Penelope (2006)

Director:

Mark Palansky

Writer (WGA):

Leslie Caveny (written by)

Release Date:

29 February 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Romance

Tagline:

A fairytale like no other.

Plot:

A modern romantic tale about a young aristocratic heiress born under a curse that can only be broken when she finds true love with "one who will love her faithfully."

Plot Keywords:

Love | Curse | Pig | Witch | Friend

Cast

Richard E. Grant	...	Franklin Wilhern
Catherine O'Hara	...	Jessica Wilhern
Nick Prideaux	...	Penelope's Great Grandfather (as Nicholas Prideaux)
Michael Feast	...	Jake / Witch
Christina Ricci	...	Penelope Wilhern
Ronni Ancona	...	Wanda
Simon Woods	...	Edward Vanderman
Paul Herbert	...	Leonard Wilhern
Simon Chandler	...	Doctor
Peter Dinklage	...	Lemon
Andi-Marie Townsend	...	Young Penelope
John Voce	...	Station Cop
Burn Gorman	...	Larry
Andrew Bailey	...	Floorman in Card Club
James McAvoy	...	Johnny / Max
Nick Frost	...	Max
Eve Pearce	...	Old Lady Card Player
Rob Rouse	...	Mr. Mosely - Suitor
William Willoughby	...	Handsome Suitor (as Will Willoughby)
Rubria Negrao	...	Hotel Desk Clerk
Ross Boatman	...	Cheery Dealer
Nigel Havers	...	Mr. Vanderman
Richard James	...	New Card Dealer
Lenny Henry	...	Krull
Tallulah Evans	...	Little Girl in Photobooth
Pam Phillips	...	Old Lady in Photobooth
Richard Leaf	...	Jack the Bartender
Reese Witherspoon	...	Annie
Russell Brand	...	Sam the Jazz Club Owner
Martin McDougall	...	Dr. Stone
James Howard	...	Reporter Outside Hospital 1
Shaun Parkes	...	Reporter Outside Hospital 2
Paul Viragh	...	Reporter in Mr. Vanderman's Office
Christina Greatrex	...	Mrs. Vanderman
Cornelius Booth	...	Pub Patron 1
Colin Marsh	...	Pub Patron 2
Tom Barker	...	Boy Pupil on Hillside
Todd Boyce	...	Preacher
Amaka Oditah	...	Girl Pupil
Preston Nyman	...	Boy Pupil
Rosie Stewart	...	Girl Pupil
Katie Hughes	...	Girl Pupil
Francesca Edgerton	...	Girl Pupil (Alice)
Abigail Chan	...	Girl Pupil
Pheobe Llewellyn	...	Girl Pupil
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Shane James Bordas	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Martin Nigel Davey	...	Street Vendor (uncredited)
Christopher Fosh	...	Chris Casino Security (uncredited)
Nick Shafer	...	(voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Mark Palansky

Writing credits (WGA)
Leslie Caveny		(written by)

Produced by
Christian Arnold-Beutel	....	executive producer
Chris Curling	....	executive producer
Danny Greenspun	....	executive producer
Robin Greenspun	....	executive producer
Andrew Molasky	....	executive producer
Paul Ritchie	....	line producer
Michael Roban	....	executive producer
Phil Robertson	....	co-producer
Dylan Russell	....	executive producer
Dylan Russell	....	producer
Jennifer Simpson	....	producer
Scott Steindorff	....	producer
Reese Witherspoon	....	producer

Original Music by
Joby Talbot

Cinematography by
Michel Amathieu

Film Editing by
Jon Gregory

Casting by
Susie Figgis

Production Design by
Amanda McArthur

Art Direction by
Gerard Bryan		(as Ged Bryan)
John Reid

Set Decoration by
Bridget Menzies

Costume Design by
Jill Taylor

Makeup Department
Tamsin Dorling	....	hair stylist
Tamsin Dorling	....	makeup artist
Paul Gooch	....	hair stylist
Paul Gooch	....	makeup artist
Kate Roberts	....	make up & hair artist: daily
Liz Tagg	....	hair designer
Liz Tagg	....	makeup designer
Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou	....	makeup hair

