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.

A Big Hand For The Little Lady takes place in Laredo, Texas circa the turn of the last century. The film actually dates itself because a couple of current record cylinders are played, Ma Blushin' Rosie and Hello My Baby both of which came out around 1900. Anyway a big annual event in this town is when five of the big movers and shakers of the community get together for a big no holds barred poker game. The big five are Jason Robards, Jr., Charles Bickford, Kevin McCarthy, Robert Middleton, and John Qualen.

After the game gets going with the whole town just hanging on word of every hand, a very tired trio of pilgrims, Henry Fonda, Joanne Woodward, and their child Gerald Michenaud arrive in town. They are a sorry trio, especially Fonda who would be a candidate for Gamblers Anonymous if such a thing existed in 1900. Fonda just asks if he could watch, kind of like Arthur O'Connell who hasn't got the price of favors at the bordello in There Was A Crooked Man, but the madam allows him a little fun at the keyhole for old time's sake.

Kevin McCarthy is the one who takes pity on him and in fact this is the first but not the last time he shows gallantry as a true Southern gentleman.

A Big Hand For The Little Lady is a film that's almost impossible to write about without giving away anything. I absolutely dare not go any further in talking about it.

But what A Big Hand For The Little Lady is is that it is a really original idea for a western comedy that I defy anyone to watch without enjoying it. It's not got the rough house type humor that Burt Kennedy or John Ford do in their films, but there are laughs a plenty.

This film turned out to be the farewell appearance on the big screen for Charles Bickford one of the best and most durable character actors the screen ever saw. He's kind of subdued in the film, my guess is that health problems were starting to overtake him. Still he fits the gruff part he has perfectly.

It's a fine film with a surprise twist that beats all.

Not that 7.5/10 is a horrible fan average, but this here is a whole lot better than most if not every single similar contorted film that is heralded as an absolute classic.

Why, this should be way up there at the top. It's got every ingredient needed, and is really superbly constructed, down to the little details in dialog, acting and plot.

All actors are superb in their respective, various and well defined roles. The gorgeous, warm Joanne Woodward in particular does superbly well, because it really was no easy task on paper reading the story.

While, as often, the film starts seemingly a little slow, as soon as we're introduced to the main characters it's nonstop, meaningful, captivating to the very last scene action.

Great ending too...

Top notch cinema. 8.5/10.

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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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.