The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker (1959): A Satirical Indictment of Freethinking Hypocrisy and Patriarchal Privilege
The 1959 film The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker, starring Clifton Webb, is a striking, though often overlooked, critique of the contradictions inherent in self-proclaimed progressive freethinking when it is wielded in service of patriarchal privilege. Adapted from Liam O'Brien’s stage play, the film presents itself as a lighthearted comedy but reveals a deeper social critique, particularly regarding gender roles and the self-serving nature of male intellectualism.
Plot and Themes
The film follows Horace Pennypacker, a prosperous businessman in 19th-century Pennsylvania who prides himself on his modernist views. A vocal proponent of free thought, science, and progressivism, Pennypacker appears to challenge conventional norms—until the revelation that he secretly maintains two families in separate cities. His duplicity exposes the hypocrisy of his intellectual posturing: while he advocates social advancement, he enforces rigid traditional roles upon the women in his life, who remain bound by domestic expectations and moral scrutiny.
At its core, The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker skewers the way certain men in history have framed themselves as enlightened thinkers while simultaneously perpetuating the very systems they claim to challenge. Pennypacker’s “modernism” is merely a tool for personal indulgence, rather than a true commitment to equitable social change.
Freethinking as a Mask for Male Privilege
The film’s most compelling critique is its exposure of the gendered double standard in intellectual freedom. Pennypacker enjoys the luxury of defying social convention with little consequence—his charm, wealth, and intelligence shield him from serious repercussions. However, his wives and children do not share this privilege. The women in his life are expected to remain faithful, obedient, and subservient to traditional domestic roles.
The moment his secret is revealed, it is not Pennypacker who faces ostracization but rather his family members, who must grapple with the scandal’s fallout. His first wife, played by Dorothy McGuire, is particularly emblematic of the predicament faced by women in patriarchal societies: her survival depends on either accepting her husband's betrayal or suffering social disgrace for challenging it.
Why the Film Received Little Feminist Critique
Given its sharp satire, one might expect that The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker would have been revisited in feminist discourse, particularly during the rise of second-wave feminism in the 1960s and 1970s. However, several factors may explain its relative obscurity:
Dismissal as Mere Comedy – The film’s humorous tone may have led critics to overlook its serious critique of gender dynamics. Satire can often dilute the perception of a work’s deeper message, especially if audiences are primed to see it as lighthearted entertainment rather than social commentary.
Lack of Academic Engagement – Unlike more dramatic films addressing patriarchal oppression, Pennypacker was not widely analyzed in feminist film studies, which tended to focus on films with overt feminist messaging rather than comedies exposing male hypocrisy.
Historical Timing – Released in 1959, the film arrived just before the feminist movement gained mainstream momentum. By the time feminist critique became more prominent in media analysis, the film had faded from popular discourse.
A Call for Reassessment
In today’s cultural climate, The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker deserves a reassessment for its ahead-of-its-time critique of gendered intellectual hypocrisy. In the era of discussions about privilege, performative progressivism, and the intersection of gender and power, the film’s themes remain strikingly relevant. It serves as a reminder that so-called enlightened men have long leveraged progressive rhetoric to serve their own interests while expecting women to remain confined to the roles assigned to them.
This film is ripe for feminist reexamination and should be recognized not just as a comedic farce but as an incisive indictment of hypocrisy within patriarchal structures. A more detailed and rigorous analysis could reintegrate it into discussions of how popular media has historically engaged with gender and intellectualism, revealing just how “remarkable” Mr. Pennypacker really was.
