Interesting play by Bridget Boland loosely based on the notorious fake trial of Cardinal Mindszenty of Hungary after a month of brainwashing by the communists in 1948. Alec Guinness was himself a catholic and is really living out his catholicism in this great performance of the live dissection of a catholic priest, extremely actual in today's situation with the church immersed in scandals of pedophilia. Bridget Boland makes a very different story from the Mindszenty drama, making the interrogator (Jack Hawkins) an equal to the Cardinal as opponent and prosecutor and seems to be winning but actually loses in the end against the honesty of the Cardinal realizing his own futility, while the prosecutor- interrogator as a victor is the real loser and takes the consequences. Fascinating drama, which should be returned to again and again. In reality, Cardinal Mindszenty's brainwash process only lasted for less than a month and was chiefly conducted by the use of drugs and physical exhaustion. The only parallel torture that Alec Guinness is exposed to is forced insomnia. He is imprisoned for longer than three months with only private talks with the interrogator as a method and finally released, when the "state" thinks it has won by ruining his reputation and exposing him as a fraud, while Cardinal Mindszenty was sentenced for life. The film was made in 1955, the year after saw the Hungarian revolt, and Cardinal Mindszenty was then set free and lived a long life, even writing books and his memoirs. He is still one of the most important icons of Hungary and will remain so. His shrine is at the ancient basilica of Esztergom north of Budapest, a very beautiful place by the Danube.
25 Reviews
"The Result Of Human Weakness"
bkoganbing9 November 2008
Alec Guinness got to repeat one of the roles he did on the London stage with the screen adaption of Bridget Boland's The Prisoner which was directed by Peter Glenville who also did the original stage production. It was one of Guinness's personal favorites among his parts because of the Catholicism of the actor.
In fact the role really hit close, maybe too close to home, because like the character he plays in the film, Guinness was a child of a prostitute mother who escaped into acting as a refuge from a really bad childhood. Just as his character the Cardinal of an unnamed Balkan country now ruled by a Marxist dictatorship went into the church as a way of rising above the station he was born in life.
Jack Hawkins plays the state inquisitor, a psychologist by training who probes and finds the weakness in Guinness and uses it to get a confession of treason out of him. Pride and vanity are the trickiest of human sins, we're all guilty of it in one way or another.
In making this film Guinness, Boland, and Glenville were all adamant about keeping the main character Catholic and not some Christian preacher of an unnamed denomination as what the producers originally wanted to do, the better for a broader appeal they reasoned. Catholicism and the special burdens and duties it places on its clergy is precisely what makes the story valid.
According to a recent biography of Alec Guinness though it was never going to be anyone else but him in the role of the Cardinal, Noel Willman had done the inquisitor part on stage. Several people like John Gielgud and Peter Bull were considered for that part before Hawkins was signed for the role.
If the subject matter does seem familiar, the role is obviously modeled on Josef Cardinal Mindszenty of Hungary. And director Peter Glenville would have his greatest screen triumph in Becket, the story of another troublesome priest several centuries earlier.
Guinness does lay bare his soul in this film. For fans of Alec Guinness this film is a must.
In fact the role really hit close, maybe too close to home, because like the character he plays in the film, Guinness was a child of a prostitute mother who escaped into acting as a refuge from a really bad childhood. Just as his character the Cardinal of an unnamed Balkan country now ruled by a Marxist dictatorship went into the church as a way of rising above the station he was born in life.
Jack Hawkins plays the state inquisitor, a psychologist by training who probes and finds the weakness in Guinness and uses it to get a confession of treason out of him. Pride and vanity are the trickiest of human sins, we're all guilty of it in one way or another.
In making this film Guinness, Boland, and Glenville were all adamant about keeping the main character Catholic and not some Christian preacher of an unnamed denomination as what the producers originally wanted to do, the better for a broader appeal they reasoned. Catholicism and the special burdens and duties it places on its clergy is precisely what makes the story valid.
According to a recent biography of Alec Guinness though it was never going to be anyone else but him in the role of the Cardinal, Noel Willman had done the inquisitor part on stage. Several people like John Gielgud and Peter Bull were considered for that part before Hawkins was signed for the role.
If the subject matter does seem familiar, the role is obviously modeled on Josef Cardinal Mindszenty of Hungary. And director Peter Glenville would have his greatest screen triumph in Becket, the story of another troublesome priest several centuries earlier.
Guinness does lay bare his soul in this film. For fans of Alec Guinness this film is a must.
British cold war drama is excellent
AlsExGal31 December 2022
In an unnamed country behind the Iron Curtain, the government orders the arrest of the Cardinal (Alec Guinness) on charges of treason. The government wants the Cardinal to confess to his crimes so that the international community will hear it, so they set the Interrogator (Jack Hawkins) to work. He orders a battery of psychological tortures be used against the Cardinal, interrupted by regular, brow-beating interrogation sessions. The Cardinal's resolve is very strong, but the Interrogator may be stronger.
Based on a play by Bridget Boland (who also scripted this film version), the stage origins of the material are apparent. Director Glenville does what he can to open things up with some scenes set out in the oppressed streets, and using off-beat camera set-ups and editing to enliven the lengthy one-on-one dialogue sessions between Guinness and Hawkins. The story line is of its time (it was based on a couple of real incidents), but the subjects of mental and spiritual endurance in the face of extreme stress are universal. The performances by Guinness and Hawkins are excellent, and I also liked Wilfrid Lawson as the agreeable Jailer.
Based on a play by Bridget Boland (who also scripted this film version), the stage origins of the material are apparent. Director Glenville does what he can to open things up with some scenes set out in the oppressed streets, and using off-beat camera set-ups and editing to enliven the lengthy one-on-one dialogue sessions between Guinness and Hawkins. The story line is of its time (it was based on a couple of real incidents), but the subjects of mental and spiritual endurance in the face of extreme stress are universal. The performances by Guinness and Hawkins are excellent, and I also liked Wilfrid Lawson as the agreeable Jailer.
Two-Man Show
vox-sane9 August 2001
Though the wonderful Wilfred Lawson gives a good turn as a jailer, this is basically a two-man show, based on a play. The two men are fine actors: Alec Guinness, as the beloved Cardinal arrested by the state in a generic Eastern European Cold War setting; and Jack Hawkins, as the state inquisitor, trying to coerce the Cardinal into making untrue confessions for a show trial.
Both men are brilliant, though Guinness is perhaps too impenetrable, not only for his inquisitors, but for the audience. Hawkins' character and Guinness's worked together in the Resistance against the Nazis; since then, Hawkins has become a high Communist official trying to eradicate the church from public life.
At first, the movie seems like a cat-and-mouse game between two fanatics, though erudite and educated fanatics, one believing in the church and the other in the ultimate power of the state. Hawkins keeps his well-practiced geniality, though, while Guinness, under mental torture (Hawkins knew Guinness had suffered physical torture under the Nazis and was inured to it) begins to show cracks.
