The Iron Petticoat - Revision history

Kurt at 19:53, 11 February 2023

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	~~{{Short description\|1956 film by Ralph Thomas}}~~

	~~{{EngvarB\|date=September 2013}}~~
	~~{{Use dmy dates\|date=September 2013}}~~
	{{Infobox film		{{Infobox film
	\| image = The Iron Petticoat.jpg		\| image = The Iron Petticoat.jpg

Kurt: /* Critical reception */

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Critical reception

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	==Critical reception==		==Critical reception==
	''The Iron Petticoat'' was a critical failure when it was released in December 1956 in the United States.<ref name="Quirk p. 240"/> [[Bosley Crowther]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'', noting that Hecht had disavowed his work on the film, summed up many of the critical appraisals: "'The Iron Petticoat', which encloses Katharine Hepburn and Bob Hope, is about as inflexible and ponderous as the garment its title describes. And everybody connected with it might be forgiven for trying to claim an out."<ref>Crowther, Bosley. [https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9F0DE0DF143EE23BBC4A53DFB466838C649EDE "Screen: 'Iron Petticoat'; Bob Hope, Katharine Hepburn are stars."] ''[[The New York Times]]'', 2 February 1957. Retrieved: 29 March 2015.</ref> He also wrote: "Miss Hepburn's Russian affectations and accent are simply horrible, and Mr. Hope's wistful efforts with feeble gags to hold his franchise as a funny man are downright sad. The notion of these two characters falling rapturously, romantically in love is virtually revolting. If this was meant to be a travesty, it is."<ref name="Fristoe"/>		''The Iron Petticoat'' was a critical failure when it was released in December 1956 in the United States.<ref name="Quirk p. 240"/> [[w:Bosley Crowther\|Bosley Crowther]] of ''[[w:The New York Times\|The New York Times]]'', noting that Hecht had disavowed his work on the film, summed up many of the critical appraisals: "'The Iron Petticoat', which encloses Katharine Hepburn and Bob Hope, is about as inflexible and ponderous as the garment its title describes. And everybody connected with it might be forgiven for trying to claim an out."<ref>Crowther, Bosley. [https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9F0DE0DF143EE23BBC4A53DFB466838C649EDE "Screen: 'Iron Petticoat'; Bob Hope, Katharine Hepburn are stars."] ''[[w:The New York Times\|]]'', 2 February 1957. Retrieved: 29 March 2015.</ref> He also wrote: "Miss Hepburn's Russian affectations and accent are simply horrible, and Mr. Hope's wistful efforts with feeble gags to hold his franchise as a funny man are downright sad. The notion of these two characters falling rapturously, romantically in love is virtually revolting. If this was meant to be a travesty, it is."<ref name="Fristoe"/>

	In a 1972 interview, Italian actress [[Rossella Falk]] said that Garbo was "unhappy with Hepburn because she made a movie called 'The Iron Petticoat'. The film was a parody on 'Ninotchka', and Garbo thought the Hepburn film was the worst film that she had ever seen."<ref>[http://www.garboforever.com/Garbo_Stories-Anecdotes-3.htm "Small Garbo Stories & Anecdotes – Part 3: When the Italian Garbo met the real Garbo."] ''Garbo Forever''. Retrieved: 23 November 2015.</ref>		In a 1972 interview, Italian actress [[w:Rossella Falk\|Rossella Falk]] said that Garbo was "unhappy with Hepburn because she made a movie called 'The Iron Petticoat'. The film was a parody on 'Ninotchka', and Garbo thought the Hepburn film was the worst film that she had ever seen."<ref>[http://www.garboforever.com/Garbo_Stories-Anecdotes-3.htm "Small Garbo Stories & Anecdotes – Part 3: When the Italian Garbo met the real Garbo."] ''Garbo Forever''. Retrieved: 23 November 2015.</ref>

	==Box office==		==Box office==

Kurt: /* Clash between Hecht and Hope */

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Clash between Hecht and Hope

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	==Release==		==Release==
	===Clash between Hecht and Hope===		===Clash between Hecht and Hope===
	''The Iron Petticoat'' was released through [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] in the American market.		''The Iron Petticoat'' was released through [[w:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer\|Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] in the American market.

