A Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966)

Director:

Fielder Cook

Writer:

Sidney Carroll (written by)

Release Date:

1 July 1966 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Western

Tagline:

Rule of the game: you must sit in from the beginning! And it's the wildest poker game in the west!

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 | Texas | Homesteader | Lawyer

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Henry Fonda	...	Meredith
Joanne Woodward	...	Mary
Jason Robards	...	Henry Drummond
Paul Ford	...	Ballinger
Charles Bickford	...	Benson Tropp
Burgess Meredith	...	Doc Scully (as Burgess Meridith)
Kevin McCarthy	...	Otto Habershaw
Robert Middleton	...	Dennis Wilcox
John Qualen	...	Jesse Buford
Jean-Michel Michenaud	...	Jackie (as Gerald Michenaud)
James Berwick	...	Sam Rhine (as James Kenny)
Allen Collins	...	Toby
Jim Boles	...	Pete
Virginia Gregg	...	Mrs. Drummond
Chester Conklin	...	Old Man in Saloon
Mae Clarke	...	Mrs. Craig
Ned Glass	...	Owney Price
James Griffith	...	Mr. Stribling
Noah Keen	...	Sparrow
Milton Selzer	...	Fleeson
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Victor Adamson	...	Barfly Doc Talks To (uncredited)
Fred Aldrich	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Richard Alexander	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Mark Allen	...	Blacksmith (uncredited)
Claudia Bryar	...	Mrs. Price (uncredited)
William Cort	...	Arthur (uncredited)
Richard H. Cutting	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Tom Fadden	...	Harry Tate (uncredited)
Tony Giorgio	...	Steamboat (uncredited)
Louise Glenn	...	Celie Drummond (uncredited)
Chick Hannan	...	Poker Spectator at End (uncredited)
Percy Helton	...	Kevin McKenzie (uncredited)
Thomas E. Jackson	...	Rt. Rev. Mr. Monckton (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Natalie Masters	...	Mrs. Stribling (uncredited)
Jackie Minty	...	Preston Drummond (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien	...	Sweeper (uncredited)
Marilyn Powell	...	Singer (uncredited)
Kenneth Sanborn	...	Saloon Bystander (uncredited)
Chick Sheridan	...	Poker Spectator at End (uncredited)
Henry Slate	...	Piano Player (uncredited)
Ted Smile	...	Poker Spectator at End (uncredited)
Cap Somers	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Jack Tornek	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Max Wagner	...	Cashier (uncredited)

Directed by
Fielder Cook

Writing credits
Sidney Carroll		(written by)

Produced by
Fielder Cook	....	producer
Joel Freeman	....	associate producer

Original Music by
David Raksin

Cinematography by
Lee Garmes		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
George R. Rohrs		(as George Rohrs)

Production Design by
Robert S. Smith		(as Robert Smith)

Set Decoration by
Ralph S. Hurst

Makeup Department
Gordon Bau	....	makeup supervisor
Jean Burt Reilly	....	supervising hair stylist

Production Management
Joel Freeman	....	production supervisor (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joseph E. Kenney	....	assistant director (as Joseph E. Kenny)

Art Department
Joseph Musso	....	production illustrator (uncredited)
Ward Preston	....	set designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Everett A. Hughes	....	sound (as Everett Hughes)

Stunts
Roydon Clark	....	stunts (uncredited)
Boyd Stockman	....	stunts (uncredited)

Music Department
David Raksin	....	conductor
Edward B. Powell	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Dan Wallin	....	music scoring mixer (uncredited)

Other crew
Norman Stuart	....	dialogue supervisor
Doris DeHerdt	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Eden Productions Inc.

Distributors

• Warner Bros. (1966) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1973) (USA) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. (1966) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1966) (France) (theatrical)

Also Known As:

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 | USA:Approved | Canada:PG (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Flagstaff, Arizona, USA

Company:

Eden Productions Inc.

Trivia:

Jason Robards plays a character named Henry Drummond. In 1988 he would play a character with the same name in the completely unrelated TV movie version of Inherit the Wind (1960).

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The songs in the final scenes, "Ma Blushin' Rosie (Ma Posie Sweet)" and "Hello, Ma Baby" (aka "Telephone Rag") were both written around 1899-1900, whereas the action in the film takes place around 1880.

Quotes:

Henry Drummond:Let's play cards.

Movie Connections:

Featured in AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Henry Fonda (1978) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Hello, Ma Baby

How can a film with this cast possibly go wrong? A constant delight.

With Henry Fonda, Joanne Woodward, Charles Bickford, Kevin McCarthy, Burgess Meredith and Paul Ford how can a movie fail? Certainly not this little jewel handsomely directed by Fielder Cook, normally a director of the small screen. But from the very beginning the film announces that it is going to be a lot of fun. Five of the wealthiest men in the territory drop whatever they are doing and gather once a year for a marathon poker game in a winner takes all stake. Into this rides Henry Fonda and his wife and son, on the way to Texas to make a new start. He is an on the wagon ex gambler, who instantly falls off when he finds out about the game and is suckered in by the meanest group of tightfisted sarcastic card players in the west. Just when he finally gets the hand he has been waiting for he has a heart attack, and his wife has to take over for him. What will happen and what hand is she holding? If you want to find out you just have to see this great little film for yourself.