A Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966)

Director:

Fielder Cook

Writer:

Sidney Carroll (writer)

Release Date:

12 August 1966 (Finland)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Western

Tagline:

All the action you can take...all the adventure you can wish for!

Plot:

Comedy western in which a traveler bets more money than he can afford in a poker game, and unusual events follow.

Plot Keywords:

Poker | Poker Player | Card Playing | Homesteader | Country Doctor

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Henry Fonda	...	Meredith
Joanne Woodward	...	Mary
Jason Robards	...	Henry P.G. Drummond
Paul Ford	...	C.P. Ballinger
Charles Bickford	...	Benson Tropp
Burgess Meredith	...	Doc Joseph Scully
Kevin McCarthy	...	Otto Habershaw
Robert Middleton	...	Dennis Wilcox
John Qualen	...	Jesse Buford
Jean-Michel Michenaud	...	Jackie Meredith (as Gerald Michenaud)
James Berwick	...	Sam Rhine (as James Kenny)
Allen Collins	...	Toby
Jim Boles	...	Pete
Virginia Gregg	...	Mrs. Drummond
Chester Conklin	...	Chester

Also Known As:

Big Deal at Dodge City (UK)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:S | Sweden:15

Company:

Eden Productions Inc.

Trivia:

Director Fielder Cook had liked James Berwick's performance so much that he insisted Berwick reprise his television role of barman Sam Rhine in this film, despite his lack of cinema experience. This was Berwick's only screen role of any note, all other appearances being bit parts.

Quotes:

[upon being offered a poker hand as collateral]
C.P. Ballinger, Banker: Forty-six years ago, I started lending money in Larry Bingham's back room. My first customer was a drover named Penny. He wanted two dollars on a Brindle cow at six percent interest. He said she gave six quarts of milk a day. You know what I made him do...

The Biggest Poker Game of All!

One can make a case that Henry Fonda appeared in many westerns that were dramatic - mostly directed by John Ford. FORT APACHE, MY DARLING CLEMENTINE, YOUNG MR. LINCOLN, and DRUMS ALONG THE MOHAWK come to mind. One can add JESSE JAMES and THE RETURN OF FRANK JAMES and WARLOCK to this list too. But towards the end of his career he also did two comedies, one being a black comedy (THERE WAS A CROOKED MAN) and the other being this film, which is a very satisfactory straight comedy.

The story is about how three travelers from the east headed west land in a town where once every year a set of local heavy hitters (Jason Robards, Robert Middleton, John Qualen, Charles Bickford, and Kevin McCarthy) hold a really big poker game with a big pot for the victor. It's actually limited to these five men, but Fonda, who has a small cash fund for himself and his family, shows interest. He manages to get himself into the game - much to the distress of his wife (Joanne Woodward) and their son (Jean-Michel Michenaud). Fonda loses hand after hand, despite occasionally coming close to a decent hand of cards. Then, when he's out of money, he tries to raise money somehow. He claims he can't get out of the game - especially the next hand. He insists he has a brilliant poker hand! He becomes so insistent that he collapses. The local doctor (Burgess Meredith) says it's a mild heart attack. The others figure that it means the end - but Woodward insists that she have an opportunity to continue playing in order to try to win the family money back!

The five big hitters can't believe this, and struggle to restrain themselves from reminding her that she is not supposed to be in a big gambling game at all. But she is insistent. Fine, they insist on her ante - ing up. So...she decides to go for a loan to the local banker (Paul Ford). And I will leave the story at that point.

A BIG HAND FOR THE LITTLE LADY is a western, and a comedy. It is also one of the handful of good movies (THE CINCINATTI KID is another) dealing seriously with card playing. The resolution of this clever comedy is a joy, and I recommend catching it when you can.