	Hope, whose company controlled US rights as one of the film's producers, cut 12 minutes from the version that was released in the UK. Hope's cutting prompted Hecht to take a full-page ad in ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'' that stated:		Hope, whose company controlled US rights as one of the film's producers, cut 12 minutes from the version that was released in the UK. Hope's cutting prompted Hecht to take a full-page ad in ''[[w:The Hollywood Reporter\|The Hollywood Reporter]]'' that stated:
	<blockquote>My dear partner Bob Hope: This is to notify you that I have removed my name as author from our mutilated venture, ''The Iron Petticoat''. Unfortunately, your other partner, Katharine Hepburn, can't shy out of the fractured picture with me. Although her magnificent comic performance has been blowtorched out of the film, there is enough left of the Hepburn footage to identify her for her sharpshooters. I am assured by my hopeful predators that ''The Iron Petticoat'' will go over big with people 'who can't get enough of Bob Hope'. Let us hope this swooning contingent is not confined to yourself and your euphoric agent, Louis Shurr.<ref>http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bob-hope-katharine-hepburn-tcm-iron-petticoat-383148</ref></blockquote>		<blockquote>My dear partner Bob Hope: This is to notify you that I have removed my name as author from our mutilated venture, ''The Iron Petticoat''. Unfortunately, your other partner, Katharine Hepburn, can't shy out of the fractured picture with me. Although her magnificent comic performance has been blowtorched out of the film, there is enough left of the Hepburn footage to identify her for her sharpshooters. I am assured by my hopeful predators that ''The Iron Petticoat'' will go over big with people 'who can't get enough of Bob Hope'. Let us hope this swooning contingent is not confined to yourself and your euphoric agent, Louis Shurr.<ref>http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bob-hope-katharine-hepburn-tcm-iron-petticoat-383148</ref></blockquote>
	As Hecht told journalist [[Mike Wallace]] in a 1958 interview, "The movie was written for a lady, Miss Katharine Hepburn, and ended up instead as a role for the hero, Mr. Bob Hope. Miss Hepburn was removed from it by fifty percent. I got irritated and took my name off it – it had nothing to do with the movie I wrote."<ref>Wallace, Mike. [http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/multimedia/video/2008/wallace/hecht_ben_t.html "Ben Hecht: The Mike Wallace Interview, February 15, 1958."] Archived at ''Harry Ransom Center'', University of Tennessee, Austin. Retrieved: 29 March 2015.</ref>		As Hecht told journalist [[w:Mike Wallace\|Mike Wallace]] in a 1958 interview, "The movie was written for a lady, Miss Katharine Hepburn, and ended up instead as a role for the hero, Mr. Bob Hope. Miss Hepburn was removed from it by fifty percent. I got irritated and took my name off it – it had nothing to do with the movie I wrote."<ref>Wallace, Mike. [http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/multimedia/video/2008/wallace/hecht_ben_t.html "Ben Hecht: The Mike Wallace Interview, February 15, 1958."] Archived at ''Harry Ransom Center'', University of Tennessee, Austin. Retrieved: 29 March 2015.</ref>

	Hope replied with an open letter that stated:		Hope replied with an open letter that stated:
	<blockquote>My dear Ex-Partner Ben: You once wrote ''The Front Page'', and now you've followed it up with the back page … I am most understanding. The way things are going, you simply can’t afford to be associated with a hit. As for Kate Hepburn, I don’t think she was depressed with the preview audience rave about her performance.... Bob 'Blowtorch' Hope.<ref name="Quirk p. 240">Quirk 1998, p. 240.</ref></blockquote>		<blockquote>My dear Ex-Partner Ben: You once wrote ''The Front Page'', and now you've followed it up with the back page … I am most understanding. The way things are going, you simply can’t afford to be associated with a hit. As for Kate Hepburn, I don’t think she was depressed with the preview audience rave about her performance.... Bob 'Blowtorch' Hope.<ref name="Quirk p. 240">Quirk 1998, p. 240.</ref></blockquote>
	For the US release, the film's credits read "Based on an Original Story by [[Harry Saltzman]]." Saltzman often joked that his first motion-picture production was the only Bob Hope film that failed at the box office.<ref name="Fristoe"/> However, the latest version released by [[Turner Classic Movies\|TCM]] features a large screen credit: "Screenplay by Ben Hecht."		For the US release, the film's credits read "Based on an Original Story by [[w:Harry Saltzman\|Harry Saltzman]]." Saltzman often joked that his first motion-picture production was the only Bob Hope film that failed at the box office.<ref name="Fristoe"/> However, the latest version released by [[w:Turner Classic Movies\|TCM]] features a large screen credit: "Screenplay by Ben Hecht."

	==Critical reception==		==Critical reception==

Kurt: /* Shooting */

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Shooting

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	===Shooting===		===Shooting===

	[[File:Film MiG.jpg\|thumb\|~~left~~\|350px\|Captain Vinka Kovelenko's arrival in West Germany is via a [[MiG-15]] fighter, portrayed by a [[Republic F-84F Thunderstreak]] with [[Red Star]] insignia.]]		[[File:Film MiG.jpg\|thumb\|right\|350px\|Captain Vinka Kovelenko's arrival in West Germany is via a [[w:MiG-15\|MiG-15]] fighter, portrayed by a [[w:Republic F-84F Thunderstreak\|Republic F-84F Thunderstreak]] with [[w:Red Star\|Red Star]] insignia.]]

