Customer Reviews

Lady Takes a Chance [VHS]

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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 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 in love with her, too...nearly as much as he loves his horse!

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!

This is far from Jean Arthur's classic comedies of the late 1930s and the early 40s, but she's as charming as ever. John Wayne is also surprisingly good as the romantic leading man, but the film is a showcase for Jean Arthur's talents from beginning to end (it was produced by her husband).

The DVD, however, is terrible. Its watchable, but you feel like you're watching the film on 1980s VHS, late night TV or one of those cheap public domain DVDs. The image is very soft, there are visible scratches and the sound is very bad. Still, I doubt that Criterion will ever pick a film like this one, so if you like 1940s romantic comedies, and Jean Arthur in particular, you should "take a chance" on this one.

An unusual wartime comedy-romance, starring the ever-delectable Jean Arthur as a big-city girl who takes a bus tour out West to see some of the world, and gets a real eyeful when she hooks up with John Wayne, a lanky, laconic cowboy who's rambling around on the rodeo circuit. The script is fairly minimal, and many scenes even seem improvised, but what's remarkable is the underlying sexual frankness of the film -- the two meet by accident, and are inexorably drawn together by sheer sexual chemistry. When they finally give in and go out on a real date, they have nothing to say to each other -- the attraction is purely physical. Certain scenes, such as when he invites her up to his hotel room, offers her a drink, and bed to bunk in, are surprisingly raw, at least for the time. Arthur and Wayne also seem to have chemistry together -- in fact, this is the only film in which I've seen him play opposite a gal when the sizzle seemed real... It's a funny film with an offbeat sense of humor, one that's worth seeing particularly if your a fan of Jean Arthur's work... She's about as cute as ever in this one!

A LADY TAKES A CHANCE stars Jean Arthur as Molly Truesdale, a young and hip Eastern American woman tired of all her suitors. To escape from them for a spell, she takes a bus-tour west to see America. While out west she literally bumps into Duke Hudkins (John Wayne) at a rodeo. They end up spending the rest of the day together and most of the evening and Molly ends up missing her bus. Duke takes her to the city where she can catch it for the ride home.

Though this is a pretty typical boy-meets-girl movie, there are a lot of elequant touches that make it stand out above the rest. Besides, it's enjoyable watching the Duke play a role so different from the ones he was to become famous for. Jean Arthur is just adorable and makes a grand lady that is at first pursued, but then becomes the pursuer. As a bonus, Phil Silvers has a small role as the bus tour guide. Not only will Wayne fans and oldies fans like this movie, but it makes for a great date picture.

I am a BIG John Wayne fan. I was surprised at how good it was. It is not your "normal" Wayne movie. In this one Jean Arth;ur plays the part of Molly Trousdale. She sets out from New York on a cross-country bus tour, because she wants to see America. When she gets out West she runs into Duke Hutkins (John Wayne), who is competing in a rodeo. Duke assumes she's just another pretty girl who wants to be with a rodeo star. But she is a lady who won't be roped easly. They keep meeting throughout the rest of the movie, with Duke following her to New York, (where she has three other men who love her), to win her back and takes her back out west. Needless to say, I liked the movie and give it 4 stars.

Russ
Posted 02/23/2008

I've watched this movie at least a dozen times. Fine romance! My gosh he was a sexy young man! GREAT chemistry between him and Jean Arthur. Thoroughly enjoyable!

Molly Trousdale (Jean Arthur) is a big city girl with an awful lot going for her. She evidently had a pretty good job and three guys (Malcom, Greg and Bob) vying for her affections. But for Molly something is definitely missing. Maybe that is why she has decided to embark on a two week vacation out West. The poster at the bus station in her hometown of New York City promises "Romance and Adventure: 14 Breathless Days In the West". And all for only $137.50. Perhaps Molly thought that a change of scenery would do her some good. But Molly Trousdale would get a whole lot more than she ever bargained for on this trip. "A Lady Takes A Chance" is producer Frank Ross' (Jean Arthur's husband at the time) relatively obscure 1943 film that also stars John Wayne in a most unusual role as cowboy bachelor Duke Hutkins. This is a flick I had never even heard of until i came across it online just a few weeks ago.

