Aventureiro de Sorte

Unavailable on DVD, but found on VHS at Blockbuster, "Mr Lucky" is a Cary Grant vehicle, even more than a morale boosting, "keep the homes fires burning" war movie. Grant gets to play a wide range of roles here: fashion plate, grifter, romantic lead, war hero and (most notably) knitter of sweaters. Look, I've seen them all: North By Northwest, Bringing Up Baby, To Catch A Thief, and on and on.This has many moments that match the very best that Cary Grant had on offer. Most notably, there's an extended sequence of Grant riffing in Cockney to Laraine Day. Now Cary Grant liked to identify himself as a Cockney (which is usually termed as an East Londoner), but here he gets the rare opportunity in his movie career to play one (also in Gunga Din), and when asked where he picked up the rhyming slang that makes Cockney so annoying (charming to Americans) he says: Australia ! Ah Hollywood... You've also got to admire the sartorial splendor which Cary maintains throughout the film, even though he 's supposedly a poor kid from the wrong side of the tracks who left home at nine. Apparently there's a finishing school on Skid Row, and Cary was voted Best Dressed. Of course, one of the perverse running gags of "Mr Lucky" is that our hero wears absurdly garish ties, and does not know how to tie a Windsor knot. All he needs is Laraine Day to bring him the appropriate conservative necktie to complete him. Bless him he fights her off ... On a fifth viewing (over a lifetime), I have to admit the last twenty minutes drips with melodramatic sentiment out of step with our modern times (hey, I still tear up-don't tell anyone) but this is still a classic: funny, fast paced, easy on the eyes, and with a great supporting cast.

In my opinion, "Mr. Lucky" is one of Cary Grant's finest pictures. Grant (Joe Adams) Stars as a Gambler looking to make a buck. Joe is a man with no scruples. He is willing to walk over anyone for a chance at a quick score.

However his cold hearted ways begins to melt when a beautiful woman comes into his life. Laraine Day, (Dorothy Bryant) gives a strong performance as a volunteer for a war relief organization. She offers Grant a chance to help raise funds for the group when he suggests a casino night.

However Joe intends to use Dorothy as a pawn in a fixed game. That idea quickly changes when he falls for Dorothy. Joe must choose between his loyalty to his gang or his love for Dorothy.

Mr. Lucky is a wonderful mix of comedy and drama. One of the best moments is where Joe is learning to knit. Very funny! This is a picture that display's Mr. Grants full range of talents.

The cast included Charles Bickford, Gladys Cooper, Alan Carney, Henry Stephenson, and Paul Stewart. It was expertly Directed by H.C. Potter. The wonderful black and white cinematography was by George Barnes.

I highly recommend this picture.

Fun Facts. -Laraine Day was on loan-out from MGM. -Mr. Lucky was RKO's second biggest hit of 1943 -Writer Milton Holmes said Mr. Lucky was inspired by a real event in 1936. A nightclub owner put on a gambling benefit at the Beverly Hills Hotel to raise money for a church.

Poor boy turned suave gambler Cary Grant (as Joe Adams) evades service in World War II by assuming the identity of a deceased sailor classified "4-F" (unfit for military service). Then, he joins a New York women's group supporting the war effort from the home front. There, he learns to knit, and flirts with sophisticate Laraine Day (as Dorothy Bryant). At first, Ms. Day is wary of Mr. Grant, who uses slight-of-hand to fill the war relief group's coffers. But, Day falls in love with Grant, unaware he is planning to bilk the ladies' war relief organization.

RKO put a lot into "Mr. Lucky", and it pays off handsomely. Aside from a violent streak (once slugging his leading lady), Grant turns out to be much less of a heel that you're led to believe; and, he is thoroughly charming. The direction (H.C. Potter), camera-work (George Barnes), design (William Cameron Menzies), and supporting cast are outstanding. The film is bracketed with a moody atmospherics.

The ending could have been better. But, mainly, "Mr. Lucky" is great for watching Grant work wonders with his conflicted character. Grant is so convincing that, when he looks in his car's rear view mirror, you're almost sure the car's mirror hasn't actually been removed by the studio (they blocked actors' faces and were too reflective). There was no mirror there, or was there?

******* Mr. Lucky (5/28/43) H.C. Potter ~ Cary Grant, Laraine Day, Charles Bickford, Gladys Cooper

I just caught Mr. Lucky on TCM and agree this film rates about 7.5 out of 10. What would have otherwise been a discordant mix of comedy & drama are harmonized by the genius of Cary Grant. And this is a Cary Grant in a period of his acting life when he seems deeply aware of & willing to play out the dark, cynical side of life – as in his brilliant & underrated portrayal of the cockney lad Ernie Mott in 1944's None But The Lonely Heart (directed by Clifford Odets!). What's particularly fascinating is Grant's character portrayals in both Mr. Lucky & None But The Lonely Heart is that they start out being cynical in the sense of guys who are prematurely disappointed in the future. He lives like a dog that will succeed by biting and out-foxing everyone. Then he is humanized – without loosing his cynical edge. On the contrary we see here a key into the elegance that was Grant. He lives by denying & accepting society; this suave, cool-hearted knave. You can see that he denies society for the very reason that he is convinced that it will not fail. He accepts life's contradictions. He gets on with it. Most important of all: he is loyal to the few good things in life. In short, we were fortunate to have Grant and '43's Mr. Lucky and '44's None But the Lonely Heart – these Grant-branded jewels cast in timeless celluloid.

This is a great Cary Grant movie, that never takes it self to seriously. The plot is easy to follow, and the acting is well done. The love story is really secondary to the entire gambling story, and that's where this movie is really good and funny. There have been some comments that the chemistry between the Grant and Day is not great, but I think otherwise. The love story is really the back story, setting the stage for the ending, and keeping the movie light hearted and often times funny. This movie also has a lot of subtle humor, and you need to have somewhat of a "different" sense of humor to appreciate it all. However, this is a great sit down, popcorn, easy to enjoy Cary Grant flick.