.gif)
Penelope (2006 film)
Encyclopedia
Penelope is a 2006 fantasy
/romantic comedy film
directed by Mark Palansky
which was first released in 2006 as a premiere. It stars Christina Ricci
, James McAvoy
and Reese Witherspoon
.
Penelope Wilhern is a young woman from a wealthy family with all the qualities to make an excellent match for any other well-bred man of her status. However, what sets her apart is that she has the nose and ears of a pig.
Generations ago, an embittered witch placed a curse on the Wilhern family because their son had impregnated her daughter, one of their servants. The son sought to marry her, but his family talked him out of it and married him off to another. The witch's daughter, overwrought, threw herself off a cliff. The witch cursed the Wilherns so that the next girl born into the clan would have the aspect of a pig. For five generations, only sons were born into the family, until Penelope was born, stricken with the curse. It is said that the curse can only be lifted if one of her own learns to love her, which is interpreted by her parents to mean a man of noble birth
.
When a tabloid reporter named Lemon begins stalking
the family to get a photograph of the infant Penelope, her parents, Jessica and Franklin, fake their daughter's death and cloister her away in their mansion, where Penelope spends her life immersing herself in intellectual pursuits such as literature, horticulture
, and music. When Penelope becomes an adult, her parents attempt to introduce her to possible suitors, hoping that one of them will fall in love with her and break the curse. Unfortunately, every man who lays eyes on the girl takes flight at first sight, never to return, including Edward Humphrey Vanderman III, a spoiled, cruel-hearted snob who finds her repulsive.
Vanderman's panicked flight from the Wilhern house results in a newspaper article dubbing him unstable. To redeem his name, he teams up with Lemon and the team goes out to find someone who can get into the house for a picture. They mistakenly take Johnny Martin, an unrepentant gambler with a heavy heart, for a distantly blue-blooded Max Campion. Martin agrees to help Lemon and Vanderman snatch a photograph of Penelope for money. When "Max" meets Penelope, however, he is unexpectedly caught off guard by her disarming charm, and decides to renege on his agreement with Lemon and Vanderman, realizing that their attempt to exploit Penelope is repugnant. Penelope interprets Max's ambivalence to mean that he, too, finds her monstrous. She decides to flee the protection of her parents' home and journeys out into the city, naive and ignorant about the world. Having no money and seeing that Lemon and Vanderman are offering a reward for a photograph of her, she decides to collect on the reward by producing a photo of herself, essentially coming out of hiding to the public.
Penelope's courage in going out to the world then acts as an inspiration for Johnny who quits gambling and starts work in an old theatre
.
Vanderman's father, seeing the public's fondness for Penelope and embarrassed by his son's vocal cruelty toward her, coerces Edward into proposing to her. Penelope nearly marries him, but backs out of the wedding at the last minute. When her mother urges her to marry him, lest she be forced to spend the rest of her life with her current appearance, Penelope becomes exasperated and says that she likes herself the way she is. As a result, Penelope breaks the curse, and her pig snout and ears disappear at last.
Penelope moves on with her life, becoming a horticulturist
and teacher, the spectacle of her former appearance forgotten by the public. On the next Halloween, however, she often runs into people wearing masks of herself with a pig nose. At a Halloween costume party at which she wears a mask of her former face, she goes to find Johnny (who lives nearby), who, unaware of her transformation, apologizes for not being able to break her curse, although it is obvious he is still in love with her. After Penelope removes her mask and reveals that she had the power to break the curse all along, the two begin a romance.
The film ends with Johnny pushing Penelope on a swing after teaching a horticultural class. Lemon is about to take a picture from a nearby rowboat
, but observes their happiness and decides to let his obsession go.
. According to Internet Movie Database
, it was filmed in the United Kingdom
. It premiered at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival
. It was also Reese Witherspoon
's first film in a producing role along with a small acting role.
The film's screenplay was written by Leslie Caveny
. A novelization of the film was written by Marilyn Kaye
. The plot draws on the traditional story of a cursed Pig-faced woman
.
