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Storyline
A naive couple and a child arrive to the town on the way to San Antonio, Texas to buy a farm there. There is a poker game between the richest men in the region. The man cannot resist it and though he is a very bad poker player, enters the game betting all the money of his family. In the climax of the game he suffers a heart-attack. His wife then takes his place in the table. That's the only way of recovering their savings. But there is a little problem. Can anybody explain her how to play poker? Written by
Miguel A. Andrade <andrade@gredos.cnb.uam.es>
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Taglines:
Rule of the game: you must sit in from the beginning! And it's the wildest poker game in the west!
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Did You Know?
Trivia
This film provides the final screen appearance of comedian
Chester Conklin, who had appeared in about 300 movies from 1913.
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Goofs
The character "Doc" was played by Burgess Meredith, however in the closing credits his name was spelled "Burgess Meridith".
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Quotes
Henry Drummond:
My daughter, Celie, was getting married.
Jesse Buford:
Celie?
Henry Drummond:
That's right! When Tropp come for me, she was in the middle of getting married. And they're holding up the "love, honor and obey" part until I get back.
Dennis Wilcox:
You mean you walked out in the middle of the wedding?
Henry Drummond:
I did! I ain't been late for the (poker) game in sixteen years and I ain't about to start now... wedding or no wedding.
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Soundtracks
"Ma Blushin' Rosie (Ma Posie Sweet)"
(uncredited)
From the Broadway musical "Fiddle-Dee-Dee" (1900)
Written by
Edgar Smith and
John Stromberg
Performed by
Marilyn Powell See more »
A Big Hand For The Little Lady takes place in Laredo, Texas circa the turn of the last century. The film actually dates itself because a couple of current record cylinders are played, Ma Blushin' Rosie and Hello My Baby both of which came out around 1900. Anyway a big annual event in this town is when five of the big movers and shakers of the community get together for a big no holds barred poker game. The big five are Jason Robards, Jr., Charles Bickford, Kevin McCarthy, Robert Middleton, and John Qualen.
After the game gets going with the whole town just hanging on word of every hand, a very tired trio of pilgrims, Henry Fonda, Joanne Woodward, and their child Gerald Michenaud arrive in town. They are a sorry trio, especially Fonda who would be a candidate for Gamblers Anonymous if such a thing existed in 1900. Fonda just asks if he could watch, kind of like Arthur O'Connell who hasn't got the price of favors at the bordello in There Was A Crooked Man, but the madam allows him a little fun at the keyhole for old time's sake.
Kevin McCarthy is the one who takes pity on him and in fact this is the first but not the last time he shows gallantry as a true Southern gentleman.
A Big Hand For The Little Lady is a film that's almost impossible to write about without giving away anything. I absolutely dare not go any further in talking about it.
But what A Big Hand For The Little Lady is is that it is a really original idea for a western comedy that I defy anyone to watch without enjoying it. It's not got the rough house type humor that Burt Kennedy or John Ford do in their films, but there are laughs a plenty.
This film turned out to be the farewell appearance on the big screen for Charles Bickford one of the best and most durable character actors the screen ever saw. He's kind of subdued in the film, my guess is that health problems were starting to overtake him. Still he fits the gruff part he has perfectly.
It's a fine film with a surprise twist that beats all.