One of the stops on Molly's itinerary is a Championship rodeo. She is quite taken by the sights and sounds of this event and is determined to get some great photos of her experience to share with the folks back home. As she prepares to snap her next photo her subject is abruptly thrown from his animal and lands in the stands right on top of Molly! A more unusual introduction you will never see and hilarious to boot! Duke asks if the young lady is OK then tips his hat and jumps back into the ring. But when the competition is over Molly goes out of her way to find Duke and asks him for his autograph as another momento of her trip. He is more than happy to oblige and it quickly becomes apparent that Duke is quite smitten by the charming young lady from back East. He had never met anyone quite like her. Furthermore, it also becomes clear that the feeling is mutual when Duke asks Molly out for a drink and she confides "nothing like this was included in my all expenses paid package." But Molly will quickly learn that Duke could be a handful. He is a confirmed bachelor and a man used to having his own way with the ladies. Molly was having none of it. Furthermore, Duke lies about the time and causes Molly to miss her tour bus. It would appear that the two of them would have nothing more to discuss.

But the simple fact of the matter was that Molly was a single girl in a strange town. She had very few options open to her. If she was lucky she could catch up with her bus for the return trip to New York in about a week. Molly does her best to avoid Duke but it seems that destiny has other ideas. She winds up hitching a ride with Duke and his trusty old sidekick Waco (Charles Winninger). They are headed for a town called Gold City when they are forced to bed down for the night in the middle of the desert. This would be an entirely new experience for the clueless city girl and when she got cold Molly steals the blanket off the back of Duke's beloved horse Sammy. When the sun rose the next morning it was clear that Sammy was very sick and if pneumonia had set in he would have to be put down. It would be touch and go all day long at the vets but the incident had a profound effect on Molly. She tells Waco "He is the most unusual fella I have ever met. He certainly is the right fella for the right girl. Any fella who can love a horse can love a girl." Now Molly puts on a full court press to win her man. She invites him to her cabin and cooks him a great dinner. Everything is perfect and I was certain she was going to seal the deal. But unfortunately this evening will not end the way Molly had hoped. Still one gets the feeling that it is only a matter of time..........

So there you have it. "A Lady Takes A Chance" is a romantic comedy with a definite western flair. There is magnificent chemistry between John Wayne and Jean Arthur that I simply never would have expected. I am a huge Jean Arthur fan and she was great but John Wayne reveals a side of him in this film that I have never seen before. I purchased this film a couple of weeks ago and have already watched it three times. It is an unexpected treat. Highly recommended!

Lot's of fun, Well made, and Wayne is really in his youthful prime. Jean Arthur is perfectly in her element. This is the kind of film that fills you with a high regard for the players and the style of the production. Plus, there's a black trio in a cantina that plays incredible music. That sequence alone is worth the price of this DVD. That sequence should be put up on youtube. God knows who these great guys are....but it just reminds you of how much talent came to Hollywood. This is good stuff.

The fun of this fluffy movie was watching John Wayne out of his usual role. He was very good. Jean Arthur is always a delight. The last line was almost worth the whole movie and was the best line. Recommended only for fans of Wayne, Arthur or oldies.

This is a real forgotten gem from the golden days of Hollywood romances. Jean Arthur, as always, is delightful as a city gal that decides to escape her three annoying suitors by taking a bus trip out West. There she accidentally meets John Wayne while taking pictures at a rodeo. Wayne is very low-key but effective in his role as an old fashioned western rodeo rider who eventually falls for Jean Arthur though he keeps telling himself that he's not cut out for marriage. The romantic chemistry bewteen Wayne and Arthur, though not as magical as that with Jimmy Stewart in the Frank Capra classics Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and You Can't Take it With You, is nonetheless very nice.

Phil Silvers, in a very early role, adds some nice comedy as the overbearing tour guide on the bus.

Overall, a very entertaining romantic comedy that works well and is another reminder of how Hollywood used to make movies before immorality and profanity took hold in the late 1950's and 60's. They just don't make-em like this anymore