Film Dope


The Iron Petticoat

1956

Ralph Thomas
Director
Independent Film Distributors
UK Distributor
MGM
US Distributor
Romulus Films
Production Company

Soviet fighter pilot Hepburn defects to the West when she's passed over for promotion. Hotshot USAF pilot Hope is assigned to thaw her out, with romantic results. Basically a remake of Ninotchka, and also very similar to Jet Pilot, an awful film that was actually made six years previously but not released until this was unleashed on the public.

Much maligned, long suppressed film is actually not bad. It's not really because of the leads; Hope and Hepburn aren't really credible characters, and the latter's Russian accent has been memorably described as "Maria Ouspenskaya on meth." It's more because of the supporting cast of familiar British faces. Helpmann, especially, is great as the lovelorn sad sack Kropotkin. Memorable bits by Alexander Gauge (as a southern American senator, of all things) and Richard Wattis as a lingerie salesman, among others, are what keep the film going.

Note: Just a couple of errors to point out: Guard is not Victor Brooks; I misidentified Jimmy Lodge when I first did this film, and the error has carried over to IMDb. Also the “Man Lighting Lockwood’s Distorted Cigarette” is clearly Nicholas Bruce, and not Nicol Williamson, who would have been 20 and on national service when this film was made.

Originally done 01 June 2013, revamped 28 January 2023.

Thanks as always to Philly for identifying many extras that I missed!

-Dave W.

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The Iron Petticoat
17th September 1956
CInema


