Apple Annie is an indigent woman who has always written to her daughter in Spain telling her that she is a member of New York's high society. Suddenly, her daughter is on her way to America with her new fiancé and his father, a member of Spain's aristocracy. Annie must continue her pretense of wealth or the count will not give his blessing for the marriage. She gets unexpected help from Dave the Dude. He is a well-known figure in underground circles who considers Annie his good luck charm. He obtains a luxury apartment for her to entertain the visitors. This uncharacteristic act of kindness from a man with a disreputable reputation arouses suspicions? The plan leads to complications that further cause things to not always go quite as planned.
The premise of this film depends on a slight fantasy view of Depression-era urban America. Was there really an affection for gamblers, hustlers and other skid-row city dwellers? At the core of the story is the idea that an illusion must be made into a reality. Apple Annie is a poverty-stricken apple seller and her dignity may not amount to much in the grand scheme of things? Gambler Dave is superstitious and he never lays down a bet without first buying one of Annie’s apples. That history is worth setting in motion a chain of events that will eventually require the participation of people in high offices? 3* (I liked this movie)
96 min, Comedy directed by Frank Capra and written by Robert Riskin, Damon Runyon with Warren William, May Robson, Guy Kibbee, Glenda Farrell, Ned Sparks, Walter Connolly, Jean Parker, Nat Pendleton, Barry Norton.
Note: Imdb 7.4* out of 10* with 3830 reviews, Rotten Tomatoes 100% with 13 critic reviews, 79% with 500+ audience scores, Letterboxd 3.5* out of 5*, Slant Magazine 3* to of 5* Jaime N. Christley, Amazon 4.4* out of 5* with 78 reviews.
Special Note: A number of beggars in downtown Los Angeles were cast in small roles. This includes a legless man nicknamed William F. Sauls. Capra remembered seeing him selling pencils when the director was a paperboy. Capra was nominated for his first Best Director Oscar in 1934 for his work on this movie. Presenter Will Rogers just opened the envelope and said come and get it, Frank! Already halfway to the stage, Capra realized that Rogers wasn't referring to him but to Frank Lloyd and he was getting the award for Cavalcade (1933). Capra would later remake this film as Pocketful of Miracles (1961) and it was his final film.
Mistakes: While Dave the Dude's gang waits inside Missouri Martin's nightclub, Happy McGuire and Dave stand outside. They are informed about the presence of the police. Behind them on the left side of the double doors there is a "Closed" sign but the sign is gone when the interior shot has the two men entering the club? The position of the pool/billiard balls changes between shots in both the pool hall scene and the billiard room scene. Half the contents of Apple Annie's liquor bottle disappears between gulps while she reads the letter she wrote to her daughter.
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