Production Management
Robert Bella	....	post-production supervisor
Lucie Graves	....	post-production supervisor
Andrew Litvin	....	production manager: reshoot
Jennifer Wynne	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joey Coughlin	....	third assistant director
Jacqueline Goldenstein	....	third assistant director: re-shoots
Sean Guest	....	first assistant director
James Haven	....	second assistant director
Suzanna Shaw	....	assistant director: reshoots
Suzanna Shaw	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Graham Baker	....	head rigger
Simon Duric	....	storyboard artist
Muffin Green	....	property master
Dougie Lankston	....	dressing props
Adam A. Makin	....	set constructor
Jim McCallum	....	stand-by props
Adam McCreight	....	dressing props
Dave Reed	....	construction manager
George Simons	....	graphic artist
Chris Ulusele	....	stand-by props
Howard Weaver	....	scenic artist

Sound Department
Jeremy Balko	....	adr mixer
Gareth Bull	....	sound re-recording mixer
Matthew Collinge	....	sound
Michael Feuser	....	assistant sound editor
Les Fiddess	....	foley artist
Nick Foley	....	adr mixer
Howard Halsall	....	adr editor
Michael Maroussas	....	assistant dialogue editor
Adam Mendez	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael Miller	....	adr mixer
Andrew Rowe	....	sound assistant
Danny Sheehan	....	supervising sound editor
Nigel Stone	....	dialogue editor
Richard Straker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ted Swanscott	....	adr mixer
Dominick Tavella	....	sound re-recording mixer
George Trevis	....	sound maintenance
Martin Trevis	....	sound mixer
Iain Jamieson	....	assistant adr recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Chris Hampton	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Diccon Alexander	....	digital matte painter: Double Negative
Oliver Atherton	....	digital compositor
Nik Brownlee	....	digital compositor: Double Negative
Darren Christie	....	digital compositor
J. David Everhart	....	visual effects producer
Antonella Ferrari	....	visual effects editorial
Ragui Hanna	....	digital compositor
Pete Hanson	....	studio manager: Double Negative
Sid Jayakar	....	digital compositor
Jody Johnson	....	visual effects supervisor
Frank Lawas	....	visual effects I/O supervisor
Gurel Mehmet	....	concept artist: Double Negative
Alban Orlhiac	....	senior texture artist: Double Negative
James W. Riley	....	visual effects producer
Christoph Salzmann	....	digital compositor: Double Negative
Ellen Walder	....	visual effects producer: Double Negative
Pieter Warmington	....	3D supervisor: double negative

Stunts
James Grogan	....	stunt performer
Luke Kearney	....	stunt actor
Justin Pearson	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul Bates	....	electrician
Ashley Bond	....	focus puller
Simon Fogg	....	grip
Sam Goldie	....	focus puller: re-shoots
Ross Grainger	....	lighting technician
Tristan Haley	....	additional photographer
Tristan Haley	....	clapper loader
Alice Hobden	....	assistant camera
Stuart Howell	....	Steadicam operator
Stuart Howell	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Therese Hvattum	....	camera trainee
Gary Hymns	....	grip
Gary Hymns	....	key grip
Paul Hymns	....	b camera grip
Steve Kitchen	....	best boy
Nathan Mann	....	focus puller: "b" camera
Abi Oseni	....	camera trainee
Simon Surtees	....	second assistant camera
Pat Sweeney	....	gaffer
Nick Wall	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Louis Elman	....	adr voice casting
Amelia Hashemi	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Karen Beale	....	costume stand-by
Tom Hornsby	....	costume assistant: dailies
Charlotte Sewell	....	assistant costume designer
Marion Weise	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Abhinav Bhat	....	assistant editor
Ryan Denmark	....	assistant editor
Lorene Dewett	....	apprentice assistant editor: FT2
Paul Ensby	....	additional color timer
Jason Fabbro	....	video colorist
Dianne Gordon	....	digital intermediate data manager
Todd Kleparski	....	digital intermediate producer
Michael Levine	....	additional editor: re-cut
Marjolaine Mispelaere	....	colorist
Thy Quach	....	editor trainee
Ian Seymour	....	associate editor
Dominic Thomson	....	digital editor
Jay Warren	....	digital intermediate project manager
Mark Sahagun	....	digital intermediate editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Christopher Austin	....	conductor
Christopher Austin	....	orchestrator
Richard Chester	....	assistant composer
Michael Connell	....	music editor
Tass Filipos	....	music editor
Ben Foskett	....	orchestrator
Sam Jones	....	assistant scoring engineer
Andrew McCormack	....	music coach: piano
Hilary Skewes	....	musician contractor
Robin Urdang	....	music consultant
Artem Vassiliev	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Mark Crowley	....	driver: producer

