The Iron Petticoat

Infobox_Film
name = The Iron Petticoat


caption =
imdb_id = 0049369
amg_id =
director = Ralph Thomas
writer = Ben Hecht
Harry Saltzman
starring = Bob Hope
Katharine Hepburn
producer = Betty E. Box
Harry Saltzman
music = Benjamin Frankel
cinematography= Ernest Steward
distributor = London Films
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (U.S.)
released = 7 January 1957 (U.S.)
runtime = 87 min.
language = English
followed_by =

"The Iron Petticoat" is a 1956 Cold War comedy motion picture starring Bob Hope and Katharine Hepburn and directed by Ralph Thomas (chosen by Hepburn as she enjoyed his "Doctor" series). The original story "Not for Money" was written by Ben Hecht with Hepburn in mind to play Captain Vinka Kovelenko, a Russian aviatrix who lands in West Germany. After her defection she is quickly converted to capitalism after sampling life in the West in the company of Major Chuck Lockwood (Hope). There are subplots with Lockwood trying to marry Connie (Noelle Middleton), a member of the British upper class, and Communist agents trying to get Kovelenko to come back to the U.S.S.R. (see List of Cold War pilot defections)

The main story owes a lot to Greta Garbo's "Ninotchka" and Josef Von Sternberg's "Jet Pilot" with Janet Leigh as the Russian pilot and John Wayne as the U.S. Air Force officer. "Jet Pilot" was filmed in 1950 but not released until 1957. When Hope had concerns that Hecht's script was unfinished, he turned the script over to his own writers to punch it up and tailor it to his style as was his usual practice. [Faith, William Robert "Bob Hope: A Life in Comedy" Da Capo Press (2003)] ) Supposedly a lot of Hepburn's best scenes ended up on the cutting room floor and the title was changed from "Not For Money". Eventually Hecht insisted that his name be removed from the credits, and printed an open letter in the film trade journals disclaiming the picture and offering Hepburn and her fans an apology. Hope replied with an open letter apologising that Hecht had a hit on his hands and hoped they would keep up corresponding-in public. The film's credits ended up saying it was "Based on an Original Story by Harry Saltzman" and this Cold War comedy is arguably Hepburn's worst film appearance.Fact|date=February 2007 Others may feel that Hepburn showed a flair for comedy and appeared dynamic in her role. By contrast, Hope played his role (that was first offered to Cary Grant) in the manner of a handsome leading man rather than his usual wise cracking coward. Harry Saltzman often joked that his first motion picture production was the ONLY Bob Hope film that failed at the box office.

References