Main Cast: Pat Boone, Terry-Thomas, Pamela Austin, Edward Everett Horton, Hamilton Camp
Release Year: 1967
Country: US
Run Time: 98 minutes
Plot
The Perils of Pauline appropriates the title and nothing else from the legendary 1914 Pearl White serial (and also bears no relation to the 1947 Pearl White biopic of the same name, which starred Betty Hutton). Pamela Austin plays Pauline, a young heiress who finds herself plunked into one peril after another: a typical dilemma has Pauline at the mercy of an adolescent sheik. Pat Boone plays Pauline's millionaire childhood sweetheart, who follows the girl throughout the world to declare his love but who always manages to miss her as she hops from country to country. The best performances are delivered by the supporting cast, including Terry-Thomas, Edward Everett Horton, and comic actor/cartoon voice-over expert Hamilton Camp. "Camp" in fact is the byword of Perils of Pauline, which is deliberately overacted and hoked up in the manner of the contemporary Batman TV series. Perils of Pauline was the pilot film for a projected weekly TV series that underwent several format changes (including one that would have featured Larry Storch as the top-hatted villain) before the producers gave up on the project altogether. The plucky Pauline is played by Pamela Austin, who'd risen to fame in the 1960s as the "Dodge Rebellion" girl in a series of popular car commercials. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
The Perils of Pauline is definitely one of those all or nothing films. Either a viewer tunes in to its camp wavelength and finds it a hoot, or he doesn't and finds the whole thing a silly waste of time. It's probably that among modern audiences, even those on the right wavelength may not be as enamored of Pauline as camp lovers in 1967 were. In the decades since its original release, there have been countless other films which trod similar territory. But even so, Pauline retains enough outrageous goofiness to please its fan base. For once, the limited acting skills of Pat Boone are an asset. His white bread blandness is exactly what the role of George calls for, as is the simpleness of female lead Pamela Austin. Taking up the acting slack with some delightfully hammy and wink-filled performances are the likes of ap-toothed Terry-Thomas, the aged but still wonderful Edward Everett Horton, the amiable Hamilton Camp and the always appreciated {$Doris Packer. The script is nonsense, as its intended to be, and the direction is obvious -- again, as intended -- with undercranked camera effects and plenty of slapstick. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Doris Packer - Mrs. Carruthers; Kurt Kasznar - Consul General; Vito Scotti - Frandisi; Leon Askin - Commissar; Aram Katcher - Vizier; Jeanne Gerson - Pauline's Foster Mother; Joe Higgins - Pauline's Foster Father; Keith Taylor - Henry; Max Kleven - Gorilla
Credit
Alexander Golitzen - Art Director, John T. McCormack - Art Director, Grady Hunt - Costume Designer, Joshua Shelley - Director, Herbert B. Leonard - Director, Sam E. Waxman - Editor, Vic Mizzy - Composer (Music Score), Bud Westmore - Makeup, Jack A. Marta - Cinematographer, Herbert B. Leonard - Producer, Julia Heron - Set Designer, John McCarthy - Set Designer, Max Kleven - Stunts, Albert Beich - Screenwriter, Charles W. Goddard - Screenwriter