While the movie is hardly a cliff-hanger, and doesn't discuss religion or even totalitarianism in any great depth, the performances by the leads are intense, and worth watching for the acting alone, even though one may be puzzled by what it's all about.
Both men are brilliant, though Guinness is perhaps too impenetrable, not only for his inquisitors, but for the audience. Hawkins' character and Guinness's worked together in the Resistance against the Nazis; since then, Hawkins has become a high Communist official trying to eradicate the church from public life.
At first, the movie seems like a cat-and-mouse game between two fanatics, though erudite and educated fanatics, one believing in the church and the other in the ultimate power of the state. Hawkins keeps his well-practiced geniality, though, while Guinness, under mental torture (Hawkins knew Guinness had suffered physical torture under the Nazis and was inured to it) begins to show cracks.
While the movie is hardly a cliff-hanger, and doesn't discuss religion or even totalitarianism in any great depth, the performances by the leads are intense, and worth watching for the acting alone, even though one may be puzzled by what it's all about.
THE PRISONER (Peter Glenville, 1955) ***
Bunuel197611 April 2009
Inspired by the plight of Catholic Cardinal Josef Mindszenty behind the Iron Curtain – already the subject of a worthwhile low-budget Hollywood film, GUILTY OF TREASON (1950; see above) – this prestigious British production (based on a Bridget Boland play, who adapts her own work for the screen) boasts two powerhouse performances by Alec Guinness (as the proud Prince of the Church) and Jack Hawkins (as the wily Interrogator). Their interaction is a beauty to behold and one cannot help but be reminded how these formidable actors had already worked together in, curiously enough, MALTA STORY (1953) and, of course, would go on to do so again under David Lean's Oscar-winning direction in THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI (1957) and LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962). Although much of the running time is devoted to their rigorous one-on-one sessions (enough for it to be deemed a two-hander), the film allows (at least) another fine actor to shine: Wilfred Lawson as Guinness' jailer who grows to respect his prisoner with time. The small cast also includes Kenneth Griffith as Hawkins' eager-to-learn subordinate – incidentally, the latter also appeared in two episodes of Patrick McGoohan's later cult TV series of the same name but which bore no relation to this movie! – and Raymond Huntley as Hawkins' impatient superior. Conversely, the romantic subplot between doubting Communist Ronald Lewis and his Catholic girlfriend Jeanette Sterke seems forced and intrusive – almost like an afterthought (whereas it had been far more effectively handled in the aforementioned Hollywood treatment). But, as I said before, the film's trump card is its gradual depiction of the evolving relationship between the two leads, which really has no equivalent in GUILTY OF TREASON (where Charles Bickford's tormentors were various and generally shrouded in darkness). Although the main characters and the setting remain unnamed throughout (lending it a pretentious air of political allegory also missing from the earlier film), the controversial subject of THE PRISONER got it banned from participating in both the Cannes and Venice Film Festivals – although it did get nominated for 5 BAFTAs and, eventually, won a couple of other international awards.
Cardinal virtues.
brogmiller28 December 2020
Believed to be inspired by the post-war communist show trials of Cardinals Stepinac and Mindszenty this brilliant play by Bridget Boland opened in 1954, directed by Peter Glenville with a cast headed by Alec Guinness, Noel Willman and Wilfred Lawson.
Glenville was entrusted with directing the film version the following year with Guinness and Lawson reprising their roles whilst Willman was replaced by Jack Hawkins.
As has been well documented it proved to be extremely controversial and was not only banned from both Venice and Cannes for fear of offending the communists but was also accused in some quarters of being anti-Catholic! Sixty-five years on of course, such 'sensitivities' seem insignificant and all that really matters now is how it stands up as a film.
Although Glenville, making an assured directorial debut, has chosen to take a few scenes outside the proscenium arch, it still remains 'filmed theatre' and is no less effective for that. It is essentially a two-hander between the Cardinal of Alec Guinness and the Interrogator of Jack Hawkins. The lighting, settings and clever camerawork have combined to make their wordy exchanges as 'filmic' as possible.
Guinness is superlative and bearing in mind his subsequent conversion to Catholicism, I would imagine that he put more of himself into this role than any other. His performance as an extremely clever man reduced to a quivering, grovelling wreck by solitary confinement and psychological torture is brave to say the least. He is very much an 'interior' actor of course and I would say that his detachment is inclined to lessen ones sympathy for his character. The casting of Jack Hawkins is a masterstroke as this character's undoubted cunning is tempered by this actor's innate sensitivity. Although he succeeds in his job of breaking the Cardinal down, disgracing him in the eyes of his followers and diminishing his spiritual power, his is a Pyrrhic victory as he too will suffer the consequences.
The playwright herself has written the screenplay and in keeping with the infernal compromises of film, has been obliged to tack on a romantic sub-plot between a prison guard and a married woman which is undeveloped and utterly superfluous.
One cannot fail to mention Wilfred Lawson as the jailer whose character has been cleverly written by Boland to provide a contrast and to fulfil the role of a Shakesperean Fool. Lawson's casting is inspired and he is simply superb.
Purely as a film, it is not without its weaknesses but is easily the best of the Guinness/Glenville collaborations. The scene that lingers longest is that in which the Interrogator observes those praying in the church and realises that although the symbol of the faith represented by the Cardinal has been tarnished, the faith itself can never be destroyed.
The Cardinal's plea:" Do not judge the priesthood by the priest" is devastatingly timeless.
As has been well documented it proved to be extremely controversial and was not only banned from both Venice and Cannes for fear of offending the communists but was also accused in some quarters of being anti-Catholic! Sixty-five years on of course, such 'sensitivities' seem insignificant and all that really matters now is how it stands up as a film.
Although Glenville, making an assured directorial debut, has chosen to take a few scenes outside the proscenium arch, it still remains 'filmed theatre' and is no less effective for that. It is essentially a two-hander between the Cardinal of Alec Guinness and the Interrogator of Jack Hawkins. The lighting, settings and clever camerawork have combined to make their wordy exchanges as 'filmic' as possible.
Guinness is superlative and bearing in mind his subsequent conversion to Catholicism, I would imagine that he put more of himself into this role than any other. His performance as an extremely clever man reduced to a quivering, grovelling wreck by solitary confinement and psychological torture is brave to say the least. He is very much an 'interior' actor of course and I would say that his detachment is inclined to lessen ones sympathy for his character. The casting of Jack Hawkins is a masterstroke as this character's undoubted cunning is tempered by this actor's innate sensitivity. Although he succeeds in his job of breaking the Cardinal down, disgracing him in the eyes of his followers and diminishing his spiritual power, his is a Pyrrhic victory as he too will suffer the consequences.
The playwright herself has written the screenplay and in keeping with the infernal compromises of film, has been obliged to tack on a romantic sub-plot between a prison guard and a married woman which is undeveloped and utterly superfluous.