	Hope and Hepburn had a wary relationship during the production; with the film being remade into a typical Hope comedy, Hepburn was forced to abandon her aspirations to deliver a Garbo-like role. Privately, Hepburn characterized Hope as "the biggest egomaniac with whom I have ever worked in my entire life." She also considered the film as "a cheap vaudeville act" in which she appeared as the "stooge."<ref>Berg 2004, p. 232.</ref>		Hope and Hepburn had a wary relationship during the production; with the film being remade into a typical Hope comedy, Hepburn was forced to abandon her aspirations to deliver a Garbo-like role. Privately, Hepburn characterized Hope as "the biggest egomaniac with whom I have ever worked in my entire life." She also considered the film as "a cheap vaudeville act" in which she appeared as the "stooge."<ref>Berg 2004, p. 232.</ref>
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	"It ended up as a Hope comedy," recalled Thomas. "He had seven writers, she had none. I can't really say I directed the picture. I refereed it. Each star would come on the set each day with a different piece of script. Each was happy with the scene he had – until they compared notes!"<ref name="betty"/>		"It ended up as a Hope comedy," recalled Thomas. "He had seven writers, she had none. I can't really say I directed the picture. I refereed it. Each star would come on the set each day with a different piece of script. Each was happy with the scene he had – until they compared notes!"<ref name="betty"/>

	[[Donald Sinden]], then a contract star for the [[Rank Organisation]] at [[Pinewood Studios]], had a permanent dressing room in the same block as Hepburn's. He said, "Katharine Hepburn was delightful and most professional, but what was deemed by some to be 'professional' can also be called 'temperamental' by others. I happened to be on the set of ''The Iron Petticoat'' while Miss Hepburn was blowing off steam about something in a professional/temperamental manner. Bob Hope came to the rescue and with his superb sense of humour said to her, 'If you don't behave yourself. I'll tell everyone that you are [[Audrey Hepburn]]'s father!'"<ref>Sinden 1982, p. 238.</ref>		[[Donald Sinden]], then a contract star for the [[w:Rank Organisation\|Rank Organisation]] at [[w:Pinewood Studios\|Pinewood Studios]], had a permanent dressing room in the same block as Hepburn's. He said, "Katharine Hepburn was delightful and most professional, but what was deemed by some to be 'professional' can also be called 'temperamental' by others. I happened to be on the set of ''The Iron Petticoat'' while Miss Hepburn was blowing off steam about something in a professional/temperamental manner. Bob Hope came to the rescue and with his superb sense of humour said to her, 'If you don't behave yourself. I'll tell everyone that you are [[w:Audrey Hepburn\|Audrey Hepburn]]'s father!'"<ref>Sinden 1982, p. 238.</ref>

	A difficult time in the UK was compounded by Hepburn's worrisome eye infection, and she completed her obligations, although for years she would not talk about the film.<ref>Leaming 2004, p. 470.</ref> She would later recall ''The Iron Petticoat'' as an unlikely pairing of lead actors trapped in the wrong roles.<ref>Quirk 1998, pp. 237–238.</ref> She recalled that Hope thought her sense of humour was basically "zilch."<ref>Chandler 2011, p. 216.</ref>		A difficult time in the UK was compounded by Hepburn's worrisome eye infection, and she completed her obligations, although for years she would not talk about the film.<ref>Leaming 2004, p. 470.</ref> She would later recall ''The Iron Petticoat'' as an unlikely pairing of lead actors trapped in the wrong roles.<ref>Quirk 1998, pp. 237–238.</ref> She recalled that Hope thought her sense of humour was basically "zilch."<ref>Chandler 2011, p. 216.</ref>

	Production took place primarily at Pinewood Studios, but also utilized unique background locations, such as [[Buckingham Palace]] and [[Piccadilly Circus]], as well as air bases in the UK. Although the plot involved a defecting military pilot, only a minimal number of aircraft appeared in the production, with the use of a [[Republic F-84F Thunderstreak]] as a stand-in for the ubiquitous [[Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15\|MiG-15]] jet fighter, the staple of 1950s Soviet air forces. Red-star markings appear on both the F-84F and C-47 to convert them to their Soviet lookalikes. When Kovelenko's MiG is escorted into West German airspace, two USAF [[North American F-86D Sabre]]s intercept it. A [[Douglas C-47 Skytrain]] (as its counterpart, the Soviet [[Lisunov Li-2]]) is used for the return to Russia, while a [[Boeing B-29 Superfortress\|Boeing Washington B.1]] bomber and [[Avro Anson]] transport aircraft also appear, albeit mainly as backdrops.		Production took place primarily at Pinewood Studios, but also utilized unique background locations, such as [[w:Buckingham Palace\|Buckingham Palace]] and [[w:Piccadilly Circus\|Piccadilly Circus]], as well as air bases in the UK. Although the plot involved a defecting military pilot, only a minimal number of aircraft appeared in the production, with the use of a [[w:Republic F-84F Thunderstreak\|Republic F-84F Thunderstreak]] as a stand-in for the ubiquitous [[w:Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15\|MiG-15]] jet fighter, the staple of 1950s Soviet air forces. Red-star markings appear on both the F-84F and C-47 to convert them to their Soviet lookalikes. When Kovelenko's MiG is escorted into West German airspace, two USAF [[w:North American F-86D Sabre\|North American F-86D Sabre]]s intercept it. A [[w:Douglas C-47 Skytrain\|Douglas C-47 Skytrain]] (as its counterpart, the Soviet [[w:Lisunov Li-2\|Lisunov Li-2]]) is used for the return to Russia, while a [[w:Boeing B-29 Superfortress\|Boeing Washington B.1]] bomber and [[w:Avro Anson\|Avro Anson]] transport aircraft also appear, albeit mainly as backdrops.

