Jogada Decisiva

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.

When I caught this one on TV, was I sorry I'd missed it during its theatrical release. The whole cast is in top form, especially Paul Ford giving one of his funniest performances. Joanne Woodward never looked lovelier while running the gamut from great distress to the wittiest of high spirits. Too bad her hubby, Paul Newman, couldn't have joined the poker players at the table where most of the action takes place. The production values are quite good but the standout is the ever-reliable David Raksin's lively score...his music for the opening title sequence and at the film's close is terrific! If you haven't seen this one yet, you're in for a treat.

Joanne Woodward is one of the cinema's greatest, and most beautiful, actresses. She had all my attention from the moment she appeared on the screen, so staggeringly gorgeous that her lovely blue eyes distracted me from the real trick, that of distracting the men at the poker table while her ensemble delivered the sting to the five richest men in the region, played by Kevin McCarthy, Jason Robards, Gig Young, John Qualen and Charles Bickford.

Paul Ford, portaying an unfeeling, interest-charging banker who is supposedly charmed by Woordward's delightfully deceptive femininity and ignorance of poker, also stands out.

Great photography, very solid script with twist ending and splendid direction by Fielder Cook, better known for his TV work.

Well worth watching!

Like Frank Gilroy's From Noon Til Three(1977), A Big Hand for the Little Lady is a surprisingly enjoyable, and generally unknown western comedy. Centering around an annual poker game in the old West, the film is bolstered by a well-chosen and diverse group of veteran actors at the top of their game giving thoroughly committed performances. At 60 years old, Fonda looks great, and is a master of facial expression;no poker-face here, and Woodward is perfectly cast as his wife. The first rate ensemble features a stellar Kevin McCarthy along with Burgess Meredith, Jason Robards Jr, Charles Bickford and a delightful Paul Ford. The direction keeps what might have been static bustling. Well made film with an authentic atmosphere has a nice payoff at the end. The G-rated A Big Hand for the Little Lady gives family comedy a good name.

This is an ironic and sarcastic comedy Western with extraordinary roster of character actor , centering in poker game , a marathon in city of Laredo . This is picture set in the old west , a tale that adds comedy , emotion , and a rich sense of humor to make the picture a funny and entertaining flick . It tells the story of a poker game which is deemed the most important in the West for the amount of money bets , personality and social highlight of the players (Jason Robards , Kevin McCarthy , John Qualen , Robert Middleton) , and for its long tradition , sixteen years ; as they regularly meet once year in the location , date and time agreed . Rule of the game is the following : you must sit in from the beginning and it's the wildest poker game in the west . The event raises great expectations and the winner becomes a folk hero of legend . There arrives a traveler (Henry Fonda) who bets more money than he can afford in the poker game , and unusual events follow , as he fails to overcome his penchant for gambling . Then , his wife (Joanne Woodward) , a strong woman , ready to defend her rights until the end .

This enjoyable film contains humor , irony , tongue-in-check and results to be an agreeable caper plenty of close-ups and irrelevancies . The script of the film is an ironic and sarcastic story with an all-star-cast giving magnificent acting who make up the yarn , including a neat surprise final , too . The dialogue is amusing , short and accurate , with artful twists free of traps and full of surprises . The combination of suspense and humor is perfectly achieved : both factors are complementary . This movie was initially written for television as "Big Deal in Laredo", in fact , this started life as a 48 minute teleplay by screen-writer Sidney Carroll . Director Fielder Cook manages to recreate a powerful story , told with great austerity , but that keeps us interested until the ending . ¨Big Hand for a Little Lady¨ and ¨The Sting¨ (1973) are both movies about swindling big shot gamblers who were used to swindling unsuspecting players ; these two movies are also connected by the actors who starred in them . The film has a top-notch cast , as Joanne Woodward as the ¨Little Lady¨ who uses her feminine shrewdness to scoop the pot , Henry Fonda as her husband shows modest and emotional attitude , and plunges us into a dramatic character which threatens all our hopes . And with them , Jason Robards , Kevin McCarthy , John Qualen , Paul Ford , Robert Middleton , Burgess Meredith , all of them manage to give the best result to a bemusing flick . Furthermore , brief apparitions from James Griffith , Virginia Gregg , Milton Selzer , and veteran Mae Clarke . This film provides the final film of Charles Bickford , and ending screen appearance of comedian Chester Conklin, who had appeared in about 300 movies from 1913 .

Colorful as well as evocative cinematography by Lee Garmes . Atmospheric and appropriate musical score by David Raskin who previously composed the classic soundtrack for ¨Laura¨ . The motion picture was well written and directed by Fielder Cook , he was an usual filmmaker for TV , in fact , several of his 1970s productions were originally televised on the "Hallmark Hall of Fame" and occasionally for cinema such as ¨Patterns¨, ¨Seize the day¨ , ¨Eagle in a Cage¨ and this ¨A big hand for the Little lady¨.

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