Pocketful of Miracles Reviews

This was Frank Capra's swan song as a producer-director, and although it was not well received upon initial release, it's still a good movie with some outstanding performances. New York gangster Dave "the Dude" Conway (Glenn Ford) is a superstitious type who believes he can't come to any harm as long as he continues to buy his daily apple from Apple Annie (Bette Davis), a drunken fruit vendor. In essence, Dave's belief is that "an apple a day keeps the Mafia away," and although his bodyguard, Joy Boy (Peter Falk), and chauffeur, Junior (Mickey Shaughnessy), think it's a lot of hooey, his girlfriend (Hope Lange) goes along with whatever Dave wants. When Apple Annie isn't at her usual street corner one morning, Dave goes looking for her. He finds her in deep depression because her daughter, Louise (Ann-Margret, in her first role), who thinks her mother is a wealthy matron, is coming to pay a visit. With Dave's help, Apple Annie is able to pull off her charade as "Mrs. E. Worthington Manville," even receiving help from the mayor, the governor, and a horde of real socialites. A remake of Capra's picture LADY FOR A DAY.