	==Release==		==Release==

Kurt at 21:04, 12 October 2022

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	After filming ended, it was announced that Saltzman, Hecht and Thomas would make an adaptation of ''[[The Imaginary Invalid]]'' starring Robert Helpmann,<ref>{{Cite news\|title=Jerry Lewis Picks New Find; Molière Comedy Named for Helpmann\|author=Schallert, Edwin\|date=Aug 23, 1956\|work=Los Angeles Times\|page=B9}}</ref> but this film was never made.		After filming ended, it was announced that Saltzman, Hecht and Thomas would make an adaptation of ''[[The Imaginary Invalid]]'' starring Robert Helpmann,<ref>{{Cite news\|title=Jerry Lewis Picks New Find; Molière Comedy Named for Helpmann\|author=Schallert, Edwin\|date=Aug 23, 1956\|work=Los Angeles Times\|page=B9}}</ref> but this film was never made.

	~~==See also==~~		==Notes==
	*[[List of American films of 1956]]

	~~==References==~~

	===Notes===
	{{Reflist\|30em}}		{{Reflist\|30em}}

	===Bibliography===		==Bibliography==
	{{Refbegin}}		{{Refbegin}}
	* [[A. Scott Berg\|Berg, A. Scott]]. ''[[Kate Remembered: Katharine Hepburn, a Personal Biography]]''. London: Pocket, 2004, First edition 2003. {{ISBN\|0-7434-1563-9}}.		* [[A. Scott Berg\|Berg, A. Scott]]. ''[[Kate Remembered: Katharine Hepburn, a Personal Biography]]''. London: Pocket, 2004, First edition 2003. {{ISBN\|0-7434-1563-9}}.
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	{{Ralph Thomas}}		{{Ralph Thomas}}
	~~{{Harry Saltzman\|state=autocollapse}}~~
	~~{{Ben Hecht}}~~

	{{DEFAULTSORT:Iron Petticoat, The}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Iron Petticoat, The}}
	[[Category:1956 films]]		[[Category:1956 films]]
			[[Category:1950s British films]]
	[[Category:1956 comedy films]]		[[Category:1956 comedy films]]
	~~[[Category:American comedy films]]~~
	[[Category:British comedy films]]		[[Category:British comedy films]]
	[[Category:Cold War aviation films]]		[[Category:Cold War aviation films]]
	~~[[Category:Defection in fiction]]~~
	[[Category:1950s English-language films]]		[[Category:1950s English-language films]]
	[[Category:Films directed by Ralph Thomas]]		[[Category:Films directed by Ralph Thomas]]
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	[[Category:Military humor in film]]		[[Category:Military humor in film]]
	[[Category:Films shot at Pinewood Studios]]		[[Category:Films shot at Pinewood Studios]]
	~~[[Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films]]~~
	~~[[Category:Films with screenplays by Ben Hecht]]~~
	[[Category:Films produced by Betty Box]]		[[Category:Films produced by Betty Box]]
	~~[[Category:Films produced by Harry Saltzman]]~~
	~~[[Category:Films scored by Benjamin Frankel]]~~
	~~[[Category:Films set in West Germany]]~~
	~~[[Category:1950s American films]]~~
	~~[[Category:1950s British films]]~~

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	{{Short description\|1956 film by Ralph Thomas}}		{{Short description\|1956 film by Ralph Thomas}}
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	{{EngvarB\|date=September 2013}}		{{EngvarB\|date=September 2013}}
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	{{Infobox film		{{Infobox film
	\| ~~name~~ = The Iron Petticoat		\| image = The Iron Petticoat.jpg
	~~\| image = Iron petticoat59~~.jpg
	~~\| image_size =~~
	\| caption = Theatrical release poster		\| caption = Theatrical release poster
	\| director = [[Ralph Thomas]]		\| director = [[Ralph Thomas]]

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{{Short description|1956 film by Ralph Thomas}}
{{Cleanup bare URLs|date=September 2022}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2013}}
{{Infobox film
| name = The Iron Petticoat
| image = Iron petticoat59.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Ralph Thomas]]
| producer = [[Betty E. Box]] '''executive''' [[Harry Saltzman]] (uncredited)
| writer = [[Ben Hecht]]
| starring = [[Bob Hope]] [[Katharine Hepburn]] [[Noelle Middleton]] [[James Robertson Justice]] [[Robert Helpmann]]
| music = [[Benjamin Frankel]]
| cinematography= [[Ernest Steward]]
| editing = [[Frederick Wilson (film editor)|Frederick Wilson]]
| studio = Remus Film [[Bob Hope|Hope Enterprises]] [[Harry Saltzman|Benhar Productions]]
| distributor = [[John and James Woolf|Independent Film Distributors]] (UK) [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] (US)
| released = {{Film date|df=y|1956|06|30|[[Berlin International Film Festival]]|1956|||London, premiere}}
| runtime = 94 minutes
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| budget =$509,000<ref name="Mannix">"The Eddie Mannix Ledger". ''Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study (Los Angeles)''.</ref>
| gross = $1,385,000<ref name="Mannix"/><ref>Domestic take: See "Top Grosses of 1957". ''Variety'', 8 January 1958, p. 30.</ref>
}}

'''''The Iron Petticoat''''' (aka '''''Not for Money''''') is a 1956 British [[Cold War]] [[comedy film]] starring [[Bob Hope]] and [[Katharine Hepburn]], and directed by [[Ralph Thomas]]. The screenplay by [[Ben Hecht]] became the focus of a contentious history behind the production, and led to the film's eventual suppression by Hope. Hecht had been part of the screenwriting team on the similarly themed ''[[Comrade X]]'' (1940).