The finished film was caught in limbo for over a year. Originally purchased by The Weinstein Company
and IFC Films
, it was removed from the release date schedule and eventually dropped by the two studios. Summit Entertainment eventually picked up United States distribution rights.
reported that 52% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 125 reviews. Metacritic
reported the film had an average score of 48 out of 100, based on 29 reviews — indicating mixed or average reviews.
. It was also shown at the Cannes Film Festival
in May 2007. The film opened in Russia
and Ukraine
in August 2007. Penelope was released in the United Kingdom on February 1, 2008. It opened in wide release in the United States and Canada on February 29, 2008.
The film opened in ninth place and earned $3.8 million USD on its opening weekend in the United States.
By October 5, 2008, the film had grossed $20.8 million worldwide—with $6.5 million in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Malta.
. It included a 2:35:1 anamorphic widescreen, and an English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround track. The extras were a behind-the-scene featurette, cast and crew, production notes and world-premiere features from the upcoming Summit
film Twilight
as well as behind-the-scenes features and interviews from the film, released four months later. Also available was a Target
exclusive edition which was a two disc deluxe edition set and exclusive tickets to see four Universal Studios
films: Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Mamma Mia!
, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
and Death Race
.
composed the music for the film. A soundtrack album was released.
Track listing
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
/romantic comedy film
Romantic comedy film
Romantic comedy films are films with light-hearted, humorous plotlines, centered on romantic ideals such as that true love is able to surmount most obstacles. One dictionary definition is "a funny movie, play, or television program about a love story that ends happily"...
directed by Mark Palansky
Mark Palansky
Mark Palansky is a Canadian film director and screenwriter. He got his start working as an assistant director on titan film productions such as Armageddon and Pearl Harbor. He then worked as a second unit director on The Island and The Amityville Horror....
which was first released in 2006 as a premiere. It stars Christina Ricci
Christina Ricci
Christina Ricci is an American actress. Ricci received initial recognition and praise as a child star for her performance as Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values , and her role as Kat Harvey in Casper...
, James McAvoy
James McAvoy
James McAvoy is a Scottish stage and screen actor. He made his acting debut as a teen in 1995's The Near Room and continued to make mostly television appearances until the early 2000s. His notable television work includes State of Play, Shameless, and Frank Herbert's Children of Dune...
and Reese Witherspoon
Reese Witherspoon
Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon , better known as Reese Witherspoon, is an American actress and film producer. Witherspoon landed her first feature role as the female lead in the film The Man in the Moon in 1991; later that year she made her television acting debut, in the cable movie Wildflower...
.
Plot
The movie Penelope follows a young woman who learns to be happy with who she is, regardless of her looks or who approves of her.Penelope Wilhern is a young woman from a wealthy family with all the qualities to make an excellent match for any other well-bred man of her status. However, what sets her apart is that she has the nose and ears of a pig.
Generations ago, an embittered witch placed a curse on the Wilhern family because their son had impregnated her daughter, one of their servants. The son sought to marry her, but his family talked him out of it and married him off to another. The witch's daughter, overwrought, threw herself off a cliff. The witch cursed the Wilherns so that the next girl born into the clan would have the aspect of a pig. For five generations, only sons were born into the family, until Penelope was born, stricken with the curse. It is said that the curse can only be lifted if one of her own learns to love her, which is interpreted by her parents to mean a man of noble birth
Aristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
.
When a tabloid reporter named Lemon begins stalking
Stalking
Stalking is a term commonly used to refer to unwanted and obsessive attention by an individual or group to another person. Stalking behaviors are related to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person and/or monitoring them via the internet...
the family to get a photograph of the infant Penelope, her parents, Jessica and Franklin, fake their daughter's death and cloister her away in their mansion, where Penelope spends her life immersing herself in intellectual pursuits such as literature, horticulture
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
, and music. When Penelope becomes an adult, her parents attempt to introduce her to possible suitors, hoping that one of them will fall in love with her and break the curse. Unfortunately, every man who lays eyes on the girl takes flight at first sight, never to return, including Edward Humphrey Vanderman III, a spoiled, cruel-hearted snob who finds her repulsive.
