Arthur Penn

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Lore & Background

Arthur Penn was born in 1922 to a Russian Jewish family in Philadelphia, the son of Sonia (Greenberg), a nurse, and Harry (Tzvi) William Penn, a watchmaker, both natives of then Novoaleksandrovsk, Russia, now Zarasai, Lithuania. He was the younger brother of Irving Penn, the fashion, portrait and still life photographer. During his early years, he moved in with his mother after she divorced his father, later returning to his sickly father and running his watch repair shop. At 19, he was drafted into the United States Army during World War II (1943–1946), serving as an infantryman in the Battle of the Bulge. While stationed in Britain, he became interested in theater, directing and taking part in shows for soldiers. After the war, he attended Black Mountain College in North Carolina, where he directed a production of Erik Satie's *Le piège de Méduse* with R. Buckminster Fuller, Elaine de Kooning, and Merce Cunningham performing, and he was a featured commentator in the documentary *Fully Awake* about the college. After making a name as a director of quality television dramas, Penn made his feature debut with *The Left Handed Gun* (1958). The production was completed in only 23 days, but Warner Brothers reedited the film against his wishes with a new ending he disapproved of. His second film, *The Miracle Worker* (1962), garnered two Academy Awards for its leads Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke. He began working on *The Train* in France in June and August 1963 when star Burt Lancaster had Penn fired after three days of filming. In 1965 he directed *Mickey One*, heavily influenced by the French New Wave. He reunited with Warren Beatty for *Bonnie and Clyde* (1967), which became a worldwide phenomenon; Beatty had given him 10% of the potential profits, and the success earned Penn over $2 million. He followed with *Alice's Restaurant* (1969) and *Little Big Man* (1970). Later notable films included *Night Moves* (1975) and *The Missouri Breaks* (1976). In the 1990s, he returned to stage and television, including as an executive producer for *Law & Order*. At the 57th Berlin International Film Festival in 2007, Penn received the Honorary Golden Bear.

Reader's Guide

Arthur Penn's significance lies in his role as a key figure in the transition from classical Hollywood to the more personal, counterculture-influenced filmmaking of the late 1960s and 1970s. *Bonnie and Clyde* is widely credited with initiating the New Hollywood movement, blending biographical crime drama with a counterculture sensibility that resonated with younger audiences. His films often reflected a critical view of American society: in 2010, Penn commented that *Mickey One* was made 'in repudiation of the kind of fear that overtook free people' during the McCarthy period, which he called 'ridiculous and humiliating, deeply humiliating.' *Alice's Restaurant* was adapted from Arlo Guthrie's song after Penn heard a story of a large-scale littering incident in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, where he was residing; Guthrie later stated in 2023 that he was angered by the film, believing Penn and his co-writer had come to a fundamentally wrong conclusion. Penn's career also demonstrates the challenges of maintaining creative control: Warner Brothers reedited *The Left Handed Gun* against his wishes, and he was excluded from post-production on *The Chase*, which was overseen by producer Sam Spiegel. Despite losing momentum in the 1980s, his work on stage and television, including a Tony Award for *The Miracle Worker* and an executive producer role on *Law & Order*, underscores his versatility. He received lifetime achievement honors from the Berlin International Film Festival, the San Francisco International Film Festival, and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.

Did You Know?

• Penn was the younger brother of Irving Penn, the famous fashion, portrait and still life photographer.
• He served as an infantryman in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II.
• At Black Mountain College, he directed a production of Erik Satie's *Le piège de Méduse* with R. Buckminster Fuller, Elaine de Kooning, and Merce Cunningham performing.
• Warren Beatty gave Penn 10% of the potential profits of *Bonnie and Clyde* before production started, earning Penn over $2 million.
• Penn became friends with Alger Hiss during the production of *Mickey One*, and Hiss got married in Penn's apartment.