Other crew
Kim Armitage	....	script supervisor
Sarah Baker	....	production secretary
Kate Bone	....	assistant production trainee
Kate Brontë-Stewart	....	floor runner
Gero Brugmann	....	legal counsel
Luke Carey	....	assistant to producer: UK
Matt Curtis	....	title designer
Janie Dowding	....	assistant to director
Elton Farla	....	medical coordinator
Jennifer Zolten Freed	....	post-production accountant
Sara Geiger	....	assistant to producer
Nicole Gregory	....	unit publicist
Harriet Harper	....	assistant to producers
Steve Hart	....	location scout
Julia Jones	....	unit publicist
Pat Karam	....	location manager
Sandrine Loisy	....	set production assistant
Emma Magee	....	production runner
Jill McCullough	....	dialect coach
Debbie Moore	....	production accountant
Mark Munnelly	....	auditor
Helen Oakleigh	....	chaperone
Michelle Pianca	....	assistant location manager
Moebius Simmons	....	assistant to producer
Joss Spry	....	production assistant
Katherine Tibbetts	....	production coordinator
Jason Wheeler	....	location scout
Gemma Louise Read	....	additional floor runner (uncredited)
Izzy Spring	....	adr voice (uncredited)

Thanks
Frank Moshier	....	special thanks
Vivien Straus	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Grosvenor Park Productions
• Zephyr Films
• Stone Village Pictures
• Type A Films
• Tatira

Distributors

• Capelight Pictures (2008) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Cathay-Keris Films (2008) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• DesperaDo (2008) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Distribution Company (2009) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Intercontinental Film Distributors (HK) (2008) (Hong Kong) (theatrical)
• Momentum Pictures (2008) (UK) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2008) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Summit Entertainment (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Blue Sky Media (2008) (Czech Republic) (all media)
• Nordisk Film Theatrical Distribution (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• Nordisk Film (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• Paradise Group (2007) (Russia) (all media)
• Pinema (2008) (Turkey) (all media)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Square One Entertainment (2008) (Germany) (all media)
• Summit Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (2008) (Italy) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Hyperactive Broadcast  editing equipment
• Pinewood Studios  movie studio
• Anvil Post Production  sound post-production
• Audiolink Radio Communications  walkie talkies/mobiles
• Blink Entertainment  marketing and promotion
• Dennis Davidson & Associates Public Releations (DDA)  unit publicity
• Fatts  post-production script services
• Freeform Design and Construction  set construction
• Gearbox Sound and Vision  additional ProTools systems supplied by
• Lakeshore Records  soundtrack
• Lee Lighting  lighting
• Mad Dog Casting  extras casting
• Orbit Digital  Avids
• Panavision UK  camera equipment provided by
• Production Copier Company  production equipment and services
• Tenon Media  UK audit and accountancy
• Trevanna Post  post-production accounting

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic elements, some innuendo and language. (foreign cut)

Runtime:

104 min | Thailand:86 min (DVD)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:PG (foreign cut) | Taiwan:GP | Ireland:PG | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Germany:6 | Hong Kong:I | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Finland:K-7 | Australia:PG | Argentina:Atp | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Hall Barn, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Grosvenor Park Productions

Trivia:

In the scene where Christina Ricci's character catches James McAvoy trying to steal a book, she mentions that the room has 300 First editions worth over $50,000. This totals to $15,000,000: the budget of the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: The camera attached to the vest changes side.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Penelope: My parents were born into the good life. Old money, blue blooded, society sweethearts.

Movie Connections:

References "Hallmark Hall of Fame: Beauty and the Beast (#26.2)" (1976)

Soundtrack:

When you rise

Fantastic fresh fairy tale for teens and adults

I saw this movie last year at a screening, but it has taken me awhile to submit a comment on here.

I LOVED THIS MOVIE!!! It is a wonderful story with a great message that needs to be heard in this modern age.

I assume it will be targeted toward teens, but as a 36 year old, I really enjoyed it. It might be one of Ricci's best performances, as good as Black Snake Moan, but completely different roles. James McAvoy is charming. Catherine Ohara, Reese Witherspoon and Peter Dinklage are nice surprises and always funny when they appear. Overall, very enjoyable. It is somewhat predictable, but it has to have a happy ending.