Hepburn plays a Soviet military pilot who lands in [[West Germany]] and, after sampling life in the West in the company of Hope's Major Chuck Lockwood, is converted to capitalism. Subplots involve Lockwood trying to marry a member of the British upper class and communist agents trying to coerce Hepburn's character to return to the Soviet Union.

The main story borrows heavily from [[Ernst Lubitsch]]'s ''[[Ninotchka]]'' (1939), starring [[Greta Garbo]], and very closely resembles [[Josef von Sternberg]]'s ''[[Jet Pilot (film)|Jet Pilot]]'' with [[Janet Leigh]] as the Russian pilot and [[John Wayne]] as the [[United States Air Force|US Air Force]] officer. ''Jet Pilot'', inspired by real-life [[List of Cold War pilot defections|Cold War pilot defections]], completed principal photography in 1950 but was not released until 1957, after ''The Iron Petticoat''.<ref>[http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/24950/Jet-Pilot/notes.html "Notes: 'Jet Pilot'."] ''Turner Classic Movies''. Retrieved: 29 March 2015.</ref>
{{TOC limit|limit=2}}

==Plot==
Captain Vinka Kovalenko (Katharine Hepburn) lands a [[Soviet Air Forces|Soviet Air Force]] jet in [[West Germany|West German]] territory, to the surprise of the [[United States Armed Forces]], who take her prisoner. However, she is neither on a mission nor defecting, just upset about a personal matter back home.

Capt. Chuck Lockwood (Bob Hope) is eager to leave for London and visit his wealthy fiancée Connie ([[Noelle Middleton]]). A superior officer named Tarbell ([[Alan Gifford]]) cancels his furlough, ordering Chuck to sell the Soviet aviatrix on everything good about America and convince her to permanently come over to their side. The colonel even dangles a $100,000 bonus check made out to Vinka to be given if Lockwood succeeds.

Vinka is pursued by her former lover, engineer Ivan ([[Robert Helpmann]]). She shows no interest in Chuck, and is just as determined to sell him on Russian virtues as he is on influencing her. He describes her as cold and unappealing, but when Connie makes a surprise visit, Vinka strolls into Chuck's room wearing little else but a pajama top and her military medals. Connie becomes increasingly angry, more so when she finds out that Chuck is not as well-off financially as he has pretended to be.

Vinka begins to dress in an increasingly enticing manner. One night, at a Russian restaurant, comrades come to kidnap her. A sleeping potion meant for Chuck ends up in Tarbell's drink instead. Connie is also mistaken for Vinka in a cloakroom and taken captive.

The Russians misunderstand Vinka's intentions and charge her with treason. Chuck leads a daring aerial escape, and they end up falling in love. Money does not matter as much to Vinka as it does to Connie. As she and Lockwood are leaving for America, a Russian agent runs up, offering her the $100,000 check. She declines, but Lockwood grabs it.

==Cast==
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[Bob Hope]] as Capt. Chuck Lockwood
* [[Katharine Hepburn]] as Capt. Vinka Kovalenko
* [[Noelle Middleton]] as Connie
* [[James Robertson Justice]] as Col. Sklarnoff
* [[Robert Helpmann]] as Ivan Kropotkin
* [[David Kossoff]] as Dubratz
* [[Alan Gifford]] as Col. Newt Tarbell
* [[Olaf Pooley]] as Maj, Osip Feodor Ganovich
* [[Nicholas Phipps]] as Tony Mallard
* [[Paul Carpenter (actor)|Paul Carpenter]] as Maj. Lewis
* [[Tutte Lemkow]] as Sutsiyawa
* [[Sid James]] as Paul
* [[Alexander Gauge]] as Senator Howley
* [[Sandra Dorne]] as Tityana
* [[Richard Wattis]] as Lingerie Clerk
* [[Doris Goddard]] as Maria
{{div col end}}

==Production==
===Development===
The original screenplay, ''Not for Money'', was written by Ben Hecht<ref name="ReferenceA">{{Cite news|title=OF PEOPLE AND PICTURES: Hepburn-Hope Team -- New 'Carmen', 'Wuthering Heights' -- Other Items|author=A. H. WEILER|date=May 1, 1955|work=The New York Times|page=X5}}</ref> from a story by producer Harry Saltzman.<ref name="Fristoe"/> The two men formed a company called Benhar to produce the film.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Louella Parsons: Warners Scores Beat With Dr. Salk Story|author=The|date=Apr 21, 1955|work=The Washington Post and Times-Herald|page=32}}</ref> Hecht wrote the film specifically as a vehicle for Katharine Hepburn.<ref>Quirk 1998, p. 238.</ref>

