The Prisoner (1955 film)
<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>
| The Prisoner | |
|---|---|
.jpg)
U.S. half sheet poster
|
|
| Directed by | Peter Glenville |
| Written by | Bridget Boland |
| Starring | Alec Guinness Jack Hawkins |
| Music by | Benjamin Frankel |
| Cinematography | Reginald H. Wyer |
| Edited by | Frederick Wilson |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures Corporation |
|
Release dates
|
<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
|
|
Running time
|
95 minutes (Netherlands) 91 minutes (U.S.) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
The Prisoner is a 1955 drama film directed by Peter Glenville and based on the play by Bridget Boland. The film stars Alec Guinness and Jack Hawkins.[1]
Plot
In an unnamed East European country that has recently come under Communist tyranny in place of Nazi tyranny, a Cardinal (Alec Guinness) is falsely accused of treason. The Interrogator (Jack Hawkins), an old friend of the Cardinal's but now a Communist, is given the task of persuading him to make a public confession of treason.
The Interrogator eventually breaks though by showing how the Cardinal became a priest to escape from his childhood. To purge his sin, in the show trial the Cardinal confesses to every lie of which he is accused, and is released to face a silent, bewildered crowd.
There is a subplot about a young warder (Ronald Lewis) who is in love with a married woman (Jeannette Sterke), who wants to leave the country and join her husband.[2]
Production
The Cardinal was based on Croatian cardinal Aloysius Stepinac (1898–1960), who was a defendant in a trial in Croatia[3] and on Hungarian cardinal József Mindszenty (1892–1975), who was charged in Hungary. The film was shot in England and Belgium (at Ostend and Bruges).[2]
Cast
- Alec Guinness as The Cardinal
- Jack Hawkins as The Interrogator
- Wilfrid Lawson as The Jailer
- Kenneth Griffith as The Secretary
- Jeanette Sterke as The Girl
- Ronald Lewis as The Guard
- Raymond Huntley as The General
- Mark Dignam as The Governor
- Gerard Heinz as The Doctor
Reception
The film was controversial. It was seen as "pro-Communist" by some in Ireland; while in France, where the film was prohibited from being shown at Cannes, the film was labelled "anti-Communist." The Italians saw it as "anti-Catholic", and the film was similarly banned from the Venice Film Festival.[4]
The Radio Times, while praising the two main performances, wrote, "Peter Glenville's theatrical direction won't do much to persuade those without religious or political convictions to become involved" ;[5] TV Guide wrote, "basically a photographed stage play, and although there are a few other actors, Hawkins and Guinness are center stage most of the time--their mano a mano a delight to watch. Director Glenville had to use all of his expertise to keep the film from being little more than talking heads, but his touch is sure" ;[4] while The New York Times called it a "grim and gripping drama—which also happens to be an equally revealing motion picture, one of the best of the year...a film that will make you shiver—and think." [6]
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.jutarnji.hr/kardinal-stepinac-u-ocima-hollywooda/414207/
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
- Lua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 28: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). The Prisoner at IMDb