One cannot fail to mention Wilfred Lawson as the jailer whose character has been cleverly written by Boland to provide a contrast and to fulfil the role of a Shakesperean Fool. Lawson's casting is inspired and he is simply superb.
Purely as a film, it is not without its weaknesses but is easily the best of the Guinness/Glenville collaborations. The scene that lingers longest is that in which the Interrogator observes those praying in the church and realises that although the symbol of the faith represented by the Cardinal has been tarnished, the faith itself can never be destroyed.
The Cardinal's plea:" Do not judge the priesthood by the priest" is devastatingly timeless.
METHODICAL COMMENTARY
kirbylee70-599-52617925 June 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I'd never heard of the movie THE PRISONER until Arrow Video decided to release their version of the film. I've been a fan of Sir Alec Guinness but the truth is the majority of his films rarely get mentioned let alone released on disc so this one interested me from the start. The end result was a mixed bag.
The film is set in an Eastern European country though never identified as to which one. Nazism has been replaced by an apparent communist style regime and people are held in check by an oppressive government. The film opens during a religious ceremony overseen by a Cardinal (Guinness) when it is interrupted by a group of police arresting him and taking him into custody.
Placed in a cell and accused of treason he is held captive by the Interrogator (Jack Hawkins). Knowing that the tried and true methods often employed by the regime (mainly torture) will most likely fail with the Cardinal since he suffered thus at the hands of the Nazis in the past, the Interrogator uses other techniques of a more psychological approach. Rather than attack him on political views he does so on his religious beliefs instead.
The state, unwilling to wait patiently for the Cardinal's confession, attempts to force his hand with false evidence they have against him. He easily refutes their bogus efforts which strengthen his resolve rather than weaken it. The Interrogator uses other methods like sleep deprivation, starvation and others to slowly weaken the Cardinal. It's an effective use of tools as he combines those with an attack on the vanity of the Cardinal as well.
Breaking him down bit by bit he slowly manipulates the Cardinal to believe that his pious behavior is less an attempt to humble himself before God than it is an attempt to rewrite his own personal history, one filled with shame at his poor life before the priesthood. He pressures him to believe that he chose his path not out of being selfless and wanting to help others but to rise from his own poverty to a position that will care for him in a selfless world.
The movie moves along at a snail's pace but rightfully so. To move it forward any other way would be to follow the path of the government on display here and rush things that take time. The attempt to slowly and methodically breakdown of the Cardinal is, after all, what the movie is about on the surface. But at its core it is a battle between religion and totalitarianism. Coming out shortly after the war and in the midst of the cold war this makes it an intriguing film to watch.
The performances of the two lead actors are amazing to watch. Both are well known for larger roles that came to them later on, most notably their co-starring once again 2 years later in THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI, seeing them at this earlier stage in their careers is interesting. Early on they were both excellent at their craft.
Arrow is releasing this as part of their Arrow Academy series and they've done a great job. But then what else would anyone expect of Arrow? The film is presented in a high definition 1080p version and contains plenty of extras. Those include "Interrogating Guinness" a new video appreciation of the film by author and academic Neil Sinyard, select scene commentary by author and critic Philip Kemp, a reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Peter Strain and for the first pressing only an illustrated collector's booklet with new writing on the film by Mark Cunliffe.
The film is set in an Eastern European country though never identified as to which one. Nazism has been replaced by an apparent communist style regime and people are held in check by an oppressive government. The film opens during a religious ceremony overseen by a Cardinal (Guinness) when it is interrupted by a group of police arresting him and taking him into custody.
Placed in a cell and accused of treason he is held captive by the Interrogator (Jack Hawkins). Knowing that the tried and true methods often employed by the regime (mainly torture) will most likely fail with the Cardinal since he suffered thus at the hands of the Nazis in the past, the Interrogator uses other techniques of a more psychological approach. Rather than attack him on political views he does so on his religious beliefs instead.
The state, unwilling to wait patiently for the Cardinal's confession, attempts to force his hand with false evidence they have against him. He easily refutes their bogus efforts which strengthen his resolve rather than weaken it. The Interrogator uses other methods like sleep deprivation, starvation and others to slowly weaken the Cardinal. It's an effective use of tools as he combines those with an attack on the vanity of the Cardinal as well.
Breaking him down bit by bit he slowly manipulates the Cardinal to believe that his pious behavior is less an attempt to humble himself before God than it is an attempt to rewrite his own personal history, one filled with shame at his poor life before the priesthood. He pressures him to believe that he chose his path not out of being selfless and wanting to help others but to rise from his own poverty to a position that will care for him in a selfless world.
The movie moves along at a snail's pace but rightfully so. To move it forward any other way would be to follow the path of the government on display here and rush things that take time. The attempt to slowly and methodically breakdown of the Cardinal is, after all, what the movie is about on the surface. But at its core it is a battle between religion and totalitarianism. Coming out shortly after the war and in the midst of the cold war this makes it an intriguing film to watch.
The performances of the two lead actors are amazing to watch. Both are well known for larger roles that came to them later on, most notably their co-starring once again 2 years later in THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI, seeing them at this earlier stage in their careers is interesting. Early on they were both excellent at their craft.
Arrow is releasing this as part of their Arrow Academy series and they've done a great job. But then what else would anyone expect of Arrow? The film is presented in a high definition 1080p version and contains plenty of extras. Those include "Interrogating Guinness" a new video appreciation of the film by author and academic Neil Sinyard, select scene commentary by author and critic Philip Kemp, a reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Peter Strain and for the first pressing only an illustrated collector's booklet with new writing on the film by Mark Cunliffe.
Two Pros Light Up the Screen
Reb925 July 2001
This film is often overlooked but if you can find it, it is well worth your while. Adapted from a stage play it is admittedly slow and talky, but it does challenge the intellect. Guiness and Hawkins are brilliant as a churchman consumed with self doubt and a zealot consumed with the state. Their battle of wits forms the crux of this many layered work. A rather pale love story added to the screen play simply detracts from the films power. This is a film that will challenge you to think. It requires work on the part of the viewer and, as a result, is not everyone's cup of tea. Any fan of great acting shouldn't miss it.
Whatever you say Boss-Man
kapelusznik1823 April 2014
Warning: Spoilers
****SPOILERS*** Brought up on charges of treason against the state the Cardinal, Alec Guinness, of an Eastern European communist nation is put through the ringer by his Interrogator, Jack Hawkins, in order to get him to confess to his so-called crimes. The Cardinal who's an old hand at being tortured by the German Gestapo during WWII takes it all in stride not caring what is done to his body but when the Interrogator starts to work on his mind and his life as a young boy in the city fish market he strikes a raw nerve with the Cardinal.
The Cardinal has done some bad things, like sticking his hand in the cookie jar, in the past before he became religious and it's his former comrade in arms, against the Nazis, in WWII, the Interrogator who brings those events out into the open. It takes some three months for the Interrogator to get the Cardinal to crack with days of sleep deprivation and weeks of isolation but in the end the Cardinal finally gives in to all of his demands.
