A LADY TAKES A CHANCE

also known as THE COWBOY AND THE GIRL

DIRECTED BY WILLIAM A. SEITER and HENRY HATHAWAY-uncredited
MUSIC BY ROY WEBB
RKO RADIO PICTURES

369370371

INFORMATION FROM IMDb

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Robert Ardrey screenplay
Garson Kanin uncredited (unconfirmed)
Jo Swerling story

Full Cast
Jean Arthur .... Molly J. Truesdale
John Wayne .... Duke Hudkins
Charles Winninger .... Waco
Phil Silvers .... Smiley Lambert (bus tour director)
Mary Field .... Florrie Bendix
Don Costello .... Drunk
Jean Stevens .... 'Jitterbug' (as Peggy Carroll)
Joan Blair .... Lilly
Charles D. Brown .... Dr. G.W. Humboldt
Kenneth Brown .... Butch (as Butch and Buddy)
Hans Conried .... Gregg Stone
Tom Fadden .... Mullen
Sugar Geise .... Linda Belle (bargirl)
Ariel Heath .... Flossie
Cy Kendall .... Gambling house boss
Billy Lenhart .... Buddy (as Butch and Buddy)
Alex Melesh .... Bartender #1
John Philliber .... Storekeeper
Nina Quartero .... Carmencita (bargirl)
Paul Scott .... Bartender #2
Mysty Shot .... Sammy (horse)
Grady Sutton .... Malcolm Scott
Eddy Waller .... Bus station attendant
Grant Withers .... Bob (cabbie)
Polly Bailey .... Beggar Woman (uncredited)
Bobby Barber .... Bit (uncredited)
Benny Bartlett .... Henry (uncredited)
Hank Bell .... Mustached Gold City cowboy (uncredited)
Joseph E. Bernard .... Bit (uncredited)
Eddie Borden .... Poker Player (uncredited)
Fred Burns .... Team Driver (uncredited)
Lane Chandler .... Slim (uncredited)
Robert Cherry .... Hot Dog Vendor (uncredited)
J.W. Cody .... Indian Bellhop (uncredited)
Monte Collins .... Poker Player (uncredited)
Armand Cortes .... Al (uncredited)
Jack Daley .... Bit (uncredited)
Roy Darmour .... Bit (uncredited)
George DeNormand .... Truck Driver (uncredited)
Eddie Dew .... Cowboy (uncredited)
Bert Dillard .... Cowboy (uncredited)
Herbert Evans .... Butler (uncredited)
George Ford .... Wealthy Young Man (uncredited)
Bud Geary .... Gambler (uncredited)
Fred Graham .... Saloon brawler (uncredited)
Dorothy Granger .... Hot Dog Girl (uncredited)
Ralf Harolde .... Croupier (uncredited)
Warren Jackson .... Gambler (uncredited)
Ray Jones .... Saloon brawler (uncredited)
Donald Kerr .... Gambler (uncredited)
Mike Lally .... Bit (uncredited)
Robert McKenzie .... Poker Player (uncredited)
Dorcas McKim .... Mother (uncredited)
Frank Melton .... Otto (uncredited)
Patsy Moran .... Counter Girl (uncredited)
Horace Murphy .... Poker Player (uncredited)
Artie Ortego .... Saloon brawler (uncredited)
Jack O'Shea .... Gambler (uncredited)
Ronald R. Rondell .... Bit (uncredited)
Syd Saylor .... Poker Player (uncredited)
Harry Semels .... Greek (uncredited)
Clarence Straight .... Henry (uncredited)
Chalky Williams .... Bit (uncredited)

Produced by
Dick Ross .... associate producer (as Richard Ross)
Frank Ross .... producer

Stunts

George DeNormand .... stunt double (uncredited)
Bud Geary .... stunt double (uncredited)
Fred Graham .... stunt double (uncredited)

Memorable Quote

Waco: Remember what you told me? "Women is like socks... you gotta change 'em regular."

Hi,
This is a fun film to watch, and better than I thought it would be!
Duke is paired with Jean Arthur, who bring the best out of Duke,
and in this light comedy, he really excels.
With the right co-star, he proves how, good he can be at comedic roles, which
he would draw on, in later films.
It's a great little story, of girl-from the-East, meets boy-from-the West,
and they even get helped along, by Phil 'Bilko' Silvers, driving the bus,
that takes Jean Arthur, to her destiny!!!
Jean Arthur, who's husband Frank Ross, produced the film was excellent,
and had developed into one of Hollywood's finest comediennes.
Whilst Duke, was Duke was her co-star, the movie really belonged to her.

