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ERA
Did you know
60 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
A Big Hand for the Little Lady
"All the action you can take...all the adventure you can wish for!"
1966 1h 35m EN
👍
7.1
SOLID
★7.1TMDB · 87
Western
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
A naive traveler in Laredo gets involved in a poker game between the richest men in the area, jeopardizing all the money he has saved for the purpose of settling with his wife and child in San Antonio.
“All the action you can take...all the adventure you can wish for!”
Cast
Henry Fonda
Meredith
Joanne Woodward
Mary
Jason Robards
Henry Drummond
Paul Ford
C.P. Ballinger
Charles Bickford
Benson Tropp
Burgess Meredith
Doc Scully
Kevin McCarthy
Otto Habershaw
Robert Middleton
Dennis Wilcox
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Fielder Cook
- Writers
- Sidney Carroll
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Fielder Cook, shot by Lee Garmes. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by David Raksin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor George R. Rohrs shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Henry Fonda and Joanne Woodward and Jason Robards carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "All the action you can take...all the adventure you can wish for!".
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt0060165 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
WILD
Did you know
Only 87 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Fielder Cook directs. Lee Garmes behind the camera. David Raksin scores. George R. Rohrs cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 160 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
- 2Directed by Fielder Cook, shot by Lee Garmes. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 3Original score by David Raksin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 4Editor George R. Rohrs shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 5Henry Fonda and Joanne Woodward and Jason Robards carry the top of the cast.
- 6Marketing tagline: "All the action you can take...all the adventure you can wish for!".
- 7IMDB entry: tt0060165 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 8Only 87 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Lee Garmes
- Original score
- David Raksin
- Editing
- George R. Rohrs
- Production design
- Robert S. Smith
- Makeup / hair
- Jean Burt Reilly
- Runtime
- 95 min · 1h 35m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- NR
Also by
Fielder Cook
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Community reviews
What people are saying
- John Chard★ 7/10
On The Poker Wagon! Big Deal at Dodge City (AKA: A Big Hand for the Little Lady) is directed by Fielder Cook and written by Sidney Carroll. It stars Joanne Woodward, Henry Fonda, Paul Ford, Jason Robards, Charles Bickford, Kevin McCarthy, Paul Ford and Burgess Meredith. Music is by David Raksin and cinematography by Lee Garmes. Utterly delightful, though that statement is on proviso you be watching this film for the first time. For this be a comedy - cum - semi drama Western that relies on its finale to reward you for your time spent with such a splendid ensemble of actors. We are in the tin-pot town of Black Creek and there's a high stakes poker game in progress. Wandering into Black Creek are husband and wife Meredith (Fonda) and Mary (Woodward), who with their young son in tow are just stopping by before settling down with some acres to bear life fruition. Only there's a problem, Meredith loves poker and catching wind of such a high stakes poker game thriving in the back of the saloon, he is prepared to bet the family nest egg as the gambling fever takes a hold... Okies, so it really helps if you have a modicum of interest in card playing movies, because 90% of this pic is about the game being played, with director (and producer) Cook keeping things very intimate, close and personal, and sweaty. Yet the various characterisations that unfold during this card game, the foibles and ugly traits, not only make for an interesting observation of the human condition, but it's also very funny. Sarcastically, cynically or wry? Whatever! Cast are tried and tested and on form, helped enormously by a clever screenplay. Yep! There's the feeling that things have been padded out to make it a feature length production, but such is the strong ensemble of thesps on show it's barely an itch that needs scratching. Come "that" finale - you cheeky old devil you - it matters not, cheer or laugh, moan or groan, whichever is your want, it's a pic that has drawn you in hook, line and sinker. 7/10
- Wuchak★ 7/10
Amusing Western focusing on a high-stakes poker game in Laredo, 1896 This was based on a 1962 television play, and I was wondering how it could maintain one’s interest as a feature film. The ensemble cast is entertaining with Kevin McCarthy standing out as one of the gamblers and only Jason Robards hamming it up a little too much on a couple of occasions. On the feminine front, Joanne Woodward is effective and attractive. I’d say more, but it’s best to view this without knowing too many details. It runs 1h 35m and was shot in the heart of summer 1965 with exteriors done in Flagstaff, Arizona, and interiors done at Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank in Los Angeles County. GRADE: B
Production companies
Who made it
- ED
Eden Productions Inc.
Warner Bros. Pictures
US
Key crew
- ProducerFielder Cook
- EditorGeorge R. Rohrs
- Set DecorationRalph S. Hurst
- Production DesignRobert S. Smith
- Hair SupervisorJean Burt Reilly
- Associate ProducerJoel Freeman
- ConductorDavid Raksin
- Assistant DirectorJoseph E. Kenney
- Makeup SupervisorGordon Bau
- SoundEverett A. Hughes
- StuntsBoyd Stockman
- Title DesignerWayne Fitzgerald
- StuntsRoydon Clark
- HairstylistJean Burt Reilly
- Production SupervisorJoel Freeman
- Production IllustratorJoseph Musso
- Set DesignerWard Preston
- OrchestratorEdward B. Powell
- MusicianEmil Richards
- MusicianLouise Di Tullio
- Scoring MixerDan Wallin
- Script SupervisorDoris DeHerdt
- Dialogue CoachNorman Stuart
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- poker game
Release history · US
When it landed
- Premiere1966-05-31NR· Houston, Texas
- Theatrical1966-06-08NR
Also known as
International titles
- Gros coup à Dodge CityFR
- Full hand i Dodge CitySE
- Todos contra umPT
- Big Deal at Dodge CityGB
- La Ultima JugadaCL
