Hanky Panky
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.
The film underperformed commercially against its small-scale budget of $14.0M, earning $9.0M globally (-36% loss). While initial box office returns were modest, the film has gained appreciation for its unconventional structure within the action genre.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Hanky Panky (1982) exhibits precise narrative design, characteristic of Sidney Poitier's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 12-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 50 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.7, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Michael Jordan is a mild-mannered architect living an ordinary, cautious life in Chicago, going through his daily routines with predictable safety and no excitement.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 14 minutes when Michael's brother is murdered right in front of him on a taxi ride, and before dying, passes him crucial information about a conspiracy, thrusting Michael into a deadly world of espionage.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 28 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to Michael is framed for murder and becomes a fugitive, forcing him to actively flee and investigate the conspiracy rather than relying on normal society and authorities to protect him., moving from reaction to action.
At 55 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat Michael and Kate discover the full scope of the conspiracy and realize the danger is far greater than they thought. Their enemies close in and their temporary safety is shattered., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 83 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Michael and Kate are captured by the conspirators and face seemingly certain death. All hope appears lost as they're at the mercy of their enemies with no apparent escape., reveals the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 88 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Michael and Kate execute a daring escape, turn the tables on the villains, expose the conspiracy to the authorities, and confront the main antagonist in a climactic showdown that resolves the threat., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Hanky Panky's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 12 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs a 15-point narrative structure framework that maps key story moments. By mapping Hanky Panky against these established plot points, we can identify how Sidney Poitier utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Hanky Panky within the action genre.
Sidney Poitier's Structural Approach
Among the 4 Sidney Poitier films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.7, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Hanky Panky represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Sidney Poitier filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional action films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid. For more Sidney Poitier analyses, see Ghost Dad, Stir Crazy and Uptown Saturday Night.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Michael Jordan is a mild-mannered architect living an ordinary, cautious life in Chicago, going through his daily routines with predictable safety and no excitement.
Theme
A colleague mentions that sometimes you have to take risks and trust people you don't know, foreshadowing Michael's journey from paranoid safety to trusting partnership.
Worldbuilding
Michael's mundane world is established: his architectural work, his cautious personality, his brother's mysterious activities, and the setup of a conspiracy involving international espionage that will soon engulf him.
Disruption
Michael's brother is murdered right in front of him on a taxi ride, and before dying, passes him crucial information about a conspiracy, thrusting Michael into a deadly world of espionage.
Resistance
Michael debates what to do with the information, encounters mysterious pursuers, doesn't know who to trust, and resists being pulled into the conspiracy while trying to understand what his brother was involved in.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Michael is framed for murder and becomes a fugitive, forcing him to actively flee and investigate the conspiracy rather than relying on normal society and authorities to protect him.
Premise
The "fugitive comedy" premise plays out as Michael and Kate evade pursuers, uncover clues, have misadventures, and develop their relationship while piecing together the conspiracy involving secret agents and international intrigue.
Midpoint
Michael and Kate discover the full scope of the conspiracy and realize the danger is far greater than they thought. Their enemies close in and their temporary safety is shattered.
Opposition
The villains intensify their pursuit, Michael's paranoia increases, trust between him and Kate is tested, near-captures multiply, and the protagonists' attempts to expose the conspiracy are repeatedly thwarted.
Collapse
Michael and Kate are captured by the conspirators and face seemingly certain death. All hope appears lost as they're at the mercy of their enemies with no apparent escape.
Crisis
In their darkest moment of captivity, Michael must overcome his paranoid, cautious nature and find the courage to act decisively, while fully trusting Kate as his partner.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
Michael and Kate execute a daring escape, turn the tables on the villains, expose the conspiracy to the authorities, and confront the main antagonist in a climactic showdown that resolves the threat.