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Why did Frank Capra retire after Pocketful of Miracles?
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Frank Capra
(From left) Unidentified, Gary Cooper, and Frank Capra on the set of Mr. Deeds Goes to Town.
Frank Capra chose to retire following the release of Pocketful of Miracles (1961) because he felt unable to adapt to the changing landscape of the post-studio-system era of filmmaking.1
As noted in his autobiography, The Name Above the Title (1971), this decision followed the commercial disappointment of the film, which failed to recoup its production costs. While Pocketful of Miracles was a remake of his earlier success Lady for a Day (1933), it did not achieve the same reception.12