This is a timeless drama challenging the matter of justice as it is enforced by law, unavoidably leading to mistakes that can't be corrected and leaving wounds and damages for life. Laurence Harvey is the prisoner convicted and sentenced to execution, while his brother (Robert Walker) and sweetheart (Sarah Miles) with a team of others plan to set him free in order for them all to get at the money obtained in some kind of a robbery that cost someone his life, which Harvey actually tried to prevent while instead he got prosecuted for the manslaughter. They all become victims to the ultimate judicial murder, as finally the wrong man gets executed. This is actually a drama, the stage is almost Shakespearian, and all the characters play vital parts. The most striking thing however is the cinematography, which is almost expressionistic in its consistently intimate approach to the actors' faces, making their expressions a vivid part of the drama. It is claustrophobic and very dark as almost everything happens in the dungeons of a prison, but also all the prison staff and wards play an important part and even the other prisoners by their noise constituting almost a chorus. It is all very much like a Greek drama in its structure, leading all the protagonists hopelessly into an abyss of destiny in which they are all ultimately helpless. The story ends classically in a great question mark, as we never shall know what happened next to all the survivors - there is only death in the whole drama. Regrettably this became the only film that Laurence Harvey ever had the opportunity to direct, and it marks in many ways the epitome of his career. He continued acting in films but constantly on a lesser scale until he ended tragically and abruptly at only 45 from a stomach cancer.
Review of The Ceremony
