A Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966)

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

Director:

Fielder Cook

Writer:

Sidney Carroll

Stars:

Henry Fonda, Joanne Woodward, Jason Robards

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Henry Fonda	...	Meredith
Joanne Woodward	...	Mary
Jason Robards	...	Henry Drummond
Paul Ford	...	C.P. 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

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 to her how to play poker?

---

Plot Keywords:

poker | gambling | texas | poker player | boy | 

---

Taglines:

Don't tip the little lady's hand or your friends will hate you!

---

Genres:

Comedy | Western

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 July 1966 (France)

Also Known As:

Big Deal at Dodge City

Filming Locations:

Flagstaff, Arizona, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Eden Productions Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

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 (1988).

---

Goofs

Sam Rhine says that The five richest men in the territory are in the back room playing for blood. At the time the movie is set, circa 1880, Texas had been a state for about 40 years.

---

Quotes

Harry Tate: [referring to Tropp] Don't he give a damn what people think, him ridin' around the country in a hearse?
Doc Joseph Scully: If you're the richest undertaker in Texas, you're entitled to a fancy rig, but if you spend your days and nights trying to keep people alive, you ride around in the likes of this.
[he shakes the reins of his carriage]
Doc Joseph Scully: Giddy-up!

---

Connections

Remake of The DuPont Show of the Week: Big Deal in Laredo (1962)

---

Soundtracks

Hello, Ma Baby
(aka "Telephone Rag") (uncredited)
Written by Ida Emerson and Joseph E. Howard
Performed by Marilyn Powell

User Reviews

Delightful little treasure

Comedy-drama about annual monster poker game in Texas. Henry Fonda plays a poker player on the wagon, but he gets into the game anyway. His performance is excellent, conveying complicated, conflicting emotions. Joanne Woodward, as Fonda's wife, has grit, with a sweet Virginia accent

The film's visual style revealed the director's TV background: lots of angled two- and three-shots. Lee Garmes was the cinematographer, and he gives the film a deep, rich look.

First rate supporting cast does tend to yell too much. And twist ending isn't that much of a surprise, but it's neat anyway.

This picture is a treasure! Who knew?