94 mins
1.85:1

The Iron Petticoat
7th January 1957
Cinema


87 mins
1.85:1

Bob Hope
Captain Charles "Chuck" Lockwood
Katharine Hepburn
Kapitan Vinka Kovelenko
Noelle Middleton
Lady Constance Warburton-Watts
James Robertson Justice
Colonel Vladimir Denisovich Sklarnoff
Robert Helpmann
Major Ivan Kropotkin
David Kossoff
Dr. Anton Antonovich Dubratz
Alan Gifford
Colonel Newton Tarbell
Nicholas Phipps
Tony Mallard
Paul Carpenter
Major Lewis
Sid James
Paul
(as Sidney James)
Alexander Gauge
Senator Hawley
Sandra Dorne
Tityana
Richard Wattis
Lingerie Clerk
Tutte Lemkow
Sutsiyawa
Olaf Pooley
Major Osip Feodor Ganovich
Martin Boddey
Grisha, Russian Guard
Richard Leech
Alex, Russian Guard ("Brooklyn")
Eugene Deckers
Russian Bear Bartender
Stanley Zevic
Russian Reporter
Alexis Chesnakov
Russian Orator
Andre Mikhelson
Charash
Unknown 9616
Radar Room Map Plotter
Unknown 9616
Radar Room Map Plotter
William Greene
Radar Room Officer
Robin Drury
Airman in Radar Room
Unknown 9616
Radar Room Officer
Norman Morris
Radar Room Technician
Unknown Male 71
Radar Room Technician
Unknown 9616
Radar Room Technician
Unknown 9616
Radar Room Technician
Unknown 9616
Radar Room Technician
Unknown 9616
Radar Room Technician
Roland Brand
Air Police Sergeant in Tarbell's Office
Unknown
Girl at Bar in Officers' Club
Unknown Male 151
Officer at Bar in Officers' Club
Unknown Male 67
Officer at Bar in Officers' Club
Alex Graham
Officers' Club Bartender
Frederick Jaeger
Officers' Club Bartender
Unknown Male 176
Officers' Club Extra 1
Jerry Stovin
Lockwood's Friend at Officers' Club
Unknown 9616
Girl with Lockwood's Friend
Unknown 9616
Girl with Lockwood's Friend
Unknown 9616
Girl with Lockwood's Friend
Unknown 9616
Officers' Club Extra 2
Alan Beaton
Officers' Club Extra
Unknown 9616
Officers' Club Extra 3
Unknown Male 48
Officers' Club Extra
Unknown 9616
Officers' Club Extra 4
Unknown 9616
Officers' Club Extra 5
Unknown 9616
Officers' Club Extra 6
Unknown Male 79
Officers' Club Extra 7
Unknown 9616
Officers' Club Extra 8
Unknown 9616
Officers' Club Extra 9
Unknown 9616
Officers' Club Extra 10
(Sheila Aza?)
Unknown 9616
Officers' Club Extra 11
Unknown 9616
Officers' Club Extra 12
Unknown 9616
Officers' Club Extra 13
Unknown 9616
Officers' Club Extra 14
John Fabian
Officers' Club Extra
Victor Harrington
Officers' Club Extra
Austin Cooper
Officers' Club Extra
Frank Andrews
Officers' Club Extra 15
Roy Ponting
Officers' Club Extra 16
Fred Stroud
Officers' Club Extra
Unknown 9616
Officers' Club Extra 17
Unknown 9616
Officers' Club Extra 18
Victor Coventry
Officers' Club Extra
Edwin Fowles
Officers' Club Extra
Jack Carter
Officers' Club Extra
Unknown 9616
Officers' Club Extra 19
Maria Andipa
Skarnoff's Secretary
Gibb McLaughlin
Butler
George Margo
Lockwood's Driver
Cyril Chamberlain
Hotel Doorman
Unknown
Hotel Doorman
Unknown Male 34
Hotel Porter
Unknown 9616
Hotel Porter
Unknown 9616
Bellboy
Mabel Etherington
Hotel Lobby Extra
Unknown Male 6
Hotel Lobby Extra
Unknown 9616
Hotel Lobby Extra 2
Don Webb
Hotel Lobby Extra 3
George Spence
Man in Hotel Lobby
John Lawrence
Naval Officer in Hotel Lobby
Unknown 9616
Admiral in Hotel Lobby
Ishaq Bux
Hotel Lobby Extra
Unknown Male 13
Hotel Desk Clerk
Pat Halpin
Hotel Lobby Extra
Unknown
Elevator Operator
Thomas Heathcote
Hotel Valet
Miles Silverton
Hotel Lobby Extra
Fred Davis
Hotel Lobby Extra
Reggie de Beer
Hotel Lobby Extra
Stanley Fleet
Russian Dancer
Anatole Smirnoff
Russian Dancer
Peter Johnston
Russian Dancer
Paul Beradi
Russian Bear Patron
Unknown 9616
Russian Bear Patron 1
Unknown Female 48
Russian Bear Patron 2
Unknown 9616
Russian Bear Patron 3
Hyma Beckley
Russian Bear Patron
George Holdcroft
Russian Bear Patron
Sheila Aza
Russian Bear Patron 4
Dervis Ward
Russian Bear Waiter
Bill Baskiville
Russian Bear Patron
Nicholas Bruce
Russian Bear Headwaiter
Harry Van Engel
Russian Bear Patron
Colin McKenzie
Russian Bear Patron
Unknown 9616
Russian Bear Patron 5
Unknown 9616
Russian Bear Patron 6
Dan Cressy
Russian Bear Patron
Tony Mendleson
Russian Bear Patron
Ernest Blyth
Russian Bear Patron
Eunice Melville
Russian Bear Attendant
J. Neil More
Russian Bear Patron
Unknown Male 46
Balalaika Player
Fred Davis
Russian Bear Patron
Unknown 9616
Russian Bear Patron 8
Eddie Boyce
Russian Bear Patron
Doris Goddard
Maria
Ken Richmond
Igor, Group 9 Operative
Unknown 9616
Russian Bear Patron 10
Emil Stemmler
Russian Bear Waiter
Unknown Male 224
Russian Bear Patron 11
Jack Hetherington
Russian Bear Patron 12
Unknown 9616
Russian Bear Patron 13
Alf Dean
Russian Bear Doorman trying to Tackle Lockwood
Unknown 9616
Passerby Outside Russian Bear
Unknown
Passerby Knocked Out by Sutsiyawa
Unknown
Street Cleaner
Unknown 9616
Russian Bear Doorman
(Steven Berkoff?)
Bernard Rebel
Trade Mission Official
Bob Head
Agent Helping Tie Up Vinka
John Wilder
Trade Mission Guard
Lindsay Hooper
Trade Mission Guard
Charles Gilliard
Car Mechanic
Sonnie Willis
Trade Mission Guard
Unknown
Trade Mission Guard
Dennis Carnell
Trade Mission Guard
John Warren
Airport Attendant
Manny Michael
Russian Guard on Plane
Jimmy Lodge
Russian Guard on Plane
Joe Phelps
Russian Guard on Plane
Peter Taylor
Firing Squad Leader
Unknown 9616
Firing Squad Member
(Jess Conrad?)
Jim Morris
Airport Crowd Extra
Chris Adcock
Airport Crowd Extra
Unknown Male 256
Airport Crowd Extra
Unknown Male 29
Airport Crowd Extra
Johnny Rossi
Airport Crowd Extra
Unknown Male 19
Airport Crowd Extra
Aldwyn Davies
Airport Crowd Extra
Marvin Kane
American Reporter
Peter Fontaine
British Reporter
Abraham Asseo
Russian Reporter
Michael Rittermann
German Reporter
Auric Lorand
Indian Reporter
Alex Gallier
French Reporter
Yah Ming
Chinese Reporter
Barry Steele
Bookshop Assistant
(scenes deleted)
Republic F-84F Thunderstreak
Kovelenko's "MiG"
(actual serial number 52-6784)
North American F-86D Sabre Dog
Themselves
Douglas DC-3
Russian Transport
Avro Anson
"Just Married" Plane
(possible real serial VV260)
Piccadilly Circus
Itself

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Page Updated: Wednesday, January 7, 2026 5:31:10 AM