***SPOILERS*** At his trial the Cardinal confesses to everything, even the Lincoln and Julius Cesar assassinations, under the sun in an open court with those in attendance, mostly the Cardinal's supporters, open mouthed and shocked by his many false and mindless confessions. It didn't take long for the smug with victory Interrogator to realize that all his efforts in getting the Cardinal to confess backfired in his face! The vary fact that the Cardinal so eagerly confessed to all if not even more of the crimes that he was accused of by the state showed the people that he was just playing along with his captors and in fact showing them up for the brutish thugs whom they are. With his conviction thrown out and confessions shown to be total lies and BS it's the Cardinal who in fact got the last laugh not the Interrogator and his superiors. And with that the Cardinal walks out free as a bird or cardinal from prison to the cheers of all the people who were tried to be made out, by the Interrogator, that he betrayed!
The Cardinal has done some bad things, like sticking his hand in the cookie jar, in the past before he became religious and it's his former comrade in arms, against the Nazis, in WWII, the Interrogator who brings those events out into the open. It takes some three months for the Interrogator to get the Cardinal to crack with days of sleep deprivation and weeks of isolation but in the end the Cardinal finally gives in to all of his demands.
***SPOILERS*** At his trial the Cardinal confesses to everything, even the Lincoln and Julius Cesar assassinations, under the sun in an open court with those in attendance, mostly the Cardinal's supporters, open mouthed and shocked by his many false and mindless confessions. It didn't take long for the smug with victory Interrogator to realize that all his efforts in getting the Cardinal to confess backfired in his face! The vary fact that the Cardinal so eagerly confessed to all if not even more of the crimes that he was accused of by the state showed the people that he was just playing along with his captors and in fact showing them up for the brutish thugs whom they are. With his conviction thrown out and confessions shown to be total lies and BS it's the Cardinal who in fact got the last laugh not the Interrogator and his superiors. And with that the Cardinal walks out free as a bird or cardinal from prison to the cheers of all the people who were tried to be made out, by the Interrogator, that he betrayed!
Over-looked masterpiece!
jump.boy25 January 2004
A classic sadly almost ignored and forgotten probably because of it's small scale being a quite simple screen version of the popular stage play. Alec Guinness is the Cardinal arrested by the state during the Cold War, Jack Hawkins is the state inquisitor trying to break him. Ex comrades in arms, fighting in the Resistance against the Nazis; they now find themselves on opposing sides of Church and State. An intense battle of wills ensues, superb performances all round including Wilfred Lawson as the jailer. Highly recommended.
See this one for the performances.
Hey_Sweden12 November 2018
Warning: Spoilers
"The Prisoner" is a post-WWII psychological drama taking place in an unnamed East European country that has fallen under Communist rule. You'll notice that none of the characters are credited with proper names, in this tale of a popular Cardinal (Alec Guinness) being put through the wringer by an interrogator (Jack Hawkins). The Cardinal has been accused of treason against the state, and arrested, and the interrogator hopes to crack through the churchmans' shell and find his weak spot, anything to make the man confess to what are essentially baseless charges.
It's all about the acting in this small scale production, a battle of wills which does indeed come off as a photographed stage play. Director Peter Glenville doesn't give it style or cinematic flair, but it IS pretty atmospheric as photographed by D.P. Reginald H. Wyer. Inspired by two real-life churchmen, the tale (written by Bridget Boland) is intelligent and compelling. One does feel quite bad for the Cardinal, who is a tough nut to crack at first. And yet neither lead character is painted as purely one-dimensional; the viewer doesn't necessarily hate the interrogator when all is said and done.
There is a minor number of supporting players, all of them very good, especially the hearty and jovial Wilfrid Lawson as the jailer. Ronald Lewis, as the young warder, figures in a subplot about his love for a married woman (Jeanette Sterke), although this bit of business never really goes anywhere. Fortunately, Guiness and Hawkins (old pros, the both of them) deliver commanding performances that hold ones' attention even if the material does not.
Provocative and controversial in its day, "The Prisoner" was seen by some as too sympathetic to Communists, and by others as being too *anti*-Communist. It clocks in at a fairly trim running time, 94 minutes, and does give us a fairly powerful ending.
Seven out of 10.
It's all about the acting in this small scale production, a battle of wills which does indeed come off as a photographed stage play. Director Peter Glenville doesn't give it style or cinematic flair, but it IS pretty atmospheric as photographed by D.P. Reginald H. Wyer. Inspired by two real-life churchmen, the tale (written by Bridget Boland) is intelligent and compelling. One does feel quite bad for the Cardinal, who is a tough nut to crack at first. And yet neither lead character is painted as purely one-dimensional; the viewer doesn't necessarily hate the interrogator when all is said and done.
There is a minor number of supporting players, all of them very good, especially the hearty and jovial Wilfrid Lawson as the jailer. Ronald Lewis, as the young warder, figures in a subplot about his love for a married woman (Jeanette Sterke), although this bit of business never really goes anywhere. Fortunately, Guiness and Hawkins (old pros, the both of them) deliver commanding performances that hold ones' attention even if the material does not.
Provocative and controversial in its day, "The Prisoner" was seen by some as too sympathetic to Communists, and by others as being too *anti*-Communist. It clocks in at a fairly trim running time, 94 minutes, and does give us a fairly powerful ending.
Seven out of 10.
Try not to judge the Priesthood by the priest
miriam_croucher26 February 2013
Warning: Spoilers
'The Prisoner,'is a film version of the play by the same title, and is widely based on the life of Cardinal Mindszenty of Hungary. It addresses the topic of religious freedom and therefore, also authentic human rights.
Alec Guinness in the role of a Catholic cardinal and Jack Hawkins as his interrogator who represents an atheist, totalitarian state (i.e. a state under communism) are brilliant. The supporting actors are also excellent.
The film is tense; it addresses man's inhumanity to man (Jack Hawkins) and the frailty of the human spirit when it is subjected to physical, emotional and mental torture (Alec Guinness). It is the story of one man's battle to preserve his interior freedom and every man's battle with himself; and it shows how a good man's courage and even his frailty unwittingly change the lives of his interrogator, his jailer and a guard.
The film's one weakness was that the cardinal's appearance did not adequately reflect the horrific torture to which he was subjected: though tortured for months on end, he is always clean-shaven and there is no gradual deterioration to give credence to his utter physical and mental exhaustion.
That said, I loved the film and found it very moving, particularly the scene close to the end when the cardinal looks into the guard's eyes and humbly says 'Try not to judge the Priesthood by the priest.' (It is necessary to have watched the film to understand the poignancy of this remark which cleverly responds to a comment made earlier by the guard).
Alec Guinness in the role of a Catholic cardinal and Jack Hawkins as his interrogator who represents an atheist, totalitarian state (i.e. a state under communism) are brilliant. The supporting actors are also excellent.
