Patrick McGoohan
During his interview in the 1984 documentary Six Into One: the Prisoner File he admitted to still discovering new meanings himself. I just wonder when it was that McGoohan last sat down and watched the Prisoner series?
When over the years Patrick McGoohan has hated doing interviews concerning his creation the Prisoner, that he hates talking about the series. So really I can't quite see him sitting down in front of the television and actually watching an episode, let alone the whole series. Oh he has done a few good interviews over the years, and has probably refused just as many.
It has also occurred to me that Patrick McGoohan is probably like the Professor in the episode The General. I mean in the way that the Professor gave birth to the General, and loves it with a passion, who probably hates it even more!
Everyman!
It is written that the Prisoner is everything to everyman. So I wonder what it is that attracts the fairer sex to the Prisoner?
I know that many women are attracted by Patrick McGoohan, as he was in both ‘Danger Man’ and ‘the Prisoner,’ but surely there's more to it than that? I mean what is it that makes females play male roles in Prisoner re-enactments? For one female person to dress as No.48, complete with military tunic and top hat? Perhaps an Everywoman would acre to enlighten me.
People Must Surely Have Noticed!
The Scammell Highwayman Transporter going round Trafalgar Square London
Certainly one person observed this lorry with its strange cargo. A motorcycle Policeman, who followed the lorry, who finally stopped the Scammell on the Victoria Embankment. A real policeman mark you.
So why was the transporter pulled over by the motorcycle Patrol man? Was he involved in the actual filming? Or was the transporter actually pulled over on the Victoria
Pinta Man Is Strong!
Such is the logo upon the milkman's milk float seen at the aerodrome in the episode 'Many Happy Returns.' The question has been asked, what is the theory behind the milkman and the episode itself?
Well quite obviously the milkman is an external agent of the Village. Despatched to being the Prisoner back to a happy return! As for the plot behind the episode, it is simply to show that no matter what the Prisoner does, wherever the Prisoner goes, he is always within the grasp of the village and its agents. Hence the title of the episode ‘Many Happy Returns.’
Be seeing you
You mean it's "cinéma vérité" they were doing with a real policeman in action? I'm in doubt, however. I just can't imagine all this filming could have been done without the London authorities notified let alone driving around with no licence plates on. Of course I cannot prove either position right or wrong. All I can say that film crews didn't have camcorders in those days but heavy-weight 35 mm camera equipment that would required perhaps 3 or more people to carry it and set it up, care for the continuity if ever they still did that at the time etc. There is a production photo (http://beseeingyou.org/images/48_prisoner_patrick_mcgoohan_fall_out.jpg) showing quite a handful of people on the spot together with Leo McKern. Also, they would have needed a van to get to the shooting location. - BCNU!
ReplyDeleteHello Arno,
DeleteYour comment is fair enough. I'm certain that I read something about this matter somewhere. I'll have to go deep into the archive when I've got time, to try and find it.
I know that the Everyman film unit filming in London didn't have permission to film Leo McKern walking into the Houses of Parliament, there was a good deal of trouble about that. So I should imagine that they didn't have permission to film elsewhere in the capital.
Kind regards
David
BCNU
Add: Think about the other scene on the motorway when Alexis Kanner jumps off the car, runs straight across the driving lanes amidst all the traffic and then hiking into the other direction. I don't know which traffic regulations there were in Great Britain in 1966/67. If perhaps walking on such an expressway was possible whereas here on Autobahns and multi-lane expressways it was and still is strictly forbidden and dangerous anyway. So, I take it shooting on those locations was something well planned in advance and conducted according to the rules. - BCNU!
ReplyDeleteHello Arno,
DeleteIt wasn't only Alexis Kanner who was taking the risks on the M1 where he was filmed trying to thumb a lift on either carriageway of the motorway. The rules say that you cannot try to thumb a lift on the motorway, nor can you walk along the motorway, not even walk on the bank at the side of the motorway. What's more I'm sure that the Everyman film unit didn't have permission to film such a scene on the M1 motorway. Mind you it would have been easier to film Alexis Kanner on the mootrway at that time, seeing as the traffic was rather light on the motorways.
Its like the Police said at the time, it was "assumed" that they had permission to film outisde the Houses of Parliament!
Kind regards
David
BCNU
Thanks David! You must have better sources than I. Not being allowed to film in or right in front of the HoP is the one thing. But I should think why would the London administration deny filming on public streets unless the traffic isn't affected? As for hitch-hiking scene, didn't they use one of the "secondary" roads, not a real motorway? So, perhaps walking there wasn't forbidden. Besides, who would have expected anybody to stop on such an expressway? - BCNU!
ReplyDeleteHello Arno,
DeleteYes, pity I cannot seem to lay my hand on my sources for the moment!
But yes, the filming of Alexis Kanner trying to hitch a lift did take place on the first bit of the M1 motorway just outside London, which was only a two lane double carrigeway at that time. It seems to me that the Everyman production team took some risks in filming certain scenes in 'Fall Out.' But then they were used to taking such risks, remembering the scene in 'Many Happy Returns,' when the Prisoner-Pat McGoohan leaps out of the back of that Luton van into Park Lanes busy traffic!
I wonder what drives thought when they saw a chap jumping off the back of that van into the traffic? It was a damned fool hardy stunt if you ask me!
Kind regards
David
BCNU