Hepburn was pleased with the original script and personally selected Ralph Thomas as the director because she liked his film ''[[Doctor in the House]]'' (1954).<ref name="Higham p. 167">Higham 2004, p. 167.</ref><ref name="ReferenceA"/> She contacted Thomas and ''Doctor in the House'' producer [[Betty E. Box]] while they were making ''[[Doctor at Sea (film)|Doctor at Sea]]'', and they agreed to take part.<ref name="thames">{{Cite news|title=HEPBURN-HOPE-HECHT TRIPLE PLAY ON THAMES: Production Team Stars' Orbits|author=STEPHEN WATTS|date=Jan 15, 1956|work=The New York Times|page=X5}}</ref> "I had no idea what dramas were to descend on us as a result of that call," Box later wrote.<ref name="Box p. 109">Box p. 109</ref>

"We accepted the job because Miss Hepburn agreed to do it, and because we liked the Ben Hecht script," said Thomas.<ref name="betty">{{Cite news|title=Types Casting Pros and Cons Argued: Producer Calls It 'Insult;' Hope-Hepburn Fiasco Told|author=SHEUER, PHILIP K.|work=Los Angeles Times|date=July 8, 1958|page=B7}}</ref> Box and Thomas were under contract to the Rank film organization, but were allowed to make outside films. "They [Rank] turned very sour," wrote Box. "But we stuck to our guns – we wanted to work with Hepburn, on top of which we were to be paid much larger fees than those guaranteed under our Rank deal."<ref name="Box p. 118">Box p. 118</ref>

The film was an American-British co-production, with finance provided by [[MGM]] and [[Romulus Films]].

===Bob Hope===
According to Box, Hepburn originally envisioned the male lead being played by [[Cary Grant]], [[William Holden]] or James Stewart.<ref name="Box p. 109"/> However, casting the role proved difficult. "There was difficulty in finding a top star to play opposite Hepburn," wrote Box, "an example of the male chauvinistic attitude which baulks at the leading lady's part being better than the man's."<ref name="Box p. 118"/>

Bob Hope read the script and wanted to play the role. It was unlike anything that Hope had done in the past, but he said that he wanted to work with Hepburn, and would play the character as written.<ref>Box p. 119</ref>

"We all thought the idea quite mad at first," said Box of Hope's casting. "Then we all had second thoughts and said, 'Why not?' And I must say the first of us to see that it made sense was Katie."<ref name="thames"/>

According to his biographer, Hope also saw the opportunity to get away from the United States at a time when a scandal was tarnishing his reputation as a family man. Hope had been embarrassed by the publication of a tell-all book by former lover [[Barbara Payton]], and advised by close confidants to leave the United States until the bad press had subsided.<ref name="Higham p. 167"/>

The film project marked the first time that Hope had worked outside the United States, and in the country of his birth. It had also been more than 50 films since he last worked outside Paramount.<ref>Quirk 1998, p. 239.</ref> At one stage, [[Kay Kendall]] was meant to support Hope and Hepburn.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Large British Combine Announced; Bette Davis Formulates Film Slate|author=Schallert, Edwin|date=Sep 22, 1955|work=Los Angeles Times|page=b15}}</ref>

===Rewriting the script===
Filming was to begin in November, but Hope was not available. He did not arrive in London until 7 December 1955. He then told Box and Thomas that he wanted to pull out of the film, saying that he was unhappy with the script. Hepburn and Hecht agreed to make changes to keep Hope on the film.<ref>Box p. 128</ref> Hope also turned the script over to his own gag writers to tailor it to his style, as was his usual practice.<ref>Faith 2003, p. 255.</ref> Many of Hepburn's best scenes were cut, and the title was changed from ''Not for Money''. Hope had intended to change his role from that of a debonair [[leading man]] to that of his usual wise-cracking comic.<ref>Faith 2003, p. 256.</ref> Hepburn considered her pairing with a co-star steeped in comedy routines as a "challenge."

===Shooting===

[[File:Film MiG.jpg|thumb|left|350px|Captain Vinka Kovelenko's arrival in West Germany is via a [[MiG-15]] fighter, portrayed by a [[Republic F-84F Thunderstreak]] with [[Red Star]] insignia.]]

Hope and Hepburn had a wary relationship during the production; with the film being remade into a typical Hope comedy, Hepburn was forced to abandon her aspirations to deliver a Garbo-like role. Privately, Hepburn characterized Hope as "the biggest egomaniac with whom I have ever worked in my entire life." She also considered the film as "a cheap vaudeville act" in which she appeared as the "stooge."<ref>Berg 2004, p. 232.</ref>

"It ended up as a Hope comedy," recalled Thomas. "He had seven writers, she had none. I can't really say I directed the picture. I refereed it. Each star would come on the set each day with a different piece of script. Each was happy with the scene he had – until they compared notes!"<ref name="betty"/>

