In the early to mid 2000's (2000 - 2006) , I set off on a quest to see all of Katharine Hepburn's films from cinema and TV. The Iron Petticoat was the last of the cinematic features I needed and I got it by way of E-Bay on video tape. (Made by 'someone'.) It was one of those bidding wars...oh yeah, I won it but I spent *gulp* $40.00. So, when I got it home, and long thereafter, I watched it at least 3 times a year. I now know the movie like the back of my hand. The movie's story is that one day over an american aire bese in Germany, female Russian aviator Vinka Kovelenko accidentally (?) invades American Military air space when she has a fallout with her superiors. She's passed over for promotion, which is given to a male with less rank and tenure than she.She's brought down, escorted basically by surrounding U.S. pilots in their planes, Most notably Chuck Lockwood. Lockwood doesn't seem to take much 'too' seriously in the events that unfold.Chuck gets assigned to get Vinka to denounce the USSR and 'swing her over to the American side'. As propaganda against the Soviets. What happens is that Chuck, who is engaged to an heiress named Constance, inadvertently ends up falling for Vinka and she for him.Essentially leading to both having problems, with their superiors and Chuck with his fiance'. Whom he may be really only marrying for the money and comfort.Bob Hope, a very great comedic legend, falls short here in comedy. His jokes and funny lines don't carry any punch or energy. There were a few lines that got a laugh or two from me but not enough and really, no one else here except maybe Hepburn is funny.Hepburn does get a few good humorous lines in but also some of her actions are, unintended, funny. Her Russian accent as well as some reactions facially and physically. On another level though, she really outshines everyone in this film. When she goes from military wear and dresses up in something beautiul for Chuck's sake, her emotions seem very real. (Chuck has yet to realize he's falling for her). The real problem, as most movie fans know, was that Hope (allegedly) treid to get all the best lines for himself and leave very little for Hepburn. Stating 'Hepburn has no sense of humor'. Whatever he was trying to acheive, it backfired in every way.The film flopped and as mentioned, Hepburn's acting and even most minimal comedy out-shined him. I always liked Bob Hope's comedies but , to use a slang term from today, this was an 'Epic Fail' . As for worst Hepburn film? That honor goes to 1985's "Grace Quigley".I rated this 8 stars for Hepburn's acting and the fact that there'is' a plot you can actually follow. The detractors are the otherwise blandness of some of the other actors and how this was directed into a mostly bland film...that does have it's moments. ..but I'd hardly say it was worth $40.00. (END)

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.

I was born too late to appreciate Bob Hope, since his talent showed mostly in presenting and stand-up. He has mostly left behind a less-than-stellar movie career, as evidenced by his highest rated movie (in IMDb) being The Muppet Movie, and even that's not nearly high enough to be in the Top 250. I enjoyed his Fancy Pants, but I have to say that was largely due to the presence of Lucille Ball.I am, however, a mad fan of Katharine Hepburn and eagerly devour all of her movies. But great as she is, she still has some clunkers in her repertoire, and unfortunately this is one of them.Egads, the Russian accent. I think that once she realized how bad it sounded (not for lack of trying), she just went all out to ham up the performance. There's chemistry between the two legends that are Hepburn and Hope, but the script lets them down, and the lines mostly fall flat. It doesn't even venture into camp, in which the movie's worth a watch just because you want to see Hepburn play Chinese (Dragon Seed) or a mountain girl (Spitfire). I would pretty much only recommend this for die-hard Hope or Hepburn enthusiasts (like me).

What was Hepburn thinking? This is a really poor film that goes nowhere and feels like it takes a long time doing it. Bob Hope relies, as ever, on the knowing side-glances but hasn't anything funny to say to justify them, whilst Hepburn spends the whole film doing a dreadful Russian accent to no purpose other than to annoy. It's a clumsy, stereotyped and frankly disturbing film that says much about the paranoia of the times. For the film's publicity to rave about the chemistry between Hepburn and Hope is laughable....their only chemistry is of the kind that brews sleeping potions.Is there anything to salvage 87 minutes that feels like 200? Absolutely, the great Richard Wattis makes an appearance just as you are reaching for the remote. It's only a brief moment as he tries to sell sexy under-ware to Hepburn, but it's an oasis worth waiting for.Bottom line....dreadful nonsense that never raises a smile