A Lady Takes a Chance (1943)

Jean Arthur is Molly J. Truesdale, who escapes three overbearing suitors in New York City to take a bus tour offering 14 breathless days of vacation.

Trying to get a closeup photo at a rodeo, she winds up breathless alright.

That’s because a bucking bronc bucks rodeo rider Duke Hudkins (John Wayne) right on top of her.

Once she regains her breath, Molly tracks him down for an autograph. Duke asks for an autograph as well, but merely as a means of introduction before whisking her off to a bar.

Next thing you know, Molly has missed her bus and is stuck in a rodeo town where all the hotels are booked up.

Duke offers her his room for the night. But then he shows up with a bottle of booze and two glasses, convincing Molly his intentions aren’t exactly pure.

So they part ways, only to be drawn back together as she begins to fall for the young man, in spite of warnings from his older partner Waco that she’s “barking up the wrong cowboy” if marital bliss is her intention.

John Wayne as rodeo rider Duke Hudkins, concerned about his sick horse Sammy in A Lady Takes a Chance (1943)

Jean Arthur as Molly J. Truesdale, as her 14-day vacation begins to turn truly breathless in A Lady Takes a Chance (1943)

Review:

The film works, but more because of Jean Arthur’s comedic abilities than any sort of chemistry between her and Wayne.

Highlights include her hitchhiking “It Happened One Night” style and still winding up in Duke’s car, her fretful night sleeping in the wild with the cowboys and her fake sneezes as she attempts to get as much attention from Duke as he pays to his horse.

Wayne’s best moment comes when he’s kiss drunk after a romantic dinner Molly cooks for him. She slips an apron around his broad shoulders so they can wash the dishes.

Until Duke sees his reflection in the mirror, rips off the apron, tosses it aside and proclaims he’s a cowboy who can’t be lassoed.

The film was produced by Jean Arthur’s husband Frank Ross and, ironically, released the same year Wayne entered a turbulant marriage to Esperanza “Chata” Baur, the second of his three wives.

Charles Winninger as Waco, warning Molly about Duke in A Lady Takes a Chance (1943)

Hans Conried as Gregg Stone, Grant Withers as Bob Hastings and Grady Sutton as Malcolm Scott, Molly’s New York suitors in A Lady Takes a Chance (1943)Jean Arthur as Molly J. Truesdale finds herself in the arms of a cowboy named Duke Hudkins (John Wayne) in A Lady Takes a Chance (1943)

Directed by:
William Seiter

Cast:
Jean Arthur … Molly J. Truesdale
John Wayne … Duke Hudkins
Charles Winninger … Waco
Phil Silvers … Smiley Lambert
Mary Field … Florrie Bendix
Grady Sutton … Malcolm Soctt
Jean Stevens … Jitterbug
Grant Withers … Bob Hastings
Hans Conried … Gregg Stone
Ariel Heath … Flossie
Sugar Geise … Linda Belle
Joan Blair … Lilly
Tom Fadden … Mullen
Nina Quartero … Carmencita

Also with: Don Costello, John Philliber, Alex Melesh, Cy Kendall, Paul Scott, Charles D. Brown, Billy Lenhart and Kenneth Brown (as Butch and Buddy), The Three Peppers

Runtime: 86 min.

aka: The Cowboy and the Girl

Phil Silvers as tour leader Smiley Lamberrt and Mary Field as tourist Florrie Bendix in A Lady Takes a Chance (1943)

John Wayne as Duke Hudkins and Jean Arthur as Molly J. Truesdale, not realizing she’s missed her bus in A Lady Takes a Chance (1943)

Memorable lines:

Florrie Bendix, after watching Bob, Greg and Malcolm fawn over Molly: “Honey, do you mind if I ask you a question? What are you going away for?”

Molly, having just gotten Duke Hudkins’ autograph: “Thank you very much, Mr. Hudkins. I don’t get sat on every day.”
Duke, chasing her down: “Hey, lady, do you want to sign my program? I don’t sit on people every day.”
And then they’re off to have a beer together.
Molly: “Isn’t it funny what can happen? Just because somebody sits on somebody.”

Duke Hudkins, catching up with Molly after she’s stomped out of the bar because of all the other pretty girls flocking around him: “When I take a girl places, it’s kinda unusual she don’t have a good time.”

Molly J. Truesdale, talking about her bus ride west: “You don’t know how big this country is until you’ve got to cross it in a sitting position.”

Bus station attendant, after Molly misses her bus: “Good night, lady. Ya got hay on ya.”
Molly, realizing she’s missed her buss and will have to miss out on seeing the next set of attractions: “Oh, jeepers. You just don’t know, Duke, how I’ve been counting on the Waterfalls of Seven Delights.”
Duke: “They ain’t anything.”
Molly: “But when you haven’t even seen a waterfall with one delight …”

Waco: “You’re a fine gal, but if you don’t watch out, you’re gonna get your heart broke. Love is the best thing there is, I guess. But you’re barking up the wrong cowboy.”
Molly: “Any fella that can love a horse can love a girl.”
Waco: “Betcha.”
Molly: “Betcha.”

Waco, warning Duke about Molly: “Remember what you told me about women? They’re like socks. You gotta change ’em regular.”

Jean Arthur as Molly J. Truesdale, about to snap a photo that takes her vacation on an unexpected detour in A Lady Takes a Chance (1943)

Jean Arthur as Molly J. Truesdale, reacting to her first drink of cactus milk in A Lady Takes a Chance (1943)

John Wayne as Duke Hudkins has an unexpected reaction to Molly’s dessert in A Lady Takes a Chance (1943)

Jean Arthur as Molly J. Truesdale finds herself in the arms of a cowboy named Duke Hudkins (John Wayne) in A Lady Takes a Chance (1943)