Penelope

By Linda Winsh-Bolard

A fairy tale with an uncertain message.

Years ago a rich man seduced his family’s maid and left her when she became pregnant. When he got married, she “fell” off the cliff.

The same night her mother, the witch, came and cursed the family: any girl born into it will be born as a pig, and could not be saved until one of her own accepts her as she is.

For hundred years no daughters were born into the family and then, at the age of paparazzi and boulevard media, a girl was born to couple already so well photographed, so well known, that the girl with pig’s snout was nearly born on the camera. She was named Penelope.

After the initial shock, her mother hid her in the house. When Penelope became of age, her Mother engaged a dating agency to find the blue blood husband needed to lift the curse. Albeit, all potential candidates run away once they saw Penelope- and her nose.

Edward Vanderman (Simon Woods) even tried to have her arrested accusing her of attempted murder.

That story got back to Lemon (Peter Dinklage), a reporter who was chasing after the baby for years. Lemon hires a gambler, who lost all his money, to pretend to be one of the suitors and snap Penelope’s picture.

Too much alcohol in combination with too little cash caused Max (James McAvoy) to meet Penelope, and that meeting, while not ending in engagements, sets both of them free.

Max stops gambling and Penelope leaves her home to discover the world, and herself in the world.

Penelope’s opening of the gate and walking out into the evening world of London represent the obvious parable of leaving self-made prison of restrictions. It is one of the best sequences in the movie, gentle and naïve, just as a young would have perceived the evening, protected girl.

The basic problem is that Penelope’s nose is not disfiguring enough to cause men to jump out of the window. Or if it is, may I advise to all women to don pig’s nose? Perhaps then we could be perceived as independent persons, rather than sex toys with the ability to produce blood heirs, male if possible. It could have played, as parable to all the women suffering from complex about their appearance while they are fine, but it doesn’t fit with the rest of the film.

Add to this, that a male dwarf is able to have a normal life, but a pretty, slim, smart and compassionate girl, marred by a pig nose, is either a monster or a celebrity {nice use of the novelty crazy media). Also the different treatment, meted to Penelope, snobbish and horrified rich versus the largely accepting working poor is unrealistic.

The self-discovery, that Penelope will go through, is such an obvious message that it must have been hard to handle; yet it worked. Her overprotective Mother, Jessica (Catherine O’Hara) and her best intention, as well as weak and self-guilt ridden father, Franklin (Richard E. Grant), helped. They are both fine actors.

The picture nicely blends the fantastic of the past with today’s London’s reality, muted colors and palatial manors combined with work class pubs and beaten (nicely made beaten, not the stuff of a ghetto) walls of the dwellings of the poor.

Christina Ricci plays Penelope as a straight woman, intelligent and resourceful but keenly aware of her fault which excludes her from normal life.
James McAvoy is acceptably sensitive bewildered man, who had lost his way, got into a situation where he can no longer lie and tries to do no more harm.

Reese Witherspoon appears in the down to earth part of the bike messenger Anna on a Vespa. She co-produced the film.

It is enjoyable enough as long as it is watched as a fairy tale. Pondering the meaning is not adviced.


Directed by Mark Palansky. Screenplay, Leslie Caveny.Camera :Michel Amathieu; editor, Jon Gregory; music, Joby Talbot; production designer, Amanda McArthur; supervising art director, John Reid; art director, Gerard Bryan; set decorator, Bridget Menzies; costume designer, Jill Taylor; sound; sound designer, Matthew Collinge; prosthetics supervisor, Scott Stoddard; visual effects supervisor, Jody Johnson; line producer, Paul Ritchie; assistant director, Sean Guest; casting, Susie Figgis. Reviewed at Toronto Film Festival (Gala), Sept. 8, 2006. Running time: 103 MIN.



Penelope Wilhern - Christina Ricci
Johnny/Max - James McAvoy
Jessica Wilhern - Catherine O'Hara
Lemon - Peter Dinklage
Franklin Wilhern - Richard E. Grant
Annie - Reese Witherspoon
Edward Vanderman - Simon Woods
Wanda - Ronni Ancona
Jake/Witch - Michael Feast
Mr. Vanderman - Nigel Havers
Krull - Lenny Henry
Mrs. Vanderman - Christina Greatrex