The Iron Petticoat

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The Iron Petticoat

Directed by	Ralph Thomas
Produced by	Betty E. Box Harry Saltzman
Written by	Ben Hecht Harry Saltzman
Starring	Bob Hope Katharine Hepburn
Music by	Benjamin Frankel
Cinematography	Ernest Steward
Distributed by	London Films Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (U.S.)
Release date(s)	7 January 1957 (U.S.)
Running time	87 min.
Language	English
IMDb profile

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.^[1]) 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.^{[citation needed]} 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.