A life time fan and Prisonerologist of the 1960's series 'the Prisoner', a leading authority on the subject, a short story writer, and now Prisoner novelist.
Thursday, 24 October 2013
Pictorial Prisoner
In the episode 'the General,' I believe the props men had already decided on a device which acts as a security device at security check-points in the tunnels below the Town Hall, as pictured below.
Then one morning Patrick McGoohan arrived carrying a childs "Magic Money Box" and said this is what he wanted to be used, and left them no choice in the matter. I believe they thought it rather silly!
I sure you are right, it's a bit of fun, a piece of nonsense. But if the story is true, then it demonstrates just how McGoohan could be during the production of 'the Prisoner.' The props department makes a security device and McGoohan comes along and tells them to use this! Makes me wonder what the device was that the props department had devised! Mind you, it's also depends on just how true the story is in the first place. So many tales have been told by those who worked on 'the Prisoner,' sometimes it's difficult to distinguish between fact and fantasy!
'The General' was apparently well liked by McGoohan, as it questions education. Well he didn't like it well enough to name it amongst the 7 episodes of his 'Prisoner' mini-series! You may well be aware that a large number of fans of 'the Prisoner' saw the 7 episode mini-series McGoohan had originally intended, and therefore considered the remaining ten episodes as 'fillers' to pan out the series to 17. So perhaps in that regard 'The General isn't an important episode. I rate the episode higher than yourself, on the grounds of Colin Gordon, as he is an old favourite actor of mine.
I don't question Colin Gordon's acting here. It was written somewhere that in both his roles, in "The General" and "A.B. & C.", his incarnation as No. 2 was different enough while at the same time the characters are very similar as to conclude they'd be one and the same. Something which I don't agree to. - BCNU!
I quite understood that you were not questioning Colin Gordon's acting ability. "I find it interesting that it's said that his incarnation of No.2 was different enough, but at the same time the characters were very similar so to be one and the same," I think that one must have slipped by me. I always thought that because the failure of 'A B and C' was not all his fault, that he was given another chance in 'The General,' especially when he would not be directly involved with No.6 a second time.
I don't think anybody's supposed to take this gadget seriously. Somehow he must have been poking fun, at the episode, the series as such? - BCNU!
ReplyDeleteHello Arno,
DeleteI sure you are right, it's a bit of fun, a piece of nonsense. But if the story is true, then it demonstrates just how McGoohan could be during the production of 'the Prisoner.' The props department makes a security device and McGoohan comes along and tells them to use this! Makes me wonder what the device was that the props department had devised!
Mind you, it's also depends on just how true the story is in the first place. So many tales have been told by those who worked on 'the Prisoner,' sometimes it's difficult to distinguish between fact and fantasy!
Very kind regards
David
BCNU
Confirms my opinion that this specific episode isn't one all too important. Ranging 16th on my own scoreboard. - BCNU!
ReplyDeleteHello arno,
Delete'The General' was apparently well liked by McGoohan, as it questions education. Well he didn't like it well enough to name it amongst the 7 episodes of his 'Prisoner' mini-series!
You may well be aware that a large number of fans of 'the Prisoner' saw the 7 episode mini-series McGoohan had originally intended, and therefore considered the remaining ten episodes as 'fillers' to pan out the series to 17. So perhaps in that regard 'The General isn't an important episode.
I rate the episode higher than yourself, on the grounds of Colin Gordon, as he is an old favourite actor of mine.
Very kind regards
David
BCNU
I don't question Colin Gordon's acting here. It was written somewhere that in both his roles, in "The General" and "A.B. & C.", his incarnation as No. 2 was different enough while at the same time the characters are very similar as to conclude they'd be one and the same. Something which I don't agree to. - BCNU!
ReplyDeleteHello Arno,
DeleteI quite understood that you were not questioning Colin Gordon's acting ability. "I find it interesting that it's said that his incarnation of No.2 was different enough, but at the same time the characters were very similar so to be one and the same," I think that one must have slipped by me.
I always thought that because the failure of 'A B and C' was not all his fault, that he was given another chance in 'The General,' especially when he would not be directly involved with No.6 a second time.
Very kind regards
David
BCNU