The Prisoner - Where Did It All Begin?
What if Patrick McGoohan was right, what if the Prisoner-No.6 was never intended to be Danger Man John Drake, what then? I mean such a thing would see the Prisoner through a whole new perspective, wouldn't you say?
With the Quinn Martain production of the Invaders, we know where it began, it began with architect David Vincent too tired to drive. An empty road, and a lonely closed and deserted diner........ And that could be said of the Prisoner, but the Prisoner is different somehow, and I can't believe that it all began somewhere along that long deserted runway, somewhere in the middle of nowhere.
We know where the Prisoner was going, London London London London
But if the Prisoner isn't Danger Man John Drake, then it must be that he, like No.2-Leo McKern before him, had been abducted to the village because he could be of use to them. The village's administration having recognised qualities in the Prisoner that would see him in having a future in the village. Yet the Prisoner rejected the village, rejected the offer of ultimate power, launched the rocket and escaped the confines of the village, and having done so, as soon as he returned to London, went to an office and handed in his letter of resignation to a man who was possibly an exterior agent working for the village.
This would explain where the Prisoner had come from, which would mean that it is the episode of Fall Out where the Prisoner actually all begins, with his rejection of the offer of ultimate power. And not simply with a clap of thunder and a long deserted runway somewhere in the middle of nowhere!
BCNU
I have always found it hard to think of The Prisoner and Danger Man existing in the same universe, so to me Number Six is NOT John Drake. It's like claiming that Simon Templar is 007 becuase Roger Moore has played both parts.
ReplyDeleteI'm relaxed about other people thinking that they may be the same man though, and don't feel the need to argue the point if that theory adds something to their enjoyment of the series (who am I to try to take that away from anyone?).
So who do I think Number Six is really? The name 'Peter Smith' springs to mind. No, I don't think he was lying to Mrs Butterwoth when he was trying to reclaim his identity in Many Happy Returns. It appeals to me that Number Six is fighting to reclaim such an ordinary, perhaps even dull name.
Hello David
ReplyDeleteA very nice explanation of your thoughts that the series circular nature begins with Fall Out. This follows nicely in the British cinematic language of the 'Dead of Night' and Mr. McGoohan's own stage experience of the allegorical Moby Dick Rehearsed, the novel of which begins with the famous line 'Call me Ishmael.'and concludes where the adventure began.
Sincerely
Mr. Anonymous
Hello Mister Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI once tried watching 'the Prisoner' starting with 'Fall Out' as the first and last episode, and it worked for me. And I recommend anyone to try it themselves. As a matter of fact my wife and I only watched 'Dead of Night' {a favourite film of ours} the other evening, a circular film just as 'the Prisoner.'
Regards
David
Be seeing you
Hello Anthony,
ReplyDeleteSpeaking personaly, as a boy 'Danger Man' John Drake was my boyhood hero, and so as 'Danger Man' ended and 'the Prisoner' came along it was easy for me to see that the Prisoner-Number Six as John Drake. Oh I know the stories about McGoohan publicly denying that Number Six is not John Drake, and that George Markstein argued that he was. But in 1967, as a boy of 12, I was not aware that these stories were being said. And so the idea of Number Six being John Drake has remained with me, whether he's supposed to be or not, it works for me. McGoohan said of the Prisoner-Number Six that he is 'Everyman.' I have always found that to be something of a cop-out in not giving the Prisoner an identity outside the Village. Fans have latched onto that 'Everyman' title, yet say he is not John Drake. But if the Prisoner can be everyman, why not then John Drake? No, I'm not trying to persuade you or anyone else for that matter who may read this comment. If Peter Smith as a name for the Prisoner appeals to you then that's fine, no problem.
Sometimes when I'm writing a piece about 'the Prisoner' which is outside the Village it's difficult to use the name Number Six, and so I use a character name I grew up with, John Drake.
Of course you may have the better of the matter with Peter Smith, as really I don't recall an episode of 'Danger Man' in which John Drake resigns his job, unless he's doing that in 'Arrival,' but that's another idea which I feel many fans will see as not holding water. Mind you thinking in 'Everyman' terms, it might be John Drake resigning in the opening sequence of 'Arrival.' But then again it could also have an allegorical meaning, that it's Patrick McGoohan who is actually resigning from his role of 'Danger Man' John Drake, as in ridding himself of the character.
At the end of the day, one has to go with what the individual believes and that which works best for the individual. I see the Prisoner-Number Six as once being a secret agent, while other fans I know see him as being a scientist, even a nuclear scientist simply on the grounds that he launches two rockets in the series. Yet the Prisoner parked his car in Abingdon Steet car park, close the the Houses of Parliament, the prisoner could have been working there in some compacity of Civil Servant.
The name Peter Smith appeals to you, but what do you think he did for a living?
Regards
David
Be seeing you
I think it's pretty clear that 'Peter Smith' is a spy like John Drake or David Jones :-)
ReplyDeleteHello Anthony,
ReplyDeleteYes I agree, a secert agent working for British Military Intelligence, MI5, MI6, or MI9?
Okay, the Prisoner gives his name as Peter Smith, although I've always thought it a puzzlement why the Prisoner's name is never used in other episodes of the series. In 'Do not Forsake Me Oh My Darling' for example, even his ex-colleagues use the Prisoner's code name, not his actual name. But I would have thought his fiancee Janet Portland would have used his name..."Oh Peter, where have you been all these months my daring? It's been awful." Wouldn't have hurt, would it?
Regards
David
BcNu