Vanderman's panicked flight from the Wilhern house results in a newspaper article dubbing him unstable. To redeem his name, he teams up with Lemon and the team goes out to find someone who can get into the house for a picture. They mistakenly take Johnny Martin, an unrepentant gambler with a heavy heart, for a distantly blue-blooded Max Campion. Martin agrees to help Lemon and Vanderman snatch a photograph of Penelope for money. When "Max" meets Penelope, however, he is unexpectedly caught off guard by her disarming charm, and decides to renege on his agreement with Lemon and Vanderman, realizing that their attempt to exploit Penelope is repugnant. Penelope interprets Max's ambivalence to mean that he, too, finds her monstrous. She decides to flee the protection of her parents' home and journeys out into the city, naive and ignorant about the world. Having no money and seeing that Lemon and Vanderman are offering a reward for a photograph of her, she decides to collect on the reward by producing a photo of herself, essentially coming out of hiding to the public.
Penelope's courage in going out to the world then acts as an inspiration for Johnny who quits gambling and starts work in an old theatre
Wilton's Music Hall
Wilton's Music Hall is a grade II* listed building, built as a music hall and now a more general-purpose performance space in Grace's Alley, off Cable Street in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets...
.
Vanderman's father, seeing the public's fondness for Penelope and embarrassed by his son's vocal cruelty toward her, coerces Edward into proposing to her. Penelope nearly marries him, but backs out of the wedding at the last minute. When her mother urges her to marry him, lest she be forced to spend the rest of her life with her current appearance, Penelope becomes exasperated and says that she likes herself the way she is. As a result, Penelope breaks the curse, and her pig snout and ears disappear at last.
Penelope moves on with her life, becoming a horticulturist
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
and teacher, the spectacle of her former appearance forgotten by the public. On the next Halloween, however, she often runs into people wearing masks of herself with a pig nose. At a Halloween costume party at which she wears a mask of her former face, she goes to find Johnny (who lives nearby), who, unaware of her transformation, apologizes for not being able to break her curse, although it is obvious he is still in love with her. After Penelope removes her mask and reveals that she had the power to break the curse all along, the two begin a romance.
The film ends with Johnny pushing Penelope on a swing after teaching a horticultural class. Lemon is about to take a picture from a nearby rowboat
Watercraft rowing
Watercraft rowing is the act of propelling a boat using the motion of oars in the water. The difference between paddling and rowing is that with rowing the oars have a mechanical connection with the boat whereas with paddling the paddles are hand-held with no mechanical connection.This article...
, but observes their happiness and decides to let his obsession go.
Cast
- Christina RicciChristina RicciChristina Ricci is an American actress. Ricci received initial recognition and praise as a child star for her performance as Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values , and her role as Kat Harvey in Casper...
as Penelope Wilhern - James McAvoyJames McAvoyJames McAvoy is a Scottish stage and screen actor. He made his acting debut as a teen in 1995's The Near Room and continued to make mostly television appearances until the early 2000s. His notable television work includes State of Play, Shameless, and Frank Herbert's Children of Dune...
as Johnny Martin ("Max Campion") - Catherine O'HaraCatherine O'HaraCatherine Anne O'Hara is a Canadian-American actress and comedienne. She is well known for her comedy work on SCTV, and her roles in the films After Hours, Beetlejuice, Home Alone, and The Nightmare Before Christmas, and also in the mockumentary films written and directed by Christopher Guest...
as Jessica Wilhern - Richard E. GrantRichard E. GrantRichard E. Grant is a Swaziland-born British actor, screenwriter and director. His most notable role came in the film Withnail and I. He holds dual British and Swazi citizenship.-Early life:...
as Franklin Wilhern - Ronni AnconaRonni AnconaRonni Ancona is a Scottish actress, impressionist and author. Ancona won the Best TV Comedy Actress award at the 2003 British Comedy Awards for her work in Big Impression.- Career :...
as Wanda - Peter DinklagePeter DinklagePeter Dinklage is an American film, television and theater actor. Since his breakout role in the 2003 film The Station Agent, he has acted in Elf, Underdog, Find Me Guilty, the 2007 film Death at a Funeral and its 2010 remake, and The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian...
