Mr. Lucky

A gambler (Cary Grant) cons an heiress (Laraine Day), then has second thoughts.

Mr. Lucky may have a fairly trite script, but if you look past it, you may find one of Cary Grant’s finest performances. No, I’m not talking about the lame bit where he realizes love is stronger than greed and has a change of heart; rather I’m referring to the terrific monologue he delivers to Laraine Day, where he recounts his childhood and the hardships he endured growing up. If ever we saw a glimpse of Archibald Leech in one of Cary Grant’s performances, this was it.

The rest of movie is pretty routine, with Grant’s seemingly effortless charisma carrying a by-the-numbers plot along. Still, for Grant fans that one scene makes this a must-see.