Film Snail

7.3

Pocketful of Miracles

NR·1961·136m

Comedy

Drama

Comedy

Drama

Summary

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.

Cast

Glenn Ford

Dave 'The Dude' Conway

Bette Davis

Apple Annie

Hope Lange

Elizabeth 'Queenie' Martin

Arthur O'Connell

Count Alfonso Romero

Peter Falk

Joy Boy

Thomas Mitchell

Judge Henry G. Blake

Edward Everett Horton

Hudgins

Mickey Shaughnessy

Junior

David Brian

Governor

Sheldon Leonard

Steve Darcey

Peter Mann

Carlos Romero

Ann-Margret

Louise

Barton MacLane

Police Commissioner

John Litel

Police Inspector McCrary

Jerome Cowan

Mayor

Jay Novello

Cortego

Frank Ferguson

Newspaper Editor

Willis Bouchey

Newspaper Editor

Fritz Feld

Pierre

Ellen Corby

Soho Sal

Gavin Gordon

Mr. Cole

Benny Rubin

Flyaway

Jack Elam

Cheesecake

Mike Mazurki

Big Mike

Hayden Rorke

Police Captain Moore

Doodles Weaver

Pool Player

Abdullah Abbas

Reception Guest (uncredited)

Don Ames

Man at Dock (uncredited)

Sam Bagley

Man on Dock (uncredited)

Benjie Bancroft

Police Officer (uncredited)

Herman Belmonte

Man on Dock (uncredited)

Phil Bloom

Reception Guest (uncredited)

Willie Bloom

Reception Guest (uncredited)

Nina Borget

Ship Passenger (uncredited)

Betty Bronson

Mayor's Wife (uncredited)

Ralph Brooks

Reception Guest (uncredited)

Paul E. Burns

Mallethead (uncredited)

Mushy Callahan

Man at Dock (uncredited)

George Calliga

Reception Guest (uncredited)

James J. Casino

Man at Dock (uncredited)

Marc Cavell

Reporter at Dock (uncredited)

Albert Cavens

Reception Guest (uncredited)

Noble 'Kid' Chissell

Reception Guest (uncredited)

Charles Cirillo

Man at Dock (uncredited)

Michael Cirillo

Pedestrian (uncredited)

Bing Conley

Reception Guest (uncredited)

Paul Cristo

Hotel Guest (uncredited)

Jacqueline deWit

Louise (Governor's Wife) (uncredited)

Alphonso DuBois

Ship Passenger (uncredited)

Josip Elic

Darcey's Henchman (uncredited)

Joe Evans

Attendant (uncredited)

Tom Fadden

Herbie (uncredited)

Bess Flowers

Pedestrian Entering Club (uncredited)

Peter Ford

Elevator Operator (uncredited)

Eddie Foster

Man in Pool Hall (uncredited)

Byron Foulger

Lloyd (uncredited)

Joseph Glick

Reception Guest (uncredited)

Jack Gordon

Reception Guest (uncredited)

Joe Gray

Pool Player (uncredited)

James Griffith

Detective Briscoe (uncredited)

Chuck Hamilton

Truck-Driving Hood (uncredited)

Peter Hansen

Governor's Aide (uncredited)

Sam Harris

Ship Passenger (uncredited)

Stuart Holmes

Club Patron (uncredited)

Chester Jones

Pool Hall Patron (uncredited)

Richard Karlan

Detective (uncredited)

Kenner G. Kemp

Man on Dock / Reception Guest (uncredited)

John Lawrence

Cab Driver (uncredited)

Robert Locke Lorraine

Reception Guest (uncredited)

Bert Madrid

Crewman (uncredited)

Mike Mahoney

Man Who Helps Annie (uncredited)

Kermit Maynard

Newspaper Editor (uncredited)

Joe McTurk

Powder (uncredited)

William Meader

Passerby (uncredited)

Paul Micale

Man (uncredited)

Jim Michael

Hood (uncredited)

Steve Mitchell

Soldier (uncredited)

Ralph Montgomery

Pool Hall Patron with Pipe (uncredited)

Kate Murtagh

Masseuse (uncredited)

George Nardelli

Club Patron (uncredited)

Billy Nelson

Hood (uncredited)

Paul Newlan

Hood (uncredited)

Daniel Nunez

Reception Guest (uncredited)

Norman Papson

Hairdresser (uncredited)

Charles Perry

Man at Dock (uncredited)

Harry 'Snub' Pollard

Knuckles (uncredited)

Amanda Randolph

Annie's Neighbor (uncredited)

Fred Rapport

Newspaper Editor (uncredited)

Paul Ravel

Ship Passenger (uncredited)

Leoda Richards

Woman Sitting Next to Mayor in Car (uncredited)

Clark Ross

Man on Dock (uncredited)

Michael Ross

Detective (uncredited)

Angelo Rossitto

Angie (uncredited)

Phil Schumacher

Reception Guest (uncredited)

Vito Scotti

Priest (uncredited)

Scott Seaton

Club Patron (uncredited)

Jack Shea

Hotel Doorman (uncredited)

Stephen Soldi

Ship Passenger (uncredited)

Edgar Stehli

Gloomy (uncredited)

Bert Stevens

Man on Dock (uncredited)

George E. Stone

Shimkey (uncredited)

Charles Sullivan

Hood in Dock Brawl (uncredited)

Harry Swoger

Darcey's Henchman (uncredited)

Hal Taggart

Man Who Helps Annie (uncredited)

Dub Taylor

Man (uncredited)

Kelly Thordsen

The Weasel (uncredited)

Arthur Tovey

Passerby with Umbrella (uncredited)

Romo Vincent

Brisbane (Kidnapped Reporter) (uncredited)

Sailor Vincent

Pool Hall Patron (uncredited)

Dick Wessel

Governor of Florida (uncredited)

Grace Lee Whitney

Queenie's Broad (uncredited)

Chalky Williams

Pool Hall Patron (uncredited)

Harry Wilson

Slop (uncredited)

Crew

Director

Frank Capra

Original Film Writer

Robert Riskin

Screenplay

Hal Kanter

Screenplay

Harry Tugend

Story

Damon Runyon

Reviews

Geronimo1967

January 9, 2023

The start of this film reminded me of the lady who sold bird seed in "Mary Poppins" - the down-at-heel but kind hearted "Annie" (Bette Davis) who scrapes a living together thanks largely to the generosity of local gangster "Dude" (Glenn Ford). What nobody else knows, however, is that she secretly has a daughter living in Spain who thinks her mother is wealthy, living in a suite at a fancy hotel. When "Louise" (Ann-Margret) writes to say that she will soon visit with her fiancée - A Spanish aristocrat; this throws quite a spanner in the works for "Annie". Luckily, "Dude" is determined to rope in his contacts to try to help her impersonate the grand role she has represented herself as having - despite trying to get a the biggest deal of his own over the line. This causes no end of chagrin for the undoubted star of the picture - Peter Falk. He is the right hand man who gradually watches the planning and organising of this charade subsume everything else, and it's slowly driving him nuts. To be honest, the central portion of this comedy also drove me a bit nuts too. It borders too closely on the farcical, with Ford trying far too hard and seeing only fleeting appearances from the increasingly sidelined Davis. It steadies itself better for the last twenty minutes or so, but is really just too long with the joke too thinly spread and the slapstick humour all a bit too in-your-face for me. The writing is generally good, though, with some fine quips - especially from Falk, and the film looks great whilst taking a gentle swing at the political class as they all flock to the side of this minor Count from Spain. I did quite enjoy it, but sadly it isn't one of Frank Capra's more focussed efforts, nor is it one of his more poignant or amusing stories.