/director Frank Capra’s classic comedy-drama, and considered by many to be his greatest achievement in film (and reminiscent of his earlier film, Mr. Deeds Goes To Town (1936)). [In fact, the film project by Columbia was first announced as Mr. Deeds Goes to Washington starring Gary Cooper, in a role similar to his previous Longfellow Deeds character.]Read More » -
Frank Capra – The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1933)
1931-1940DramaFrank CapraUSAWarSynopsis:
The American missionary Megan Davis arrives in Shanghai during the Chinese Civil War to marry the missionary Dr. Robert Strife. However, Robert postpones their wedding to rescue some orphans in an orphanage in Chapei section that is burning in the middle of a battlefield. While returning to Shanghai with the children, they are separated in the crowd, Megan is hit in the head and knocked out, but is saved by General Yen and brought by train to his palace. As the days go by, the General’s mistress Mah-Li becomes close to Megan and when she is accused of betrayal for giving classified information to the enemies, Megan asks for her life.Read More » -
Frank Capra – Mr. Deeds Goes to Town [+commentary] (1936)
1931-1940ClassicsComedyFrank CapraScrewball ComedyUSASynopsis:
Longfellow Deeds lives in a small town, leading a small town kind of life – including playing the tuba in the town band. When a relative dies and leaves Deeds a fortune, Longfellow picks up his tuba and moves to the big city where he becomes an instant target for everyone from the greedy opera committee to the sensationist daily newspaper. Deeds outwits them all until Babe Bennett comes along. Babe is a hot-shot reporter who figures the best way to get close to Deeds is to pose as a damsel in distress. When small-town boy meets big-city girl anything can, and does, happen.Read More » -
Frank Capra – Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)
1931-1940ClassicsComedyFrank CapraScrewball ComedyUSAMr. Deeds Goes to Town is a 1936 American screwball comedy film directed by Frank Capra, starring Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur in her first featured role. Based on the 1935 short story “Opera Hat” by Clarence Budington Kelland, which appeared in serial form in the Saturday Evening Post, the screenplay was written by Robert Riskin in his fifth collaboration with Frank Capra.
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