The film is tense; it addresses man's inhumanity to man (Jack Hawkins) and the frailty of the human spirit when it is subjected to physical, emotional and mental torture (Alec Guinness). It is the story of one man's battle to preserve his interior freedom and every man's battle with himself; and it shows how a good man's courage and even his frailty unwittingly change the lives of his interrogator, his jailer and a guard.
The film's one weakness was that the cardinal's appearance did not adequately reflect the horrific torture to which he was subjected: though tortured for months on end, he is always clean-shaven and there is no gradual deterioration to give credence to his utter physical and mental exhaustion.
That said, I loved the film and found it very moving, particularly the scene close to the end when the cardinal looks into the guard's eyes and humbly says 'Try not to judge the Priesthood by the priest.' (It is necessary to have watched the film to understand the poignancy of this remark which cleverly responds to a comment made earlier by the guard).
A stagey but absorbing drama
jpcgillam6 March 2021
Alec Guinness and Jack Hawkins star in this political drama, adapted from a play, in which a Cardinal in an unnamed Eastern European Communist regime is imprisoned for treason, his interrogator trying to mentally break him.
It worked well as a gripping psychological thriller, as the Cardinal gradually begins to be worn down and manipulated, and also was an interesting look at a repressive regime. Guinness is excellent in the lead role, and Hawkins plays the Interrogator with a brilliant mix of sympathy and menace, both giving complex and developed performances.
It's stage origins are quite apparent as it's very talky and ambiguous, and some parts (like a romantic subplot) didn't really go anywhere, but overall it was a thoughtful drama elevated by superb performances.
'Darkness At Noon' Without The Laughs
slokes25 November 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Even for a jailroom drama with a closed-in set and a minimum of exposition, "The Prisoner" is one clenched movie.
In an unnamed city in an unnamed country, an unnamed cardinal (Alec Guinness) is interrogated for crimes against the state. His unnamed interrogator (Jack Hawkins) sets the case for the audience in unusually stark terms.
"You represent a religion which provides an organization outside the state," he says.
The cardinal states his position as boldly: "I am difficult to trap and impossible to persuade. I am tenacious, wary, and proud."
Obviously based on the repression of Catholic leaders in Eastern Europe after World War II, "The Prisoner" suffers from the sin of its obviousness. Everything about this film seems designed to fit into the right round holes. There's a jokey jailer, an overbearing functionary, even a shoehorned romantic subplot.
At one point, we see a young man writing the words "Free Beliefs Free Speech" on a wall. I guess he was too preoccupied to share what those beliefs might be. No matter; before he finishes a policeman walks up and shoots him, I guess because it is more symbolic than arresting him.
The stand-off between Guinness and Hawkins is just as tightly regimented, with obvious bits of symbolism designed to make a case any sentient being has picked up on five minutes in. The Interrogator doodles a spider web during his questioning of the Cardinal. The Interrogator plays chess before we cut to the Cardinal walking across flagstones. "God give me cunning against your skill" and "You've defeated me" are actual lines in the movie. The movie doesn't end as one might expect; it avoids this trap with a finale that doesn't make any sense at all.
Apparently all this struck some people as controversial back in 1955, as "The Prisoner" was banned from a couple of major film festivals. If it was released today, it would be easier to understand the hostility, even if the role of faith in this film is muted to the point of insignificance.
Given the historical and personal background of this project, so close to the heart of Guinness who would convert to Catholicism a year after this movie, it is surprising to see Sir Alec playing the part so awfully. He's a serene statue through the first half, and then a shrieking shamble in the second, even beating his head with his fists.
The only plus in the film is Wilfred Lawson's crusty jailer, called "Waldo" in the subtitles though I think that's someone mishearing "Warden." He has a couple of nice speeches, including one when he remembers a boyhood cuckoo clock with a juicy chuckle. The bits we get of Lawson show director Peter Glenville had the good sense to give room to at least some of his actors. But the Warden's a minor figure in a film that doesn't do anything worthwhile with anyone else.
In an unnamed city in an unnamed country, an unnamed cardinal (Alec Guinness) is interrogated for crimes against the state. His unnamed interrogator (Jack Hawkins) sets the case for the audience in unusually stark terms.
"You represent a religion which provides an organization outside the state," he says.
The cardinal states his position as boldly: "I am difficult to trap and impossible to persuade. I am tenacious, wary, and proud."
Obviously based on the repression of Catholic leaders in Eastern Europe after World War II, "The Prisoner" suffers from the sin of its obviousness. Everything about this film seems designed to fit into the right round holes. There's a jokey jailer, an overbearing functionary, even a shoehorned romantic subplot.
At one point, we see a young man writing the words "Free Beliefs Free Speech" on a wall. I guess he was too preoccupied to share what those beliefs might be. No matter; before he finishes a policeman walks up and shoots him, I guess because it is more symbolic than arresting him.
The stand-off between Guinness and Hawkins is just as tightly regimented, with obvious bits of symbolism designed to make a case any sentient being has picked up on five minutes in. The Interrogator doodles a spider web during his questioning of the Cardinal. The Interrogator plays chess before we cut to the Cardinal walking across flagstones. "God give me cunning against your skill" and "You've defeated me" are actual lines in the movie. The movie doesn't end as one might expect; it avoids this trap with a finale that doesn't make any sense at all.
Apparently all this struck some people as controversial back in 1955, as "The Prisoner" was banned from a couple of major film festivals. If it was released today, it would be easier to understand the hostility, even if the role of faith in this film is muted to the point of insignificance.
Given the historical and personal background of this project, so close to the heart of Guinness who would convert to Catholicism a year after this movie, it is surprising to see Sir Alec playing the part so awfully. He's a serene statue through the first half, and then a shrieking shamble in the second, even beating his head with his fists.
The only plus in the film is Wilfred Lawson's crusty jailer, called "Waldo" in the subtitles though I think that's someone mishearing "Warden." He has a couple of nice speeches, including one when he remembers a boyhood cuckoo clock with a juicy chuckle. The bits we get of Lawson show director Peter Glenville had the good sense to give room to at least some of his actors. But the Warden's a minor figure in a film that doesn't do anything worthwhile with anyone else.
why see it
Kirpianuscus27 May 2017
because it is a great artistic duel between Alec Guiness and Jack Hawkins, remembering, in few scenes, "Beckett". because the performance of Wilfrid Lawson is really seductive. because it use as symbol, maybe, the example of Jozsef Mindszenty, Archibishop of Esztergom, but, in same measure , it is an inspired story about the conflict between the State and the Church under Communism. it represents one of of films with a precise target. almost a refuge. because it is slow, uncomfortable, simple and far to give answers. one of films who must see it. because it is a large window to the essential things defining each of us.
Confession. Ready or not
tomsview4 January 2023
Warning: Spoilers
When Alec Guinness first appeared in the film looking so pious that he made Obi-Wan Kenobi seem a little uncouth, I thought "The Prisoner" would be hard work. However it repaid staying the course.
