Penelope (1966 film)
Encyclopedia
Penelope is a 1966 comedy film
directed by Arthur Hiller
and starring Natalie Wood
, Ian Bannen
, Peter Falk
, Jonathan Winters
, and Dick Shawn
.
) is the wife of wealthy banker of James Elcott (Ian Bannen
). Feeling bored and tired of constantly being neglected by her husband, Penelope decides to disguise herself as an old woman and rob her husband's bank. While the police, including Lieutenant Horatio Bixbee (Peter Falk
) are in a frantic rush to get to the bank, Penelope manages to escape in a red wig and yellow suit. In the guise she donates some of the stolen money to a Salvation Army worker and donates the suit to a second hand thrift shop. As she drops off the suit, two cunning con artists Sabada (Lila Kedrova
) and her husband Ducky (Lou Jacobi
) immediately recognize the suit as an original designer outfit from Paris, and manage to purchase it for a mere $7. Meanwhile, Penelope visits her psychiatrist, Gregory, (Dick Shawn
) and tells him all about her latest criminal activities. At first he doesn't believe her, but then she shows him the money and he jumps in fright, telling Penelope she could go to jail if she is caught. He asks her how she was first introduced to stealing. Penelope tells him that it began in college (at which point we see a flashback), when a professor asked her to stay behind to discuss some mating customs of a non existent tribe. She quickly discovers that the professor was trying to rape her and after a comic chase scene, escapes the class wearing only her underwear. She notices that, during the chase, she had managed to steal an item ( a diamond set watch) of the Professor's, which she forgot to give back.
Then she remarked the next time she stole was during her wedding day (again we see a flashback) when she caught her maid of honour Mildred Halliday (Norma Crane
) kissing James. She steals Mildred's earrings and necklace. We also see flashbacks of Penelope stealing various items from different associates and work colleagues of James. Gregory comments that the reason she is stealing is because she is trying to attract attention from her distant husband. As Horatio begins to suspect that Penelope is responsible for robbing the bank, a young women, Honeysuckle Rose, is caught with the money and accused of being the thief. This is due to Gregory, who has confessed he has fallen for Penelope, agreeing to return the stolen money to the bank, but quickly leaves the money on the sidewalk as he hears police cars arriving.
Penelope confesses that she robbed the bank, and tries to clear the innocent woman's name, but Horatio and her husband don't believe her, thinking she is crazy. Ducky and Sabada pay a visit to Penelope's home, telling her they have proof that she robbed the bank, and blackmail her. However, Penelope is delighted, as this is the proof she needs to clear Honeysuckle's name.
As James returns home from work, Penelope asks Ducky and Sabada to show James the proof, however the two mystified con artists pretend that Penelope is mad and that they have been trying to sell her a dress.
Later that day, Penelope hosts a dinner party where she invites all the guests whom she has stolen from. She tries to return the stolen items to their owners, but all claim that they have never seen the items before. Penelope, confused and frightened, runs away. The following morning James is frantic with worry as Penelope has been missing all night. He finally realizes he has neglected her and begins to see her face everywhere he turns. Penelope yet again robs James' bank, but unlike the previous time, she is crying. James goes to Horatio begging him to find Penelope. Penelope herself goes to Horatio later with the stolen money proving to him that she did rob James bank, however she is not arrested, as Horatio knows James would not press charges against his own wife. Penelope goes to visit Gregory, and she tells him all that has happened and he explains that the reason the guests at the party denied ever recognizing the stolen items is because they would lose the insurance money they received from the theft. During their session Gregory breaks down and begs Penelope to run away with him. However, Penelope refuses, telling him she is cured. James suddenly arrives and the two reunite.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by Arthur Hiller
Arthur Hiller
Arthur Hiller, OC is a Canadian film director. His filmography includes 33 major studio releases, including the 1970 film Love Story...
and starring Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood, born Natalia Nikolaevna Zacharenko was an American film and television actress. After first working in films as a child, Wood became a successful Hollywood star as a young adult, receiving three Academy Award nominations before she was 25 years old.Wood began acting in movies at the...
, Ian Bannen
Ian Bannen
Ian Bannen was a Scottish character actor and occasional leading man.-Early life and career:Bannen was born in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, the son of Clare and John James Bannen, a lawyer. Bannen served in the British Army after attending St Aloysius' College, Glasgow and Ratcliffe College,...
, Peter Falk
Peter Falk
Peter Michael Falk was an American actor, best known for his role as Lieutenant Columbo in the television series Columbo...
, Jonathan Winters
Jonathan Winters
-Early life:Winters was born in Bellbrook, Ohio, the son of Alice Kilgore , a radio personality, and Jonathan Harshman Winters II, an investment broker. He is a descendant of Valentine Winters, founder of the Winters National Bank in Dayton, Ohio...