as Lemon - Simon WoodsSimon WoodsSimon Woods is an English actor best known for his role as Octavian in Season 2 of the British-American television series Rome and the 2005 Pride & Prejudice as Mr. Charles Bingley...
as Edward Humphrey Vanderman III - Nigel HaversNigel HaversNigel Allan Havers is an English actor. He is probably best known for his BAFTA-nominated role as Lord Andrew Lindsay in the 1981 British film Chariots of Fire, and for his role as Dr. Tom Latimer in the British TV comedy series Don't Wait Up...
as Edward Vanderman II - Burn GormanBurn GormanBurn Hugh Gorman is an American-born English actor and musician. Burn is best known for his roles as Owen Harper in Torchwood and as William Guppy in Bleak House.-Personal life:...
as Larry - Russell BrandRussell BrandRussell Edward Brand is an English comedian, actor, columnist, singer, author and radio/television presenter.Brand achieved mainstream fame in the UK in 2004 for his role as host of Big Brother spin-off, Big Brother's Big Mouth. His first major film role was in the 2007 film St Trinians...
as Sam - Reese WitherspoonReese WitherspoonLaura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon , better known as Reese Witherspoon, is an American actress and film producer. Witherspoon landed her first feature role as the female lead in the film The Man in the Moon in 1991; later that year she made her television acting debut, in the cable movie Wildflower...
as Annie - John VoceJohn VoceJohn Voce is an English actor. He has portrayed William Kempe in the period drama A Waste of Shame and the recurring character Tim Parker in Primeval . He has also appeared in the 2001 film Crush and the 2008 film Penelope...
as Duty Cop - Nick FrostNick FrostNicholas John "Nick" Frost is an English actor, comedian and screenwriter. He is best known for his work with Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg in the role of Mike Watt in the television comedy Spaced, as well as the film characters Ed in Shaun of the Dead, PC/Sgt...
as Max Campion
Background and production
The production of Penelope started in 2006 in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. According to Internet Movie Database
Internet Movie Database
Internet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
, it was filmed in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It premiered at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival
2006 Toronto International Film Festival
The 2006 Toronto International Film Festival ran from September 7 to September 16, 2006. Opening the festival was Zacharias Kunuk and Norman Cohn's The Journals of Knud Rasmussen, a film that "explores the history of the Inuit people through the eyes of a father and daughter."In a press release...
. It was also Reese Witherspoon
Reese Witherspoon
Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon , better known as Reese Witherspoon, is an American actress and film producer. Witherspoon landed her first feature role as the female lead in the film The Man in the Moon in 1991; later that year she made her television acting debut, in the cable movie Wildflower...
's first film in a producing role along with a small acting role.
The film's screenplay was written by Leslie Caveny
Leslie Caveny
Leslie Caveny is an American film and television writer and producer. She was a staff writer and producer for Everybody Loves Raymond for several years in which she shared the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series. She later went on to write the screenplay for Penelope. She is...
. A novelization of the film was written by Marilyn Kaye
Marilyn Kaye
Marilyn Kaye is a children's author. She taught children's literature at St. John's University, New York. She is the author of many children's and young adult novel series, including the successful Replica and Gifted series.-Biography:...
. The plot draws on the traditional story of a cursed Pig-faced woman
Pig-faced women
Stories of pig-faced women originated roughly simultaneously in Holland, England and France in the late 1630s. The stories told of a wealthy woman whose body was of normal human appearance, but who had the face of a pig....
.
The finished film was caught in limbo for over a year. Originally purchased by The Weinstein Company
The Weinstein Company
The Weinstein Company is an American film studio founded by Bob and Harvey Weinstein in 2005 after the brothers left the then-Disney-owned Miramax Films, which they had co-founded in 1979...
and IFC Films
IFC Films
IFC Films is an American film distribution company based in New York, owned by AMC Networks. It distributes independent films and documentaries under the IFC Films, Sundance Selects and IFC Midnight. It operates the IFC Center....
, it was removed from the release date schedule and eventually dropped by the two studios. Summit Entertainment eventually picked up United States distribution rights.
Reception
The film received mixed reviews from critics. As of February 29, 2008, the review aggregator Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
reported that 52% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 125 reviews. Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
reported the film had an average score of 48 out of 100, based on 29 reviews — indicating mixed or average reviews.
