Pocketful of Miracles movie poster

Pocketful of Miracles


Pocketful of Miracles Trivia

  • This film was a remake of Lady for a Day, also directed by Frank Capra.
  • At one point, Apple Annie waves across the street to an unseen acquaintance called "Tallulah" who is opening in a play - an in-joke reference to Bette Davis' long-running feud with Tallulah Bankhead.
  • Before Bette Davis accepted the role, Shirley Booth was approached about playing Apple Annie. Booth viewed the original version of the film, Lady for a Day, and informed director Frank Capra that there was no way she could match the Oscar-nominated performance of May Robson in the original film, and politely declined the role.
  • The role of Apple Annie was offered to Helen Hayes who accepted it but finally couldn't do it when shooting was postponed.
  • A variation of "Polly Wolly Doodle" is sung by Bette Davis' (Apple Annie) crew towards the end of the film as they are riding in a cab to see Ann-Margret off on her honeymoon. The same song is played on the harmonica by Lionel Barrymore (and Edward Arnold) in You Can't Take It with You.
  • Ann-Margret's first film
  • Director Frank Capra wanted Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra to play Dave, and Shirley Jones for Queenie. After Glenn Ford was cast as Dave and helped finance the film through his production company, he asked for his girlfriend Hope Lange as Queenie.
  • This film contains perhaps the earliest Hollywood use of "godfather" as a synonym for mob boss. Some experts cite mob informer Joe Valachi as the originator of the term in the popular vernacular, but this film predates his 1963 congressional testimony by a couple of years.
  • Final film of Thomas Mitchell.
  • Average Shot Length (ASL) = 13 seconds
  • Final film of ''Snub Pollard.
  • Final film of Frank Capra.
  • Steve McQueen was once considered for playing Dave the Dude.