Directed by William A. Seiter and produced by Frank Ross (Jean Arthur’s husband), A Lady Takes a Chance is a charming romantic comedy that pairs city sophistication with cowboy grit. Released by RKO Radio Pictures, it stars Jean Arthur and John Wayne in a light-hearted tale of unexpected love on the American frontier.
Plot Summary
Molly J. Truesdale (Jean Arthur), a New York working woman, escapes her three overbearing suitors by joining a 14-day bus tour of the American West. At a rodeo, she literally collides with Duke Hudkins (John Wayne), a rugged cowboy thrown from a bucking bronco—right into her lap.
Their flirtation begins with a beer and a lucky gambling streak, but Molly soon finds herself stranded in a rodeo town with no hotel rooms. Duke offers her his room, but his intentions seem less than gentlemanly. Despite warnings from Duke’s friend Waco (Charles Winninger) that Duke isn’t the marrying kind, Molly falls for him. After a series of misadventures—including a night camping outdoors and a horse catching pneumonia—Molly returns to New York, only to be surprised when Duke shows up to win her back.
Cast Highlights
- Jean Arthur as Molly J. Truesdale
- John Wayne as Duke Hudkins
- Charles Winninger as Waco
- Phil Silvers, Hans Conried, and Grady Sutton as Molly’s New York suitors
- Mary Field as Florrie Bendix
Behind-the-Scenes Trivia
- The film was released the same year John Wayne entered a turbulent marriage to Esperanza “Chata” Baur, his second wife
- Jean Arthur’s comedic timing is widely credited for the film’s success, more so than her chemistry with Wayne
- The drink Molly orders—Cactus Milk—is a fictional concoction made with tequila, triple sec, gin, and cactus juice
- Wayne’s character name, Duke, mirrors his real-life nickname, which he earned as a boy thanks to his dog named Duke
- The film had a $250,000 advertising budget, one of the largest at the time
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