Penelope

Character: Max/Johnny
UK Release: 1st February 2008
USA Release: 29th February 2008

Synopsis: A kindly aristocrat suffering from an unsightly curse breaks free from her extravagant, prison-like estate to seek adventure and discover her true self in a romantic, modern-day fairy tale directed by Mark Palansky and starring Christina Ricci, James McAvoy, Peter Dinklage, and Reese Witherspoon. Generations ago, a witch placed a curse on the Wilhelm family that would result in the next girl being born into the clan having a porcine snout — and now young Penelope (Ricci) has fallen victim to the vengeful hag’s unsightly grudge. When tabloid reporter Lemon (Dinklage) runs a misleadingly frightening photograph of the kind-hearted Penelope, her parents, Jessica (Catherine O’Hara) and Franklin (Richard E. Grant), lock the girl away in a sprawling mansion. Though it is said that the curse can be lifted if a man of Penelope’s status takes her hand in marriage, every man who lays eyes on the girl takes flight at first sight, never to return — until the arrival of Max (McAvoy), that is. An unrepentant gambler with a heavy heart and an ulterior motive for meeting Penelope, Max is unexpectedly caught off guard by the pig-nosed girl’s disarming charm, and suddenly flees before carrying out his nefarious plan. Now determined to throw caution to the wind and explore the world on her own terms, Penelope makes the acquaintance of independent-minded delivery girl Annie (Witherspoon), who fast agrees to join her newfound friend on the ultimate journey of self-discovery.

Co-Stars;
Christina Ricci – Penelope Wilhern
Richard E Grant – Franklin Wilhern
Catherine O’Hara – Jessica Wilhern
Ronnie Ancona – Wanda

Quotes
Penelope: There are three hundred and twenty-six first editions in that room. Of those, three hundred are worth over fifty thousand, a dozen or so are worth over twenty-five thousand and I’m afraid there’s only one that’s valued under a hundred.
Max: Only one, huh?
Penelope: A little novel, written by a little nobody that never amounted to anything.
Max: You don’t say, under a hundred?
Penelope: I’m afraid so, and I’m afraid that means that it’s time for
[interrupted]
Max: But it’s your favorite just the same.

-

Max: All Halloween I’ve been running into someone I used to know.
Penelope: [wearing a pig mask] This someone – she meant a lot to you?
Max: Yes, yes she did.
Penelope: What happened?
Max: I couldn’t give her what she wanted.
Penelope: What did she want?
Max: To be free.