[[Donald Sinden]], then a contract star for the [[Rank Organisation]] at [[Pinewood Studios]], had a permanent dressing room in the same block as Hepburn's. He said, "Katharine Hepburn was delightful and most professional, but what was deemed by some to be 'professional' can also be called 'temperamental' by others. I happened to be on the set of ''The Iron Petticoat'' while Miss Hepburn was blowing off steam about something in a professional/temperamental manner. Bob Hope came to the rescue and with his superb sense of humour said to her, 'If you don't behave yourself. I'll tell everyone that you are [[Audrey Hepburn]]'s father!'"<ref>Sinden 1982, p. 238.</ref>

A difficult time in the UK was compounded by Hepburn's worrisome eye infection, and she completed her obligations, although for years she would not talk about the film.<ref>Leaming 2004, p. 470.</ref> She would later recall ''The Iron Petticoat'' as an unlikely pairing of lead actors trapped in the wrong roles.<ref>Quirk 1998, pp. 237–238.</ref> She recalled that Hope thought her sense of humour was basically "zilch."<ref>Chandler 2011, p. 216.</ref>

Production took place primarily at Pinewood Studios, but also utilized unique background locations, such as [[Buckingham Palace]] and [[Piccadilly Circus]], as well as air bases in the UK. Although the plot involved a defecting military pilot, only a minimal number of aircraft appeared in the production, with the use of a [[Republic F-84F Thunderstreak]] as a stand-in for the ubiquitous [[Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15|MiG-15]] jet fighter, the staple of 1950s Soviet air forces. Red-star markings appear on both the F-84F and C-47 to convert them to their Soviet lookalikes. When Kovelenko's MiG is escorted into West German airspace, two USAF [[North American F-86D Sabre]]s intercept it. A [[Douglas C-47 Skytrain]] (as its counterpart, the Soviet [[Lisunov Li-2]]) is used for the return to Russia, while a [[Boeing B-29 Superfortress|Boeing Washington B.1]] bomber and [[Avro Anson]] transport aircraft also appear, albeit mainly as backdrops.

==Release==
===Clash between Hecht and Hope===
''The Iron Petticoat'' was released through [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] in the American market.

Hope, whose company controlled US rights as one of the film's producers, cut 12 minutes from the version that was released in the UK. Hope's cutting prompted Hecht to take a full-page ad in ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'' that stated:
<blockquote>My dear partner Bob Hope: This is to notify you that I have removed my name as author from our mutilated venture, ''The Iron Petticoat''. Unfortunately, your other partner, Katharine Hepburn, can't shy out of the fractured picture with me. Although her magnificent comic performance has been blowtorched out of the film, there is enough left of the Hepburn footage to identify her for her sharpshooters. I am assured by my hopeful predators that ''The Iron Petticoat'' will go over big with people 'who can't get enough of Bob Hope'. Let us hope this swooning contingent is not confined to yourself and your euphoric agent, Louis Shurr.<ref>http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bob-hope-katharine-hepburn-tcm-iron-petticoat-383148</ref></blockquote>
As Hecht told journalist [[Mike Wallace]] in a 1958 interview, "The movie was written for a lady, Miss Katharine Hepburn, and ended up instead as a role for the hero, Mr. Bob Hope. Miss Hepburn was removed from it by fifty percent. I got irritated and took my name off it – it had nothing to do with the movie I wrote."<ref>Wallace, Mike. [http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/multimedia/video/2008/wallace/hecht_ben_t.html "Ben Hecht: The Mike Wallace Interview, February 15, 1958."] Archived at ''Harry Ransom Center'', University of Tennessee, Austin. Retrieved: 29 March 2015.</ref>

Hope replied with an open letter that stated:
<blockquote>My dear Ex-Partner Ben: You once wrote ''The Front Page'', and now you've followed it up with the back page … I am most understanding. The way things are going, you simply can’t afford to be associated with a hit. As for Kate Hepburn, I don’t think she was depressed with the preview audience rave about her performance.... Bob 'Blowtorch' Hope.<ref name="Quirk p. 240">Quirk 1998, p. 240.</ref></blockquote>
For the US release, the film's credits read "Based on an Original Story by [[Harry Saltzman]]." Saltzman often joked that his first motion-picture production was the only Bob Hope film that failed at the box office.<ref name="Fristoe"/> However, the latest version released by [[Turner Classic Movies|TCM]] features a large screen credit: "Screenplay by Ben Hecht."

==Critical reception==
''The Iron Petticoat'' was a critical failure when it was released in December 1956 in the United States.<ref name="Quirk p. 240"/> [[Bosley Crowther]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'', noting that Hecht had disavowed his work on the film, summed up many of the critical appraisals: "'The Iron Petticoat', which encloses Katharine Hepburn and Bob Hope, is about as inflexible and ponderous as the garment its title describes. And everybody connected with it might be forgiven for trying to claim an out."<ref>Crowther, Bosley. [https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9F0DE0DF143EE23BBC4A53DFB466838C649EDE "Screen: 'Iron Petticoat'; Bob Hope, Katharine Hepburn are stars."] ''[[The New York Times]]'', 2 February 1957. Retrieved: 29 March 2015.</ref> He also wrote: "Miss Hepburn's Russian affectations and accent are simply horrible, and Mr. Hope's wistful efforts with feeble gags to hold his franchise as a funny man are downright sad. The notion of these two characters falling rapturously, romantically in love is virtually revolting. If this was meant to be a travesty, it is."<ref name="Fristoe"/>

