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Thursday 5 January 2017

The Pri50ner


   For 50 years of ‘the Prisoner I have always thought this agent, who obviously works for The Village, first masquerading as an Undertaker abducting the Prisoner from his London home in the opening sequence. Also during ‘Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling’ following in that guise as well as the hearse, the Colonel/ZM73 through the streets of London, to be waiting in Buckingham Place when he arrived home. Then he was acting as a waiter, who we see carrying a tray of champagne glasses at Janet Portland’s birthday party. Then the next day masquerading as “the man in the street” when he follows the Colonel/ZM73 to the photographic shop “World Cameras,” and finally he turns up again in the basement of the barber’s shop in Kanderfield as…… but as what? A Chauffeur? A Private car hire driver? A bus tour driver? A lorry driver? Or a delivery van driver? Mind you he’s still wearing the white shirt and black tie of an Undertaker! I do recall in the 1949 film ‘Passport To Pimlico,’ that a delivery van driver wore the same style of uniform as our friend here.
   It stands to reason that he must have had some form of transport in order to have been able to follow Potter, who was following the Colonel/ZM73 through
Europe to Austria and the town of Kandersfeld. Although we do not see Potter being followed by this chap, it also stands to reason that he must have been, seeing as its only ZM73 who knows where to find doctor Seltzman!
   But in all the 50 years of ‘the Prisoner’ I still find this chap’s uniform something of a puzzlement! Somehow I don’t think the producers of this episode ‘Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling’ thought it all through properly. There are far too many imponderables! 

Be seeing you

2 comments:

  1. Hi David,

    I don't think that the producers realized that we, the viewers and fans , would be analyzing The Prisoner as much as we do!
    Average viewers may not have even noticed that the same actor was playing all of these different roles. Those of us who are interested in trying to solve all of the puzzles are left to wonder if these were deliberately done to make it impossible to figure out what it meant, or was a mistake ...or just that they didn't realize that we would still be viewing The Prisoner with an eye to getting all of the "Information."

    BCNU
    Karen

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    Replies
    1. Hello Karen,
      No I don’t think Patrick McGoohan and the production crew imagined that enthusiasts of ‘the Prisoner’ would be scrutinizing and analyzing ‘the Prisoner’ so closely as we do either. I think McGooahn would probably think us mad for doing so, and to be still doing it 50 years after the event, and suggest we get on with our own lives! I don’t think McGoohan expected fans of the series to go into it so much as they have over the decades.
      I should put it slightly differently, that it’s the same actor playing the one role but in different guises. As for wanting all the “Information,” doesn’t that place us on the same level as Number 2, seeing as one likes to know everything?

      Be seeing you
      David

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