The film is set in an unknown Communist country. A popular cardinal (Alec Guinness) is arrested for treason. He's interrogated by a man he knows, played by Jack Hawkins with the same growling gravitas he projected as Khufu in "Land of the Pharaohs" made around the same time.
Attempts to break the Cardinal, and get him to confess, cause unrest. However the Interrogator (everyone is nameless) using non-violent, psychological methods eventually wears him down. A romance between a guard (Ronald Lewis) and a married woman (Jeanette Sterke) seems an odd add-on and goes nowhere.
Although the film is set mainly in a prison, and everyone speaks English, exteriors were shot in Belgium giving the feeling of a non-English location. Benjamin Frankel provided a powerful score that also helps open it out it from its stage origins.
The film was apparently inspired by a couple of famous cases that happened in lands that were firmly behind the Iron Curtain. Some thought it anti-Catholic and others thought it anti-Communist. Interestingly this was also during the McCarthy era.
The nonspecific style leaves it open to interpretation. Bridget Boland, the playwright, once said, "I am bored by domestic problems, and allergic to domestic settings. I succeed best with heavy drama". Maybe this one got too heavy and buckles a little in the second half as the interrogator finds the Cardinal's weak spot, his vanity.
Boland may have been inspired by George Orwell's 1984. The Interrogator is not unlike the understanding O'Brien who helps Winston Smith renounce his love for anyone other than Big Brother.
I can't help feeling that Boland also equates the Cardinal's persecution to that of Jesus, and Alec played it that way; he rarely loses his transcendental look. At one point, the Cardinal paraphrases what Jesus said about Caesar, "Render to the State the things that are the State's, and to God, the things that are God's".
In the end this film with its duel of ideologies gives food for thought, hopefully not the wrong ones.
The film is set in an unknown Communist country. A popular cardinal (Alec Guinness) is arrested for treason. He's interrogated by a man he knows, played by Jack Hawkins with the same growling gravitas he projected as Khufu in "Land of the Pharaohs" made around the same time.
Attempts to break the Cardinal, and get him to confess, cause unrest. However the Interrogator (everyone is nameless) using non-violent, psychological methods eventually wears him down. A romance between a guard (Ronald Lewis) and a married woman (Jeanette Sterke) seems an odd add-on and goes nowhere.
Although the film is set mainly in a prison, and everyone speaks English, exteriors were shot in Belgium giving the feeling of a non-English location. Benjamin Frankel provided a powerful score that also helps open it out it from its stage origins.
The film was apparently inspired by a couple of famous cases that happened in lands that were firmly behind the Iron Curtain. Some thought it anti-Catholic and others thought it anti-Communist. Interestingly this was also during the McCarthy era.
The nonspecific style leaves it open to interpretation. Bridget Boland, the playwright, once said, "I am bored by domestic problems, and allergic to domestic settings. I succeed best with heavy drama". Maybe this one got too heavy and buckles a little in the second half as the interrogator finds the Cardinal's weak spot, his vanity.
Boland may have been inspired by George Orwell's 1984. The Interrogator is not unlike the understanding O'Brien who helps Winston Smith renounce his love for anyone other than Big Brother.
I can't help feeling that Boland also equates the Cardinal's persecution to that of Jesus, and Alec played it that way; he rarely loses his transcendental look. At one point, the Cardinal paraphrases what Jesus said about Caesar, "Render to the State the things that are the State's, and to God, the things that are God's".
In the end this film with its duel of ideologies gives food for thought, hopefully not the wrong ones.
Alec Guinness's best performance
HotToastyRag31 October 2020
For a man with such extensive Shakespearian stage experience, Alec Guinness certainly didn't show movie audiences the depth of his talent. You can catch a few movies if you know where to look, but in general, his usual fare doesn't leave a lasting impression. Perhaps that was why he donned disguises so often; maybe he feared just being himself wasn't good enough? My hypothesis notwithstanding, you must know he wasn't knighted because of his work in Star Wars. If you want to see his real talent he kept bottled up for the rest of his film career, find the forgotten drama The Prisoner.
It's a cat-and-mouse film with virtually two players: Alec Guinness and Jack Hawkins. Alec plays a cardinal arrested on suspicion of treason, and Jack plays the interrogator bent on extracting a confession. For political reasons, Jack and the men of his fictional fascist government need Alec to confess. If he dissolutions his followers, they'll be easier to control. To avoid Alec's martyrdom, Jack has to be very careful in his interrogation tactics.
Depending on your point of view of the story, either of the men could be considered the lead. With nearly equal screen time, it's a toss up. Alec is obviously the focus, as he's imprisoned and psychologically tortured; but Jack soon looks at his assignment as more than just a job and becomes obsessed with making Alec break. Both men do exactly what is asked of them in the script and show talents they didn't usually show in their other movies. Their timing, chemistry, and feed off each other's energy is very engaging, even if the genre doesn't usually appeal to you. I wasn't expecting to like the film, but I couldn't tear my eyes away. I can't count how many times I said, "I didn't know he had it in him," when Alec would scream or cry. Can you imagine Alec Guinness crying? Here at the Hot Toasty Rag, we love rewarding three types of performances: the "what does it take?" performance, the obscure performance, and the best performance of one's career. As Alec's falls in all three categories, we were very happy to honor him in 1955.
It's a cat-and-mouse film with virtually two players: Alec Guinness and Jack Hawkins. Alec plays a cardinal arrested on suspicion of treason, and Jack plays the interrogator bent on extracting a confession. For political reasons, Jack and the men of his fictional fascist government need Alec to confess. If he dissolutions his followers, they'll be easier to control. To avoid Alec's martyrdom, Jack has to be very careful in his interrogation tactics.
Depending on your point of view of the story, either of the men could be considered the lead. With nearly equal screen time, it's a toss up. Alec is obviously the focus, as he's imprisoned and psychologically tortured; but Jack soon looks at his assignment as more than just a job and becomes obsessed with making Alec break. Both men do exactly what is asked of them in the script and show talents they didn't usually show in their other movies. Their timing, chemistry, and feed off each other's energy is very engaging, even if the genre doesn't usually appeal to you. I wasn't expecting to like the film, but I couldn't tear my eyes away. I can't count how many times I said, "I didn't know he had it in him," when Alec would scream or cry. Can you imagine Alec Guinness crying? Here at the Hot Toasty Rag, we love rewarding three types of performances: the "what does it take?" performance, the obscure performance, and the best performance of one's career. As Alec's falls in all three categories, we were very happy to honor him in 1955.
Thrilling Chilling battle of wits. One of the best.
ozthegreatat423303 February 2007
Warning: Spoilers
This little black and white gem features Alec Guinness("Lawrence of Arabia" "Star Wars-A New Hope") and Jack Hawkins("Ben Hur") as the opposing sides in a subtle film of brainwashing and psychological torture. Guinness is the Cardinal, a cold, authoritarian leader of the church against the state. Hawkins is the specialist who must break him in a very short period of time to embarrass the church and remove it's power with the people. Both men are destined to come out of the experience changed forever.