, and Dick Shawn
Dick Shawn
Dick Shawn was an American actor and comedian.-Early life and career:Shawn was born as Richard Schulefand in Buffalo, New York. He played Sylvester Marcus, son of Mrs. Marcus , in Stanley Kramer's It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and Lorenzo St...
.
Plot
Penelope Elcott (Natalie WoodNatalie Wood
Natalie Wood, born Natalia Nikolaevna Zacharenko was an American film and television actress. After first working in films as a child, Wood became a successful Hollywood star as a young adult, receiving three Academy Award nominations before she was 25 years old.Wood began acting in movies at the...
) is the wife of wealthy banker of James Elcott (Ian Bannen
Ian Bannen
Ian Bannen was a Scottish character actor and occasional leading man.-Early life and career:Bannen was born in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, the son of Clare and John James Bannen, a lawyer. Bannen served in the British Army after attending St Aloysius' College, Glasgow and Ratcliffe College,...
). Feeling bored and tired of constantly being neglected by her husband, Penelope decides to disguise herself as an old woman and rob her husband's bank. While the police, including Lieutenant Horatio Bixbee (Peter Falk
Peter Falk
Peter Michael Falk was an American actor, best known for his role as Lieutenant Columbo in the television series Columbo...
) are in a frantic rush to get to the bank, Penelope manages to escape in a red wig and yellow suit. In the guise she donates some of the stolen money to a Salvation Army worker and donates the suit to a second hand thrift shop. As she drops off the suit, two cunning con artists Sabada (Lila Kedrova
Lila Kedrova
Lila Kedrova was a Russian-born French actress.-Biography:Kedrova claimed to have been born in 1918, in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Her parents were Russian opera singers. Lila Kedrova's brother was Nikolay Kedrov, Jr...
) and her husband Ducky (Lou Jacobi
Lou Jacobi
Louis Harold "Lou" Jacobi was a Canadian character actor.-Life and career:Jacobi was born Louis Harold Jacobovitch in Toronto, Ontario to Joseph and Fay Jacobivitch...
) immediately recognize the suit as an original designer outfit from Paris, and manage to purchase it for a mere $7. Meanwhile, Penelope visits her psychiatrist, Gregory, (Dick Shawn
Dick Shawn
Dick Shawn was an American actor and comedian.-Early life and career:Shawn was born as Richard Schulefand in Buffalo, New York. He played Sylvester Marcus, son of Mrs. Marcus , in Stanley Kramer's It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and Lorenzo St...
) and tells him all about her latest criminal activities. At first he doesn't believe her, but then she shows him the money and he jumps in fright, telling Penelope she could go to jail if she is caught. He asks her how she was first introduced to stealing. Penelope tells him that it began in college (at which point we see a flashback), when a professor asked her to stay behind to discuss some mating customs of a non existent tribe. She quickly discovers that the professor was trying to rape her and after a comic chase scene, escapes the class wearing only her underwear. She notices that, during the chase, she had managed to steal an item ( a diamond set watch) of the Professor's, which she forgot to give back.
Then she remarked the next time she stole was during her wedding day (again we see a flashback) when she caught her maid of honour Mildred Halliday (Norma Crane
Norma Crane
Norma Crane was an actress of stage, film and television. Among her best known roles was that of Golde in the 1971 film adaptation of Fiddler on the Roof. She also starred in They Call Me MISTER Tibbs! and Penelope...
) kissing James. She steals Mildred's earrings and necklace. We also see flashbacks of Penelope stealing various items from different associates and work colleagues of James. Gregory comments that the reason she is stealing is because she is trying to attract attention from her distant husband. As Horatio begins to suspect that Penelope is responsible for robbing the bank, a young women, Honeysuckle Rose, is caught with the money and accused of being the thief. This is due to Gregory, who has confessed he has fallen for Penelope, agreeing to return the stolen money to the bank, but quickly leaves the money on the sidewalk as he hears police cars arriving.
Penelope confesses that she robbed the bank, and tries to clear the innocent woman's name, but Horatio and her husband don't believe her, thinking she is crazy. Ducky and Sabada pay a visit to Penelope's home, telling her they have proof that she robbed the bank, and blackmail her. However, Penelope is delighted, as this is the proof she needs to clear Honeysuckle's name.
As James returns home from work, Penelope asks Ducky and Sabada to show James the proof, however the two mystified con artists pretend that Penelope is mad and that they have been trying to sell her a dress.