Author: Ben Burgraff (cariart) from Las Vegas, Nevada from IMDb
Jean Arthur sparkles in this wartime comedy, as Molly Truesdale, a sweet, pretty salesgirl overwhelmed by 3 overzealous suitors!
To get some peace and quiet, she takes a bus tour out west, a trip that sounded romantic in the travel brochures,*
but grows tedious, after monotonous days pass, and she has to fend off passes by the bus tour guide
(Phil Silvers, in one of his many terrific comic relief roles of the '40s)!
Truesdale finally decides to combat her 'cabin fever' on the bus by attending a rodeo.
She has a wonderful time, until one of the contestants literally falls into her lap!
As the two disentangle themselves, she gets a good look at Duke Hudkins (John Wayne), and it's love at first sight!
Duke is the suitor she'd always dreamed of; handsome, virile, and 'all-man',
and she begins a pursuit of the cowboy that is both uncharacteristic for her, and confusing for him!
Despite warnings from his best friend, Waco (Charles Winninger) that this girl was after more than just a night of partying*
and passion, Duke invites Molly out, and the innocent city girl experiences her first evening of carousing!*
When, at evening's end, she puts the brakes on his amorous advances, he discovers she's not just another 'groupie',
and that he's falling for her, too!
A romantic comedy of 'opposites' finding true love, 'A Lady Takes a Chance' benefits from the delightful performances*
of the two leads! Jean Arthur had a Meg Ryan-like quality of projecting both innocence and sexiness,*
and she makes Molly's transition from 'pursued' to 'pursuer' both believable, and understandable!*
John Wayne is equally good, sexy and easy-going, yet conveying Duke's confusion at the feelings he has for Molly,*
and his gradual realization that he'll have to 'take a chance', himself, to earn her love!
True, the tale follows your basic 'boy meets girl-boy loses girl-boy gets girl' scenario,*
but under the sure direction of pros William A. Seiter (who directed Astaire and Rogers in 'Roberta'
, and Shirley Temple, in 'Stowaway'), and Henry Hathaway (the legendary filmmaker who would direct Wayne's*
Oscar-winning performance in 'True Grit', 26 years later), the story has a freshness and charm that is unbeatable!
Whether you're a Wayne and Arthur fan, or you just love a romantic comedy with a happy ending, 'A Lady Takes a Chance'
will bring a smile!

The picture brought warmth and comedy, to war worn audiences,
and was successful, both with critics and the box office,
Rating 7/10

Don't know if I'm posting this in the right place, but does anyone know the name of the trio playing music in the salon in "A Lady Takes A Chance?"

Hi Harry00,

Thanks for your post,
which would be better placed, in the dedicated Movie Review,
I have moved it here and hopefully, we can answer your question!

Harry00

I thinkit was a group called The Three Peppers. They were quite famous apparently in the 1930s.Although not credited in the IMDB Fred Landesman credits them in his book.

Regards

Arthur

Hi all,
I watched this movie recently and enjoyed it greatly. And it is really funny light comedy.
Regards,
Senta :rolleyes:

A silly story, but fun to watch. The scene on the hay stack makes me think of Finnish films of the same era; romancing on hays is a must part of them - usually a city guy with an innocent country girl (and then the camera turns to take a view of the clear skies)

Hi

Not a bad film, quite entertaining and an attractive poster

Regards

Arthur

Arthur, is your poster a British poster?

The posters for which I have pictures are all different than the one you shared.

Here they are -

1934

This one is a 1950 re-issue -

1935

This last one is a re-issue from 1954. Note the movie title change - IMDb indicates this alternate title as "undefined" as to location (they show a number of alternate titles from other countries, listed under the heading "Also Known As").

1936

I'd been putting off watching this one, choosing instead to watch some other action/adventure movies that I had recently gotten. But finally I had no choice. And I watched it and it was better than I expected. My wife actually even stopped reading her book and watched some of it with me.

John always said that his fight at the end of The Spoilers was the greatest one that he ever did, but I think the fight early on in Lady takes a chance was right up there with it. It lacked the long, slow, intense build up of the spoilers fight, but for sheer dramatics, I thought it was really good.

All in all, not a bad film, though light and fluffy.