With a fine supporting cast, the film is centered on these two very strong performances which give the cold war a brand new meaning.
With a fine supporting cast, the film is centered on these two very strong performances which give the cold war a brand new meaning.
Suburb Psychological Drama!
bsmith55527 August 2018
Warning: Spoilers
"The Prisoner" is a tour de force between two superlative actors Alec Guinness and Jack Hawkins. It's an unusual sort of movie in that it is set in an unnamed communist country following WWII and all of the characters do not have names.
A Cardinal (Alec Guinness) is arrested for treason against the government. He had been a hero of the resistance against the Germans in WWII and now is accused of rallying the people against the new totalitarian regime. He is to be question by master interrogator Jack Hawkins.
Over a period of three months the interrogator tries to break the priest's resolve and force him to sign a bogus confession of his guilt. He uses sleep deprevation, relentless badgering, bright lights and even bringing the Cardinal' s mother into play. But the Cardinal is the interrogator's equal in intelligence.
Eventually the Cardinal's own self doubts are brought to the forefront and he is broken and put on trial. He is found guilty and is sentenced to death but..................................................................................................................
The ending of the movie is particularly poignant leaving the question: Did anyone really win this verbal battle of the minds?
Although this is essentially a two actor performance, there are some interesting supporting players as well. Wilfred Lawson plays the somewhat likeable jailer, Kenneth Griffith is Hawkins ambitious secretary, Jeanette Stark and Ronald Lewis play a young couple trying to make sense of it all and Raymond Huntley is the General.
The story was supposedly based on the Cardinal Mindszenty trial in Hungary in 1948.
A Cardinal (Alec Guinness) is arrested for treason against the government. He had been a hero of the resistance against the Germans in WWII and now is accused of rallying the people against the new totalitarian regime. He is to be question by master interrogator Jack Hawkins.
Over a period of three months the interrogator tries to break the priest's resolve and force him to sign a bogus confession of his guilt. He uses sleep deprevation, relentless badgering, bright lights and even bringing the Cardinal' s mother into play. But the Cardinal is the interrogator's equal in intelligence.
Eventually the Cardinal's own self doubts are brought to the forefront and he is broken and put on trial. He is found guilty and is sentenced to death but..................................................................................................................
The ending of the movie is particularly poignant leaving the question: Did anyone really win this verbal battle of the minds?
Although this is essentially a two actor performance, there are some interesting supporting players as well. Wilfred Lawson plays the somewhat likeable jailer, Kenneth Griffith is Hawkins ambitious secretary, Jeanette Stark and Ronald Lewis play a young couple trying to make sense of it all and Raymond Huntley is the General.
The story was supposedly based on the Cardinal Mindszenty trial in Hungary in 1948.
More Appropriate for the TV screen
malcolmgsw17 December 2013
It is difficult to understand why the producers thought that this talky snail pace drama was more appropriate to the cinema than TV.Didn't cinemas already have enough problems without screening this hall clearing feature.In fact the only reason that I watched it was to see one of my favourite actors,Wilfred Lawson.there sure enough he was acting his socks off whilst Alec Guiness was doing his silent bit.He lights up every scene he appears in.He has this funny knack of starting each sentence on a high note and working his way down.As for the rest of the film,sorry to say it is a total bore.Jack Hawkins was always watchable but Alec Guiness I find a little of him goes a long way.Guiness is not necessarily good for you.
A study of contrasts
kinetica7 June 2004
This film makes a good marathon movie with other similar themes:
Inherit the wind The Prisoner TV series
It seems most movies are essentially epitomized by this film for this reason:
Persecution. Be it FOR religion or AGAINST religion. The protagonist/antagonist style which is predominant is EXPERTLY posed here with Alec Guinness playing another brilliant role. This character is the opposite of the character he played in "The man in the white suit" BUT the theme is similar.
In todays world the ethnicity is still a root persecution that leads to a lot of violence. This movie shows what should be avoided, but in recent news even the contrast in Iraq is highlighted within the controlled confines of a safe Movie environment. WE know the actors are compensated and safe... The stereotypes they portray seem to be Perennial and eternal...
The end line can be said of ANYONE anytime, anyplace, any age.
A timeless classic from a time when events moved slower. Todays movies move much faster which do not allow our children to absorb the real humanity pictures like these embody.
I am a more aware man for having seen this film, and it allows my to deal with bullies I have encountered in real life who on buses will try to play the inquisitor in a menacing fashion, even though here in America we are supposed to be free of this interaction.
There are classic interactions that are highlighted and should not be missed.
Inherit the wind The Prisoner TV series
It seems most movies are essentially epitomized by this film for this reason:
Persecution. Be it FOR religion or AGAINST religion. The protagonist/antagonist style which is predominant is EXPERTLY posed here with Alec Guinness playing another brilliant role. This character is the opposite of the character he played in "The man in the white suit" BUT the theme is similar.
In todays world the ethnicity is still a root persecution that leads to a lot of violence. This movie shows what should be avoided, but in recent news even the contrast in Iraq is highlighted within the controlled confines of a safe Movie environment. WE know the actors are compensated and safe... The stereotypes they portray seem to be Perennial and eternal...
The end line can be said of ANYONE anytime, anyplace, any age.
A timeless classic from a time when events moved slower. Todays movies move much faster which do not allow our children to absorb the real humanity pictures like these embody.
I am a more aware man for having seen this film, and it allows my to deal with bullies I have encountered in real life who on buses will try to play the inquisitor in a menacing fashion, even though here in America we are supposed to be free of this interaction.
There are classic interactions that are highlighted and should not be missed.
beauty of black-and-white
oscar-3524 September 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Spoiler/plot- 1955, The Prisoner, An outspoken Cardinal from Eastern European country is jailed for his rebellious beliefs and subject to relentless interrogation of a psychologist in prison. Hoping for a phony confession that would create chaos among the countries large Catholic population, the interrogator knows no amount of brutal torture will sway his prison subject that fought the Nazi Gestapo. But after months of hard mental torture, the interrogator finds a crack in his subject's facade when the interrogator challenges his religious ideals in a gripping prison scene. The film ending is quite a enjoyable twist.
*Special Stars- Sir Alec Guiness plays the lead, as The Cardinal. Jack Hawkins plays the interrogator.
*Theme- Totalitarian governments break-down the individual, while religion glorifies it.
*Based on- Eastern European world news headlines.
*Trivia/location/goofs- An English film shot a the Pinewood Studios. Such a controversial film that it was BANNED at Cannes & Venice Film festivals for it's political implications on Eastern BLOC countries. A memorable line is given by Guiness just before his Cardinal role is jailed, "Any confession coming from me in prison is a lie or completely due to the weakness of man". 'The Motion Picture Guide' rates this film highly and rates the performances by the two male leads as "...two best roles and performed at their very best."
