A Man Who Feels Happier As Himself!
This it the Colonel, but with the mind of the Prisoner/No.6. He might not act the part, but at least he looks the part, dressed as he is in the Prisoner's own suit of clothes. However the Colonel/Prisoner-No.6 does not dress like this for too long!
Because very soon after leaving his interview with Sir Charles Portland, the Colonel/Prisoner-No.6, has changed his suit of clothes to this! 
Strange that the Prisoner should do this, because even though he has the face and body of the Colonel, the Prisoner has his own mind! Or was it simply a question of Nigel Stock who feels happier as himself, rather than being Patrick McGoohan?
It’s Inexplicable for Both Man And Machine!
Well I know what the doll is - a "Peg Wooden" doll of either German or Dutch origin. But for the life of me I cannot see the reason as to why it's placed in that shop window, as No.6 is speaking to No.14 in the episode of Checkmate. The "Peg Wooden" first puts in an appearance in the Prisoner during Arrival, along with the sign Welcome to your home from home.
There has to be a reason, otherwise what's the point of the use of the "Peg Wooden" doll in the Prisoner series, but for the life of me, and all the research I had undertaken into the Prisoner and his village, I cannot fathom what reason that might be. To put it another way it's as though some significance is placed on the "Peg Wooden" doll as it's placed in the shop window, the camera seems to zoom in on it, or hold on the doll for a few seconds. But what that significance is, is quite beyond me.
Its Way Out - Man!
During the opening sequence of Arrival we enjoy the extended journey made by the Prisoner, from his London
After the Prisoner has driven into an underground car park, in Abingdon Street
A, It is No.6 being unconventional as always and entering by an exit.
B, It could signify his way out ie. resignation.
C, It may be a comment on how the rest of the series was going to turn out. Viewers cannot say they were not warned!
Oh very good, save for the fact that A the Prisoner was not known as No.6 until after his arrival in the village, nor was the Prisoner at that time unconventional. Because all the Prisoner was doing was leaving, not entering a building, the underground car park via the way out! B, I suppose using the words "WAY OUT" could be a sort of in-joke about the Prisoner's resignation, but somehow I don't think this has anything to do with it - it's just a sign on a door, or doors in this case. And finally C, well Patrick McGoohan had no idea how the series was going to pan out. So "C" can only be an interpretation with hindsight - after the event!
Its A Question Of Continuity
And there's precious little of that between the episodes, that much I can tell you. However, there are two pairs of episodes which do enjoy a certain continuity. The first comes between the end of Fall Out and the commencement of Arrival. And the second pieces of continuity comes between the two episodes of ‘Many Happy RetunS’ and Dance of the Dead, perhaps the best piece of continuity because they were written by the same author - Anthony Skene.
So what is the continuity between ‘Many Happy Returns’ and ‘Dance of the Dead?’
Be seeing you
The "peg wooden doll": It's not that I pretend to have a clue. However, the symbolic notion behind that prop could be the "puppet on a string", remember the Sandy Shaw hit of 1967 - what a coincidence. The basic function of the doll with its highly flexible limbs is to act as an artist scale model, for painters, illustrators, sculptors. Perhaps, a hypothesis, the Village authorities understand themselves as sculptors, in the shaping of people according to their own conception and to their own ends, of course. Highly complex and sophisticated. - BCNU!
ReplyDeleteAdd: 1. The doll is the smaller edition of a tailor dummy like those we see in "Fall Out" and "Dance" (wasn't it?). 2. The doll potentially and symbolically is a voodoo doll. What's the most important property of a voodoo doll? It's remotely controlled. - BCNU!
DeleteHello Arno,
DeleteAnd I do indeed remember Sandy Shaw's "Puppet On A String," as well as Alister Maclean's novel "Puppet On A Chain."
An interesting interpretation regarding the Pegwooden Doll and the Village as sculptors, shaping the citizens as they see them.
As for the Doll itself, it sometimes came with a dress, I understood it was a childs toy. In the way that children used to make dolls out of clothes pegs, such is the legend that I read.
That is an interesting extension of your comment, true one could dress the doll in different dresses. Indeed I have a Pegwoodon doll, it has an angry expression on it's face, much like No.6 sometimes! Symbolic of a Voodoo doll...mmmmm I don't quite see that myself. But certainly there is some symbolic meaning in the doll regarding 'the Prisoner,' seeing as it's used twice in the series. But I think we can discount Voodoo, although perhaps the Supervsior in 'The Schizoid Man' might disagree!
Very kind regards
David
BCNU
Don't get that wrong! I would not maintain there's voodoo in The Prisoner. Here, rather, it's the aspect of remote control. Generally speaking, we cannot simply deduce the "meaning" of a thing used in the series because in many instances there's merely a notion, an air of meaning and significance, not always straightforward because its multi-layered and associative. - BCNU!
ReplyDeleteAdd: The song "Puppet on a String", as Wikipedia tells me, clearly came after The Prisoner production, in April 1967. And the novel "Puppet On A Chain" is from 1969. I don't know it myself. Amazing noneheless. - BCNU!
DeleteHello Arno,
DeleteAnd yet the Supervisor in 'The Schizoid Man' does hint at Voodoo when he says to No.2 "In Haiti we'd say he'd stolen his soul!"
Remote control of it's citizens, not only that, but of machines, the helicopter, the jet boat and M. S. Polotska! But indeed there are certain aspects that are not straightforward, some that cannot be explained! And if there wasn't we woulnd't be here discussing them, such is the enduring appeal of 'the Prisoner.'
In her childhood my wife Morag enjoyed the stories of Toby Twirl, that name I know will mean nothing to you. However Morag has collected the Toby Twirl story books over the years, and last night she showed me one story that she remembered. In that story was a Dutch doll, a Pegwooden Doll.
That's right both the song and the novel are post 'Prisoner'.
'Puppet On A Chain' is about an agent hunting down drug dealers in Amsterdam. When a Puppet, or rather a doll dressed in Dutch National costume is seen hanging from a chain, the victim who the doll looks like, soon follows likewise!
Very kind regards
David
BCNU