Hanky Panky (1982)

Completely innocent man, Michael Jordon, is drawn into a web of government secrets when a girl carrying a mysterious package gets into a taxi with him. When she's later murdered, Michael becomes the chief suspect and goes on the run.

Director:

Sidney Poitier

Writers:

Henry Rosenbaum, David Taylor

Stars:

Gene Wilder, Gilda Radner, Kathleen Quinlan

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gene Wilder	...	Michael Jordon
Gilda Radner	...	Kate Hellman
Kathleen Quinlan	...	Janet Dunn
Richard Widmark	...	Ransom
Robert Prosky	...	Hiram Calder
Josef Sommer	...	Adrian Pruitt
Johnny Sekka	...	Lacey
Jay O. Sanders	...	Katz
Sam Gray	...	Dr. John Wolff
Larry Bryggman	...	Stacy
Pat Corley	...	Pilot
Johnny Brown	...	Bus Driver
Bill Beutel	...	Anchorman
Nat Habib	...	Cab Driver
James Tolkan	...	Conferee

Storyline

Michael Jordon, a Chicago architect, is New York on business. A beautiful stranger identifying herself as Janet Dunn, runs into the taxi cab he's using. He volunteers to put a package into the mailbox for her after she hastily addresses the envelope. Infatuated with her goes to see her at her hotel. She brushes him off and closes the door in his face. He is about to leave when he hears a shot. Janet opens the door and falls into his arms dead. Now everyone believes that he's the killer. A mysterious group that's after the package is now after him. His only ally is Kate Hellman, who has secrets of her own. To clear his name they have to find out what was in the package, who wants it and why.

---

Plot Keywords:

hotel | on the run | injection | helicopter | rhyme in title | 

---

Taglines:

From the People who Brought you 'Stir Crazy'

---

Genres:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Mystery | Thriller

---

Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

The October 28, 1981 edition of "Daily Variety" reported that Gilda Radner had turned down opportunities to work with John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, which was likely for a part in Neighbors (1981), in order to do Hanky Panky (1982).

---

Goofs

The police car that cruises past the cab company office in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood is from a Bronx precinct (over 15 miles away).

---

Quotes

[Kate successfully repairs and starts the fuel truck, then crashes it out the hangar doors, making their escape]
Kate Hellman: Not bad, huh?
Michael Jordon: What?
Kate Hellman: [shouting] Not bad, huh?
Michael Jordon: [exclaiming] You want compliments *now*?

---

Crazy Credits

The main cast is identified at the end with a brief scene in which they were involved that freezes as the actor and character name is shown, except for Richard Widmark, who is credited over the scene of the exploding helicopter.

---

Alternate Versions

In a deleted scene, while trying to get out of New York, Kate has Michael dressed up & disguised as an old woman when they are stopped by a cop on the street. The cop asks Kate if the red car parked next to the sidewalk is her car. He looks at Michael, who dressed as the old woman & says to him "Well, why aren't you saying anything?". Kate tells the cop "Oh, my aunt here is a deaf mute". Michael mistakenly keeps noting his head. The cop asks "How come she can hear what I'm saying?". Kate quickly replies "She can't but she can read lips", Michael nods his head again. Some parts of this deleted scene were shown in the trailer to the movie.

---

Connections

Featured in Role Model: Gene Wilder (2008)

User Reviews

Being at the Wrong Place at the Wrong Time Over and Over Again.

The typical mistaken identity thing here as a man named Michael Jordon (go figure that one) played by Gene Wilder gets caught in a web of bad guys. He is being chased for a murder he did not commit and it is also believed that some classified military secrets were stolen as well. Naturally Wilder falls in love with Gilda Radner in the process and constantly tries to elude Richard Widmark. Sidney Poitier actually directed this dud that just never does really come together. The routine is nothing new and it ends up being just like a Road-Runner/Wile E. Coyote cartoon that has silly episodic situations coming at you over and over again. Not a total waste, but still not really interesting enough to make itself any different from dozens of the kind. 2.5 out of 5.

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Movie Channel [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 June 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Traces

Filming Locations:

Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,597,244, 6 June 1982

Gross USA:

$9,823,934

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$9,823,934

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min 107 min (Ontario)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1