My love of Natalie Wood is well documented on this site, so it will come as no surprise that even those films considered to be among her minor efforts hold a great deal of charm for this reviewer. While Wood had a couple decades of classics such as Rebel Without A Cause and West Side Story under her belt, she was never one to look down upon a lighthearted comedy. The latter half of her career found her tackling many interesting roles including a lovable kleptomaniac in the 1966 comedy Penelope from director Arthur Hiller. The director would soon earn his first Best Director nomination for Love Story, but first he would tackle this underrated comedy. On its surface it is marketed to be something a bit sleazy, but in actuality it is a charming story of a woman trying to find fulfillment in a marriage in which she is not appreciated. The film has long been unavailable on home video, but the wonderful people at Warner Archive have now given a new audience a chance to discover this gem.
Wood (Inside Daisy Clover, The Last Married Couple In America) plays the titular Penelope Elcott, the wife of a prominent New York banker, James Elcott (Ian Bannen, The Flight of the Phoenix). Penelope has a secret; she really enjoys stealing things, and she has ever since she was nearly assaulted by a handsy college professor – a horrifying, animalistic scene played up for comedy which makes for one of the few false notes in the film. She does not do so for the monetary gain, but rather the small thrill it gives her. We get a glimpse of exactly how far her love of theft has come at the beginning of the film as she flawlessly knocks over her husband’s bank while cleverly disguised as an old lady. She is not ashamed of what she has done, and she gladly spills all the details to her flabbergasted psychiatrist Gregory (Dick Shawn, The Producers), who cannot believe this sweet woman could be capable of such an act. His ethical obligations are clouded even beyond the obvious since Gregory has seemingly fallen for Penelope, leaving him hoping he can reform her before she gets caught.
This seemingly silly role would not work as well if the utterly charming Natalie Wood was not at the forefront of this film. Wood plays Penelope with a breezy detachment from reality that makes you laugh as she floats through the world unconcerned if she might get caught. Penelope is not a malicious character; she donates some of the money to charity and gets downright indignant when the police try to charge another woman with the crime. She seems to be having a blast connecting with Lieutenant Horatio Bixbee (Peter Falk, Columbo) on the case. The investigation is nearly as thrilling as the initial robbery to our dear Penelope. Falk is right at home as a detective, and he brings a gentle warmth to the role as he, like most of the men in this film, falls under the spell of Penelope. The man who she wishes would notice her is her husband, who has taken her for granted in more ways than one. She is not stealing just to get the attention of men, she is stealing to earn some agency in her own life.
Despite what the poster would leave you to believe, the film does not rely on Wood showing off a ton of skin throughout the film. You can tell the film was coming out of the Hays Code in the aforementioned scene with the predator professor, but for the most part Wood is just passively objectified – this is still a Hollywood movie of a certain age after all. More importantly, though, she gets to earn a lot of laughs throughout thanks to her confident lunacy. By doing what she wants to do when she wants to do it, she makes the men around her uncomfortable. Gregory especially is tied into knots in a really amusing manner as Shawn exemplifies an overwhelmed neurotic. The investigation that acts as the main thrust of the film not only gives Wood a chance to shine, but it introduces a strong ensemble of colorful characters that only enrich the film. The film takes a final turn into the heartfelt that does not feel completely earned, but on the strength of Wood alone it should cause even the most cynical hearts to soften a bit. Penelope is an unadulterated joy that has been lacking the recognition it deserves for far too long.
Video Quality
Warner Archive presents Penelope with a beautiful new 1080p master transfer in 2.35:1 sourced from a 4K scan of the original camera negative. Warner Archive always knocks it out of the park when they delve into their vaults, and this one is simply stunning. The film features some splendid colors within the gorgeous Edith Head costumes and production design that pop off the screen with a great vibrancy. The film is practically pristine with no noticeable instances of damage or dirt detected here. The level of minute detail and clarity is stunning with a lovely amount of natural film grain intact. The black levels are incredibly deep with a pleasing stability throughout. Compression artifacts, banding and other such issues do not pop up as an issue in this transfer. This presentation is another instance of Warner Archive showing off their impressive skills.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that is likewise very enjoyable. Dialogue and background noises are represented perfectly along with the spritely score from a young John Williams. There is no discernible age related wear and tear to the track such as hissing or popping. No sounds ever overpower the dialogue that is being spoken here. While mostly dialogue driven throughout, the more kinetic moments are handled with ease and give the track a bit of punch. There are also optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film. Warner Archive has provided a disc that sounds fantastic in all respects.
Special Features
- Edith Head Featurette: A four-and-a-half minute vintage featurette which takes a look at the work of the historic Edith Head on this film complete with model shots of Natalie Wood in costume.
- Theatrical Trailer: A nearly three-minute trailer is provided here which does a decent job of setting up the film.
Final Thoughts
Penelope is yet another example of Natalie Wood being one of the most transfixing performers ever to appear on screen. This title role allows her to show off her comedic chops while bringing some pathos when necessary. She is supported by a strong ensemble led by a standout turn from the always-great Peter Falk. The film does not appear to have much depth from the outside, but those who give it a chance should be delighted by what they find. Warner Archive has delivered a spectacular Blu-Ray with an immaculate A/V presentation and a couple of supplemental features. If you are a Natalie Wood fan, you owe it to yourself to add this to your collection. Recommended
Penelope can be purchased directly through the Warner Archive Amazon Store or various other online retailers.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