Later that day, Penelope hosts a dinner party where she invites all the guests whom she has stolen from. She tries to return the stolen items to their owners, but all claim that they have never seen the items before. Penelope, confused and frightened, runs away. The following morning James is frantic with worry as Penelope has been missing all night. He finally realizes he has neglected her and begins to see her face everywhere he turns. Penelope yet again robs James' bank, but unlike the previous time, she is crying. James goes to Horatio begging him to find Penelope. Penelope herself goes to Horatio later with the stolen money proving to him that she did rob James bank, however she is not arrested, as Horatio knows James would not press charges against his own wife. Penelope goes to visit Gregory, and she tells him all that has happened and he explains that the reason the guests at the party denied ever recognizing the stolen items is because they would lose the insurance money they received from the theft. During their session Gregory breaks down and begs Penelope to run away with him. However, Penelope refuses, telling him she is cured. James suddenly arrives and the two reunite.
Cast
- Natalie WoodNatalie WoodNatalie Wood, born Natalia Nikolaevna Zacharenko was an American film and television actress. After first working in films as a child, Wood became a successful Hollywood star as a young adult, receiving three Academy Award nominations before she was 25 years old.Wood began acting in movies at the...
as Penelope Elcott - Ian BannenIan BannenIan Bannen was a Scottish character actor and occasional leading man.-Early life and career:Bannen was born in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, the son of Clare and John James Bannen, a lawyer. Bannen served in the British Army after attending St Aloysius' College, Glasgow and Ratcliffe College,...
as James B. Elcott - Carl BallantineCarl BallantineCarl Ballantine was an American magician, comedian and actor. Billing himself as "The Great Ballantine", "The Amazing Ballantine" or "Ballantine: The World's Greatest Magician", his vaudeville-style comedy routine involved transparent or incompetent stage magic tricks, which tended to flop and go...
as Boom Boom - Jerome CowanJerome CowanJerome Palmer Cowan was an American film and television actor. At eighteen he joined a travelling stock company, shortly afterwards enlisting in the navy in World War I. After the war he returned to the stage and became a vaudeville headliner, then gained success on the New York stage...
as Bank manager - Norma CraneNorma CraneNorma Crane was an actress of stage, film and television. Among her best known roles was that of Golde in the 1971 film adaptation of Fiddler on the Roof. She also starred in They Call Me MISTER Tibbs! and Penelope...
as Mildred Halliday - Peter FalkPeter FalkPeter Michael Falk was an American actor, best known for his role as Lieutenant Columbo in the television series Columbo...
as Lieutenant Horatio Bixbee - Arlene GolonkaArlene GolonkaArlene Golonka is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for playing Millie Swanson on the television comedies The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry R.F.D., and often portrayed bubbly, eccentric blondes in supporting character roles on stage, film, and television.-Early years:Golonka was...
as Honeysuckle Rose - Bill GunnBill GunnWilliam Angus Manson Gunn OAM was an Australian politician who represented the Queensland Legislative Assembly seat of Somerset from 1972 until 1992...
as Sergeant Rothschild - Lou JacobiLou JacobiLouis Harold "Lou" Jacobi was a Canadian character actor.-Life and career:Jacobi was born Louis Harold Jacobovitch in Toronto, Ontario to Joseph and Fay Jacobivitch...
as Ducky - Lila KedrovaLila KedrovaLila Kedrova was a Russian-born French actress.-Biography:Kedrova claimed to have been born in 1918, in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Her parents were Russian opera singers. Lila Kedrova's brother was Nikolay Kedrov, Jr...
as Princess Sadaba - Arthur MaletArthur MaletArthur Malet is an English actor.Arthur Malet was born in Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire, England in 1927. He emigrated to the United States in the 1950s, starting out onstage and winning two Drama Desk Awards in 1957. He came to some prominence in the 1960s, starring in films playing characters much...
as Salvation Army Major Higgins - Dick ShawnDick ShawnDick Shawn was an American actor and comedian.-Early life and career:Shawn was born as Richard Schulefand in Buffalo, New York. He played Sylvester Marcus, son of Mrs. Marcus , in Stanley Kramer's It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and Lorenzo St...
as Dr. Gregory Mannix - Amzie StricklandAmzie StricklandAmzie Strickland was an American character actor who began in radio, made some 650 television appearances, had roles in two dozen films, appeared in numerous television movies and also worked in TV commercials...
as Miss Serena - Jonathan WintersJonathan Winters-Early life:Winters was born in Bellbrook, Ohio, the son of Alice Kilgore , a radio personality, and Jonathan Harshman Winters II, an investment broker. He is a descendant of Valentine Winters, founder of the Winters National Bank in Dayton, Ohio...
as Professor Klobb - Iggie WolfingtonIgnatius WolfingtonIgnatius 'Iggie' Wolfington was an American stage actor. Iggie is the youngest of the Wolfington family of Philadelphia, operators of a carriage business and brother of the founder of Wolfington Body Company in Exton, Pa. He married Lynn Wood, an actress, about 1972...
as Store Owner