Box office
The film premiered September 8, 2006 at the Toronto International Film FestivalToronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
. It was also shown at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
in May 2007. The film opened in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
in August 2007. Penelope was released in the United Kingdom on February 1, 2008. It opened in wide release in the United States and Canada on February 29, 2008.
The film opened in ninth place and earned $3.8 million USD on its opening weekend in the United States.
By October 5, 2008, the film had grossed $20.8 million worldwide—with $6.5 million in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Malta.
Home media release
Penelope was released on July 15, 2008 in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It included a 2:35:1 anamorphic widescreen, and an English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround track. The extras were a behind-the-scene featurette, cast and crew, production notes and world-premiere features from the upcoming Summit
Summit Entertainment
Summit Entertainment LLC is an independent film studio headquartered in Santa Monica, California with international offices in London.-History:...
film Twilight
Twilight (2008 film)
Twilight is a 2008 American romantic vampire film based on Stephenie Meyer's popular novel of the same name. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke, the film stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. It is the first film in The Twilight Saga film series...
as well as behind-the-scenes features and interviews from the film, released four months later. Also available was a Target
Target Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
exclusive edition which was a two disc deluxe edition set and exclusive tickets to see four Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
films: Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Mamma Mia!
Mamma Mia! (film)
Mamma Mia! is a 2008 musical/romantic comedy film adapted from the 1999 West End/2001 Broadway musical of the same name, based on the songs of successful pop group ABBA, with additional music composed by ABBA member Benny Andersson...
, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor is a 2008 American action adventure film and sequel to The Mummy and The Mummy Returns . The film stars Brendan Fraser, Maria Bello, John Hannah, Luke Ford, and Jet Li, and was released on August 1, 2008 in the United States...
and Death Race
Death Race (film)
Death Race is a 2008 action film produced, written and directed by Paul W. S. Anderson and starring Jason Statham. Though referred to as a remake of the 1975 film Death Race 2000 in reviews and marketing materials, director Paul W.S. Anderson stated in an interview and the DVD commentary that he...
.
Soundtrack
Joby TalbotJoby Talbot
Joby Talbot is a British composer.Born in Wimbledon, London, Talbot studied composition at Royal Holloway and Bedford New College at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama under Brian Elias and Simon Bainbridge....
composed the music for the film. A soundtrack album was released.
Track listing
- "The Story of the Curse, Pt. 1" by Joby Talbot – 3:57
- "The Story of the Curse, Pt. 2" by Joby Talbot – 4:58
- "Waking Life" by Schuyler FiskSchuyler FiskSchuyler Elizabeth Fisk is an American actress and singer-songwriter.-Early life:Fisk was born in Los Angeles, California to actress Sissy Spacek and production designer Jack Fisk....
– 4:07 - "The Piano Song" by Meiko – 2:46
- "Penelope Breaks Free" by Joby Talbot – 1:58
- "Fairground" by Joby Talbot – 1:31
- "Give In" by The Secret 6 – 4:46
- "Queen of Surface Streets" by DeVotchKaDeVotchKaDeVotchKa is a four-piece multi-instrumental and vocal ensemble. They take their name from the Russian word devochka , meaning "girl"...
– 5:26 - "String of Blinking Lights" by Paper Moon – 4:18
- "The Wedding" by Joby Talbot – 4:03
- "Ageless Beauty" by Stars – 4:05
- "The Kiss" by Joby Talbot – 4:22
- "HoppípollaHoppípolla"Hoppípolla" is a song by Icelandic band Sigur Rós from their 2005 album Takk.... It was released as the album's second single on 28 November 2005. The lyrics are mainly in Icelandic, with some nonsensical phrases, a "language" the band calls Vonlenska . Written with spaces, the song's title would...
" by Sigur RósSigur RósSigur Rós is an Icelandic post-rock band with classicaland minimalist elements. The band is known for its ethereal sound, and frontman Jónsi Birgisson's falsetto vocals and use of bowed guitar. In January 2010, the band announced that they will be on hiatus. Since then, it has since been announced...
– 4:15 - "Your Disguise" by James Greenspun – 3:09