Pocketful of Miracles

Bittersweet story of love of a mother and daughter, of friendship and compassion. Takes place NYC during Prohibition. Combination of gangsters, speak-easies, pan-handlers, and dreams and wishes. Frank Capra does it again - he hands life thru the camera lens. Capra takes a simple plot and provides his own Cinderella story set up against heartfelt emotions. Ms Davis provides her unique style to her character, Apple Annie. This is also Ann-Margret’s film debut, but you won’t see much of her.Just have a box of tissues handy and of course, a lucky apple!

I have been seeking this movie for years and there it was for me to purchase and my family has so much fun watching trying to be patient for it to arrive. When it did, I was thrilled by the attention to packing for the care of the movie inside. The DVD is terrific to watch again and again.

I love this movie and I wanted my own copy for my collection.Good acting and cute story. I think everyone should see it.

This is definitely worth purchasing. Especially if you are a fan co classic movies bett Davis, or appreciate a good movie. The quality is outstadning

Pocketful of Miracles  is a charming urban fairy from 1961. It was the last movie directed by Frank Capra, who specialized in mid-century American fairy tales (  It Happened One Night , It's A Wonderful Life (Two-Disc Collector's Set) (B/W & Color) , Mr. Smith Goes to Washington , Arsenic and Old Lace ).The movie is based on a story by Damon Runyon and features his usual cadre of well intentioned gangsters and ladies with dubious reputation ( Little Miss Marker , Guys and Dolls ). Capra himself told this same story almost thirty years earlier ( Lady for a Day ).The plot centers around Dave "the Dude" (Glenn Ford), a very superstitious gangster who can't make a move until he buys a lucky apple from his favorite bag lady, Apple Annie (Bette Davis). Dave is in the middle of negotiating a big deal that will leave him Boss of the New York territory, but he can't go into the meeting without his lucky apple. However, Annie's secret past has caught up with her and she is nowhere to be found.Apparently peddling apples on the sidewalks of NYC is more lucrative than we imagined. Years earlier Annie had a baby girl, Louise (Ann-Margaret), who she promptly packed off to a European boarding school to protect her from her shady origins. For years Louise and her mother have been exchanging letters. But now Annie has received a letter, in care of the posh hotel where she has her mail sent, letting her know that her daughter is finally coming home. Louise wants to introduce her aristocratic boyfriend to her mother. Annie is horrified that her daughter will learn the truth about her, and that she will be the cause of ruining her daughter's happiness.Annie is in despair and going on the mother of all benders. Dave is in a panic because he can't make a move without his lucky apples. The rest of the underworld community is united in their efforts to devise a solution to their friends' dilemas.There is a terrific supporting cast in this movie. Peter Falk is Dave's right hand man, "Joy Boy"; Hope Lange is Dave's girlfriend, "Queenie". Ann-Margaret is Annie's daughter, "Louise."The DVD has an original theatrical trailer. You can watch the film with either an English or Spanish spoken track, and subtitles are available in Spanish or French. Too bad there aren't more features. A commentary track would have been a nice bonus, but the movie is delightful on it's own and really doesn't require explanation. Five star movie, but I'm deducting one star because of the bare bones DVD package and the less than stellar quality if the print. This classic deserves better treatment.The film has been marketed as a seasonal movie at Christmas, but it's not as holiday centered as something like  Miracle on 34th Street (Special Edition) . You can watch "Pocketful of Miracles" in July and it's still fun!If you like Damon Runyon characters and/or Frank Capra fairy tales, this is a terrific movie. Highly recommended!

Betty Davis in her prime time ,this movie works for every family.

What do you get when you mix Frank Capra, Damon Runyon, Glenn Ford and Bette Davis? Just a pockeful of miracles that includes the first great performances of Peter Falk (Columbo) and Ann-Margret (Bye Bye Birdie) and the last great performances of Edward Everett Horton (Top Hat) and Thomas Mitchell (Gone With The Wind).Ford plays Dave The Dude, a depression era (post prohibition) racketeer dominating New York city by sheer luck - luck from the charmed apples he purchases from and old beggar, Apple Annie (Bette Davis), who's been corresponding with her estranged daughter (Ann-Margret) in Spain, impressing the girl with a phony return address at a ritzy hotel. But luck's running out as Annie receives news of her daughter's impending visit with her fiance and his royal father, a Duke (Arthur O'Connell). Annie's at her wit's end with dread of exposing her true self to the young couple, and hits the bottle as The Dude's about to make the deal of his life with a Chicago mob boss (Sheldon Leonard), and if things go wrong for Annie, they can't go right for Dave The Dude. It's a group of beggars and The Dude's girl (Hope Lange) that suggest Annie must be put up in a penthouse suite during the Duke's visit.The story takes on a sort of Cinderella aspect and romantic charm as the thugs, beggars and servants help transform Annie a la My Fair Lady, with the help of the penthouse butler (Edward Everett Horton) and a shady judge (Thomas Mitchell) to play her husband.This was sort of a comeback and transitional role for Davis, absent from Hollywood movies in the late fifties. Falk is at his funniest as the Dude's top thug, with some great one-liners that must be heard in context. The cast is tremendous and studded with familiar faces like Hayden Rorke (Dr. Bellows on I Dream Of Jeannie), Mike Mazurki, Jerome Cowan (the D.A. on Miracle On 34th Street), John Litel (who played Nancy Drew's father), Barton MacLane, Frank Ferguson, Ellen Corby (Grandma Walton), Jack Elam, and even young Grace Lee Whitney in an uncredited bit (she was Yeoman Rand on Star Trek).Pocketful of Miracles is a Christmas movie in the sense that it takes place during the Holiday season, with Christmas music, Santa Claus, etc. in the background, especially The Nutcracker Suite is used very effectively in some of Bette Davis's scenes.

A great performance from Betty Davis.

I LOVE all Frank Capra's movies and this one delivers all the heart-warming magic.Yes, in our modern world, it is a fantasy that most would not believe BUT it is exactly what our present violent world needs now - no violence, no bad language, no sexual overtones. It is perfect for those of us who still want to believe in the magic of love and humanity.

All Time Favorite Movie. Anne Margaret before she became a star!

Super Cast! Bette & Glen, who would think they would work well together? Again, Super!

personal viewing and found the quality to be excellent.