Listonixio Fresh and Exciting

Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Hayden Kane There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Dana An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

jzcareer When watching this movie for the first time on TV several years ago, I feel in love with it. However, it does not try to present itself as being a great artistic work of cinema but, a comedy. It is like watching a 90 minute Saturday Night Live episode with the two leading stars playing off of each other. What, I enjoyed the most is that while Mr. Hope is playing his role only for laughs Ms. Hepburn is playing her role straight So, when watching the two of them it is a little bit like the classic "Odd Couple" TV show. Also, I could tell that the theme of women not being treated equal when doing the same job as a man even in a communism Country would have been a safe way to highlight social change during the 1950's in the US. In addition, the wonderful uniforms, skirt suits, evening dresses, and other items worn by Ms. Hepburn were just outstanding.

a.lampert Catching up with two or three Bob Hope movies recently on TV, this, the 3rd in a month, didn't really excite me, even as a prospect before I started watching it. Let me make it clear, for me, Bob Hope was the most charismatic comedy actor ever, but the subject matter of 'The Iron Petticoat' just sounded dull. Katharine Hepburn plays a Russian pilot who has an ex lover (Robert Helpmann) who she meets up with in West Germany at an American air base. It's a bit unclear why she flies there but anyway, after landing she is persuaded by Capt Chuck Lockwood (Bob Hope) to pursue Western values and the pair eventually fall in love after a series of mishaps. That's about it as a story but Hepburn is just irritating as the Russian pilot. I'm normally something of a fan of Kate but in this movie she has such a terrible, harsh, mock Russian accent it just grated on me, rather destroying any chemistry between the two stars and is the worst performance I've seen her give. Hope on the other hand saves the movie with his non stop quips which always keeps me glued to his presence. Apparently Hope's production company was involved which allowed him to alter Ben Hechts' original script as he wasn't satisfied with it and Hecht and Hope fell out over it. The Cold War is a rather unfunny premise for a comedy which is why it didn't really appeal to me but if you love just watching Bob Hope, then it's worth a watch. Supporting actors don't really add anything as they are rather dull and giving their worst performances and the list included great character actors like James Robertson Justice, Sid James and Richard Wattis who normally bring a boost to their pictures, but alas, not here. Apparently the picture has only recently become available on TV as Hope prevented it in his lifetime so you may find it interesting as a curiosity. Only five stars and they're for Hope and his gags and timing.

ianlouisiana You can't say that about many movies!"The Iron Petticoat" is a bizarre relic of the 1950s with a smug Bob Hope hogging the limelight and a grimly determined Katherine Hepburn fighting a rearguard action with a pantomime Russian accent and a very smart wardrobe. Mr Hope is the USAF officer to whom Miss Hepburn - a pilot in the Soviet air force overlooked for promotion - defects,and he is tasked with her "Americanisation".Cue lots of dated one - liners from him and conspicuous displays of cheekbone from her. The plot concerns the efforts of the Russians who understandably regard her as a traitor to take her back and the Americans who regard her as a propaganda coup to hang on to her. In later years of course they would have simply killed her with a poisoned umbrella,but the comparative naivety of the Russians as they try to kidnap Miss Hepburn gives us ample opportunity to relish the joys of the splendid British supporting cast,notably Mr J.R.Justice,chain - smoking,cold and calculating,and Mr Sid James with a preposterous wig and a vaguely "foreign" accent who turns out to be a wizard on the dance floor in contrast to Mr Bob Helpmann the great choreographer and dancer who,like John Travolta 40 years later in "Pulp Fiction" insists he is unable to dance at all. Miss Noelle Middleton remains rather aloof from it all as Mr Hope's betrothed. The movie is being given a run on "Film on Four" at the moment and is worth watching if only for the moment when Mr James,displaying nifty footwork,twirls Miss Hepburn towards certain death at "The Russian Bear" nightclub.Keep that back straight Sid,and the elbows just a little higher,please.

bkoganbing Until ironically both stars of The Iron Petticoat died within a month of each other in 2003, this film may have had until June 29 of that year of holding the record for having its two co-stars survive the longest. That was the day Katharine Hepburn died and Bob Hope died on July 27 and between them they had 196 years on earth. That's the only distinction The Iron Petticoat has.Ben Hecht got on Bob Hope's case for allowing his gag writers to intrude in on his screenplay and story. Personally I can't believe they could have loused it up as bad as what his idea originally was. Katharine Hepburn is a female Russian jet ace who defects from the Soviet Union, not because of any disagreement with Communism, but because she was passed over for promotion in the Russian Air Force.But the Americans still think they can convert her for propaganda purposes and who do they assign to the task? Not real life American air war hero James Stewart, but Bob Hope who plays the jet pilot who forced Kate's jet down. Who here really believes Bob Hope as a war hero pilot? It's obvious Hope did interfere and it probably cost Hepburn some of her scenes, but the premise was so ridiculous I can understand why he thought the film needed help. As for Hepburn she throws on an accent that might be described as Maria Ouspenskaya on crystal meth. Even such fine players as James Robertson Justice as the KGB man assigned to kidnap Hepburn back are wasted here.The Iron Petticoat was a terrible idea made even worse in the execution. No wonder it's never shown in revivals of either Hope or Hepburn.