A Big Hand for the Little Lady **** (1966, Henry Fonda, Joanne Woodward, Jason Robards, Paul Ford, Kevin McCarthy, Charles Bickford, Burgess Meredith) – Classic Movie Review 9,829

Let’s give a big hand for the entertaining The Sting-style Technicolor comedy Western film A Big Hand for the Little Lady, in which a family of con merchants take on a handful of wealthy gamblers at a game of poker.

Director Fielder Cook’s 1966 A Big Hand for the Little Lady [Big Deal at Dodge City] is based on the 1962 NBC TV play Big Deal at Laredo by Sidney Carroll, and stars Henry Fonda, Joanne Woodward, Jason Robards, Paul Ford, Kevin McCarthy, Charles Bickford and Burgess Meredith.

Let’s give a big hand for this entertaining The Sting-style Technicolor comedy Western film, in which a family of con merchants take on a handful of wealthy gamblers at a game of poker.

Writer Sidney Carroll retells a winning shaggy dog story from his American television play, and it has got the right star players in Henry Fonda and Joanne Woodward as a gambling married couple (Meredith and Mary) plus Jason Robards, Kevin McCarthy and Charles Bickford as the local card players.

The lovely supporting performances of scene-stealers Paul Ford, Burgess Meredith, Robert Middleton and John Qualen complete a full deck.

A Big Hand for the Little Lady is taut and lively and not one bit overextended, with a running time of just 95 minutes, and director Cook, re-creating his TV show, surely keeps the suspense on the burner right up to the twist finish.

In short, A Big Hand for the Little Lady is winning hand.

It was amusingly retitled Big Deal at Dodge City in Britain, which would be even more amusing if they weren’t ignoring the fact that it happens at Laredo!

James Berwick [billed under his real name as James Kenny] reprises his TV role of barman Sam Rhine.

Also in the classy cast are Allen Collins, Jim Boles, Virginia Gregg, Chester Conklin, Mae Clarke, Ned Glass, James Griffith, Noah Keen and Milton Selzer.

The $20,500 pot in 1880 is worth about $520,000 in 2020.

The  final film of Charles Bickford and Chester Conklin.

The NBC TV play Big Deal in Laredo, which aired on The DuPont Show of the Week in 1962, starred Walter Matthau in Fonda’s role as Meredith. Fielder Cook was a 1963 nominee for a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Drama for the episode Big Deal in Laredo of The DuPont Show of the Week. He is the winner of three Primetime Emmys.

A Big Hand for the Little Lady [Big Deal at Dodge City] is directed by Fielder Cook, runs 95 minutes, is made by Eden Productions Inc, is distributed by Warner Brosi, s written by Sidney Carroll, based on the teleplay Big Deal in Laredo by Sidney Carroll, is produced by Fielder Cook, is shot in Technicolor by Lee Garmes, and is scored by David Raksin.

Release date: May 31, 1966.

The cast are Henry Fonda as Meredith/ Benny, Joanne Woodward as Mary/ Ruby, Jason Robards as Henry P G Drummond, Paul Ford as C P Ballinger, Charles Bickford as Benson Tropp, Burgess Meredith as Doc Joseph Scully, Kevin McCarthy as Otto Habershaw, Robert Middleton as Dennis Wilcox, John Qualen as Jesse Buford, Percy Helton as Kevin McKenzie, Jean-Michel Michenaud [Gerald Michenaud] as Jackie, James Berwick [James Kenny] as Sam Rhine, Allen Collins as Toby, Jim Boles as Pete, Virginia Gregg as Mrs Drummond, Chester Conklin as Old Man in Saloon, Mae Clarke as Mrs Craig, Ned Glass as Owney Price, James Griffith as Mr Stribling, Noah Keen as Sparro and Milton Selzer as Fleeson.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9,829

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