*Emotion- A very excellent dramatic and tension filled film plot with meaty roles for these two giants of the British screen. While these two stars were in the same film, seldom have they shared scenes acting off each other like in this film. A true delight to enjoy watching these solid film stars in the beauty of black-and-white. The film's subject matter is thought provoking for spiritual and non-spiritual people alike.
*Special Stars- Sir Alec Guiness plays the lead, as The Cardinal. Jack Hawkins plays the interrogator.
*Theme- Totalitarian governments break-down the individual, while religion glorifies it.
*Based on- Eastern European world news headlines.
*Trivia/location/goofs- An English film shot a the Pinewood Studios. Such a controversial film that it was BANNED at Cannes & Venice Film festivals for it's political implications on Eastern BLOC countries. A memorable line is given by Guiness just before his Cardinal role is jailed, "Any confession coming from me in prison is a lie or completely due to the weakness of man". 'The Motion Picture Guide' rates this film highly and rates the performances by the two male leads as "...two best roles and performed at their very best."
*Emotion- A very excellent dramatic and tension filled film plot with meaty roles for these two giants of the British screen. While these two stars were in the same film, seldom have they shared scenes acting off each other like in this film. A true delight to enjoy watching these solid film stars in the beauty of black-and-white. The film's subject matter is thought provoking for spiritual and non-spiritual people alike.
Human Frailty on Trial
zardoz-1319 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Hypnotic performances by Alec Guinness as an anonymous Cardinal in a Communist country behind the Iron Curtain and Jack Hawkins as the Interrogator who grilles this lofty ecclesiastical dignitary on charges with treason ignites a grim power struggle between them in director Peter Glenville's tense psychological thriller "The Prisoner," (1955). Loosely based on Bridget Boland's London Stage play about the treatment of a Cardinal Mindszenty in Hungry after the Nazis had been driven out in World War II. A stark clash of wills, "The Prisoner" focuses primarily but not entirely on the mind games that the anonymous Inquisitor plays on the Cardinal in his efforts to lay the ground work for a trial to convict him. Just as in the stage play, nobody in "The Prisoner" has a Christian name or any name for that matter. For example, the Jailor (Wilfrid Lawson of "The Wrong Box") has no name, but peripheral though his character is, he serves not only as comic relief but also as a strong dramatic presence. Altogether, the cast consists of 15 players. Kenneth Griffith is cast as the Inquisitor's Secretary, while Ronald Lewis plays another prison guard. Percy Herbert, who would reunite with Guinness and Hawkins in Sir David Lean's Oscar-winning World War II epic "The Bridge on the River Kwai," has a walk on part as a soldier. When Glenville isn't focused on the machinations of the Inquisitor and the pressures exerted on him by his immediate superior The General (Raymond Huntley) and The Governor (Mark Dignam), Glenville treats us to a sideline romance between The Girl (Jeanette Sterke) and Ronald Lewis' guard. "Violent Playground" lenser Reginald H. Wyer shoots all of this sizzling saga in black and white and the eternal grey of the buildings and rooms have a numbing effect on the action. This isn't a carefree film. Clocking in at 93 tense minutes, "The Prisoner" will captivate those who have the patience to watch the game of cat and mouse play out. Who will win is always on your mind when you watch the supremely confident Cardinal warn the Inquisitor, ""I am difficult to trap and impossible to persuade. I am tenacious, wary, and proud." Eventually, it appears the Inquisitor gains the upper hand by his brainwashing tactics and the Cardinal breaks down until intense pressure. Were it not for the bold and tenacious performances by Guinness and Hawkins, "The Prisoner" would amount to 90-minutes of sheer drudgery with loquacious dialogue and no kinetic action to generate any momentum during its this slow-burn runtime. The scene in the alley when a young man is scrawling FREE SPEECH in chalk on a brick wall and an authority figure guns him down in cold blood is as stark as you can imagine. Glenville would revisit this theme about democracy versus a totalitarian state in his film "The Comedians" with Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor and Alec Guinness.
A triumph of theatrical acting but emotional blankness.
mark.waltz23 February 2013
Warning: Spoilers
This is one of those puzzling films to try and analyze as it gives you no character to which to be loyal to. It all starts off promisingly as a well-loved Bishop (Alec Guennis) is suddenly arrested and put into confinement to be questioned as an enemy of the state. When that tragic priest is played by the effervescent Guennis, you know that the characterization will be brilliant, and sure enough, it is.
Jack Hawkins as the investigator brutally questioning him starts off gently, but gradually, it builds to horrific methods in order to reach his goal. There are lots of angry conversations of human failings-towards flesh, hatred of fellow man, and even resentments to God. In lesser acting hands, I would call this a total bore, but Guennis could make villains likable ("Oliver Twist's" Fagin) and be both touching ("Star Wars") and even dreadfully funny ("Murder By Death").
Even as Hitler, Guennis added much humanity to the greatest villain civilization has ever known. But this is a difficult assignment, more an acting exercise rather than a full-fledged story, and ultimately emotionally D. O. A., just like the poor Bishop's life is as he faces man's greatest and most evil goal: mind control.
Jack Hawkins as the investigator brutally questioning him starts off gently, but gradually, it builds to horrific methods in order to reach his goal. There are lots of angry conversations of human failings-towards flesh, hatred of fellow man, and even resentments to God. In lesser acting hands, I would call this a total bore, but Guennis could make villains likable ("Oliver Twist's" Fagin) and be both touching ("Star Wars") and even dreadfully funny ("Murder By Death").
Even as Hitler, Guennis added much humanity to the greatest villain civilization has ever known. But this is a difficult assignment, more an acting exercise rather than a full-fledged story, and ultimately emotionally D. O. A., just like the poor Bishop's life is as he faces man's greatest and most evil goal: mind control.
The Prisoner
henry8-310 May 2021
In an unnamed Eastern European country, a Cardinal (Guinness), extremely popular with the people is arrested by the state for treason as they need a confession that helps reduce the power of the church. Expert interrogator Hawkins who has never failed before works on him and so the battle of 2 sharp minds begins.
Kafkaesque melodrama which allows for the chance to see 2 great actor spar off each other. Hawkins wins on the acting front, although this is because his role is more nuanced compared to the emotional turmoil which Guinness needs to put across and does so well but with perhaps a touch of scenery chewing. A thoughtful picture none the less and one well worth catching for the 2 performances and that of Wilfred Lawson who is Guinness' jailer and who keeps the whole thing grounded.
Kafkaesque melodrama which allows for the chance to see 2 great actor spar off each other. Hawkins wins on the acting front, although this is because his role is more nuanced compared to the emotional turmoil which Guinness needs to put across and does so well but with perhaps a touch of scenery chewing. A thoughtful picture none the less and one well worth catching for the 2 performances and that of Wilfred Lawson who is Guinness' jailer and who keeps the whole thing grounded.
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