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was found in Mimi's closet. When her husband Samuel learns why the busboy had broken into their home, he takes pity on him and drops the charges. Gloria finally realizes the sacrifices Pinks made for her, and he lifts her in his arms so they can dance. Gloria tells Pinks she wants to see the ocean,
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When Pinks' friend
Violette Shumberg marries Nicely Nicely Johnson and the couple moves to Florida, Gloria orders Pinks to take her there to recuperate, and he pushes her to Miami in her wheelchair. There she reunites with an old lover, Decatur, who loses interest in her when he discovers she is an
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Despondent, Gloria confesses she longs to spend one last night in a gown bedecked with jewels. When Pinks sees socialite Mimi Venus wearing one, he breaks into her home, where he overhears her being blackmailed by one of Case's thugs, who is threatening to publicize her infidelity unless she gives
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The film focuses on busboy
Augustus Pinkerton II, known as Little Pinks, and his relationship with a pretty but cold-hearted singer, Gloria Lyons, who is crippled in a fall after her boyfriend, New York City nightclub owner Case Ables, knocks her down a flight of stairs in a fit of jealousy. Left
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called the film "smartly paced and colorful" and "crisply directed" but thought "in deviating occasionally from the plot's general comedy lines, the film over-dramatizes some none too plausible situations with an effect which is sometimes maudlin." He noted that Henry Fonda made "an acutely
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wrote that screenwriter
Spigelgass did "a neat job of transferring the spirit of the piece to the screen, studding it with typical Runyon humor," and felt that Ball " through with high laurels" and Henry Fonda was "at his best."
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wrote that it "captures much of low-life spirit and colorful vernacular, but occasionally spoils it all by wallowing in unnecessary sentimentality," and added, "Ball, in a rare straight role, is stunning."
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him her jewelry. Pinks disguises himself and retrieves the gems from the thief, then tells Case he will report him to the police unless he agrees to host a party with Gloria as the guest of honor.
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penniless by the expenses she incurs during a long convalescence, Gloria is forced to rely on the kindness of Pinks, who invites her to stay with him in his apartment.
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released the film on Region 1 DVD on June 19, 2007. It has an audio track in
English with subtitles in English and French. Bonus features included the animated short
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invalid. Angry, she lashes out at Pinks, who leaves her and finds work as a busboy in a club owned by Case, only to return when
Violette tells him Gloria is ill.
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in the lead roles, but neither one was interested in the project. Lombard suggested the producer consider her friend
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was a nickname for
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frequently lingered on the set. Despite these obstacles, Ball considered the film her favorite.
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Filming did not go smoothly for the actress. Director Irving Reis was a novice, and co-star
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Twenty-six years later, Henry Fonda and
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then dies. Undaunted, he carries her up the stairs to fulfill her final request.
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The character of Nicely Nicely
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sympathetic hero opposite Miss Ball's able portrayal of the singer."
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On the night of the party, the police arrest Pinks, whose
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played the part in the subsequent 1955 film version).
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464:provides comic relief in the role of Horsethief in
389:executives to hire a better-known actress, such as
239:, based on the 1940 short story "Little Pinks" by
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747:The Big Street review at Family Friendly Movies
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431:. The character later reprises the song with
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619:The Lurid History of Broadway in the 1920s
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373:Damon Runyon originally wanted to cast
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608:film review; August 8, 1942, page 128.
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594:film review; August 5, 1942, page 27.
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1044:Films based on works by Damon Runyon
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273:Lucille Ball in the film's trailer
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419:The vocals for "Who Knows?" by
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1009:Films directed by Irving Reis
569:"The Big Street: Detail View"
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187: (Premiere-New York City)
1039:English-language drama films
1029:1940s English-language films
1004:Films based on short fiction
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617:1920s Fashion & Music,
497:comedic television series.
385:and, despite pressure from
168:September 4, 1942
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571:. American Film Institute
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16:1942 film by Irving Reis
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339:as Colonel Samuel Venus
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852:A Date with the Falcon
547:and the musical short
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860:The Falcon Takes Over
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247:from a screenplay by
1034:1940s American films
989:American drama films
796:The Business of Love
505:The film critic for
488:Yours, Mine and Ours
327:as Violette Shumberg
287:Social Security card
924:Dancing in the Dark
227:is a 1942 American
152:RKO Radio Pictures
1024:RKO Pictures films
1019:Films set in Miami
782:Films directed by
729:TCM Movie Database
605:Harrison's Reports
508:The New York Times
501:Critical reception
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249:Leonard Spigelgass
142:RKO Radio Pictures
55:Leonard Spigelgass
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812:One Crowded Night
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241:Damon Runyon
237:Lucille Ball
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196:Running time
97:Lucille Ball
84:Damon Runyon
75:Damon Runyon
65:Little Pinks
64:
18:
908:Enchantment
900:All My Sons
784:Irving Reis
544:The Hep Cat
494:I Love Lucy
458:Stubby Kaye
456:, in which
421:Harry Revel
406:Henry Fonda
395:Jean Arthur
361:Vera Gordon
349:Ray Collins
301:Henry Fonda
245:Irving Reis
233:Henry Fonda
176: (U.S.)
93:Henry Fonda
81:Produced by
45:Irving Reis
41:Directed by
979:1942 films
973:Categories
948:New Mexico
555:References
534:Home media
462:Sam Levene
414:Desi Arnaz
369:Production
355:Sam Levene
229:drama film
200:88 minutes
183:1942-08-13
172:1942-09-04
134:Production
575:April 14,
448:starring
425:Manhattan
231:starring
113:Edited by
884:Crack-Up
718:AllMovie
682:Archived
446:the film
213:Language
127:Roy Webb
123:Music by
89:Starring
61:Based on
738:at the
727:at the
663:Variety
591:Variety
517:Variety
216:English
205:Country
181: (
170: (
136:company
959:(1952)
951:(1951)
943:(1951)
935:(1951)
927:(1949)
919:(1949)
911:(1948)
903:(1948)
895:(1947)
887:(1946)
879:(1943)
871:(1942)
863:(1942)
855:(1942)
847:(1941)
839:(1941)
831:(1941)
823:(1940)
815:(1940)
807:(1932)
799:(1925)
679:review
665:review
651:review
71:(1940)
707:IMDb
577:2014
377:and
294:Cast
261:Plot
235:and
154:(US)
716:at
705:at
452:as
401:."
393:or
387:RKO
73:by
975::
626:^
551:.
399:Bs
251:.
775:e
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761:v
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185:)
174:)
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