In a 1972 interview, Italian actress [[Rossella Falk]] said that Garbo was "unhappy with Hepburn because she made a movie called 'The Iron Petticoat'. The film was a parody on 'Ninotchka', and Garbo thought the Hepburn film was the worst film that she had ever seen."<ref>[http://www.garboforever.com/Garbo_Stories-Anecdotes-3.htm "Small Garbo Stories & Anecdotes – Part 3: When the Italian Garbo met the real Garbo."] ''Garbo Forever''. Retrieved: 23 November 2015.</ref>

==Box office==
According to MGM records, the film was a modest box-office success, earning $1,260,000 in the US and Canada and $125,000 elsewhere. Low production costs resulted in a profit of $109,000.<ref name="Mannix"/>

==Subsequent history==
The film's distribution rights were divided between Hope's company, which controlled the [[Western Hemisphere]], and the UK company [[Romulus Films]], which held the [[Eastern Hemisphere]], including the UK. MGM received a 10-year licence for the Western Hemisphere in 1955.<ref name="Fristoe"/>

After its initial theatrical release, ''The Iron Petticoat'' had only two public screenings in the US, at the [[Museum of Modern Art]] and the [[American Film Institute]], both sanctioned by Hope Enterprises after MGM's rights expired in 1970. Apparently withheld because of Hope's unhappiness over the public controversy with Hecht, the film was not shown on US television nor had been released on home video there for many years, though it is readily available in the UK, where rights are currently controlled by ITV.<ref name="Fristoe"/>

[[Turner Classic Movies]] indicated in April 2012 that it had entered into an agreement with Hope Enterprises for a 10-year licence for US and Canadian TV rights and negotiated to release ''The Iron Petticoat'' on [[Blu-ray]] and [[DVD]] in North America as part of its TCM Vault Collection video line. TCM aired the film on 29 November 2012, almost a decade after the deaths of both leads.<ref name="Fristoe">Fristoe, Roger. [http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/79417/The-Iron-Petticoat/articles.html "Articles: 'The Iron Petticoat'."] ''Turner Classic Movies''. Retrieved: 16 December 2012.</ref>

==Proposed followup==
After filming ended, it was announced that Saltzman, Hecht and Thomas would make an adaptation of ''[[The Imaginary Invalid]]'' starring Robert Helpmann,<ref>{{Cite news|title=Jerry Lewis Picks New Find; Molière Comedy Named for Helpmann|author=Schallert, Edwin|date=Aug 23, 1956|work=Los Angeles Times|page=B9}}</ref> but this film was never made.

==See also==
*[[List of American films of 1956]]

==References==

===Notes===
{{Reflist|30em}}

===Bibliography===
{{Refbegin}}
* [[A. Scott Berg|Berg, A. Scott]]. ''[[Kate Remembered: Katharine Hepburn, a Personal Biography]]''. London: Pocket, 2004, First edition 2003. {{ISBN|0-7434-1563-9}}.
*Box, Betty E ''Lifting the Lid'', 2001
* Chandler, Charlotte. ''I Know Where I'm Going: Katharine Hepburn, a Personal Biography''. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Applause, 2011 edition, First edition 2010. {{ISBN|1-907532-01-3}}.
* Faith, William Robert. ''Bob Hope: A Life in Comedy''. New York: Da Capo Press, 2003. {{ISBN|978-0-30681-207-1}}.
* Higham, Charles. ''Kate: The Life of Katharine Hepburn''. New York: W. W. Norton, 2004, First edition 1975. {{ISBN|978-0-39332-598-0}}.
* Leaming, Barbara. ''Katharine Hepburn''. New York: Limelight Editions, 2004. {{ISBN|978-0-87910-293-7}}.
* Quirk, Lawrence J. ''Bob Hope: The Road Well-Traveled''. New York: Applause, 1998. {{ISBN|978-1-55783-353-2}}.
* Sinden, Donald. ''A Touch of the Memoirs''. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1982. {{ISBN|978-0-3402-6235-1}}.
{{Refend}}

==External links==
* {{TCMDb title|79417|The Iron Petticoat}}
* {{AllMovie title|96755}}
* {{IMDb title|0049369|The Iron Petticoat}}

{{Ralph Thomas}}
{{Harry Saltzman|state=autocollapse}}
{{Ben Hecht}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Iron Petticoat, The}}
[[Category:1956 films]]
[[Category:1956 comedy films]]
[[Category:American comedy films]]
[[Category:British comedy films]]
[[Category:Cold War aviation films]]
[[Category:Defection in fiction]]
[[Category:1950s English-language films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Ralph Thomas]]
[[Category:London Films films]]
[[Category:Military humor in film]]
[[Category:Films shot at Pinewood Studios]]
[[Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Ben Hecht]]
[[Category:Films produced by Betty Box]]
[[Category:Films produced by Harry Saltzman]]
[[Category:Films scored by Benjamin Frankel]]
[[Category:Films set in West Germany]]
[[Category:1950s American films]]
[[Category:1950s British films]]