I have often wondered why No.1 Buckingham Place was chosen for the Prisoner's residence, I suppose that that is one question which for me, will have to remain unanswered!
Be seeing you
Monday, 26 May 2014
No.1 Buckingham Place
I have often wondered why No.1 Buckingham Place was chosen for the Prisoner's residence, I suppose that that is one question which for me, will have to remain unanswered!
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Can we be sure that No. 6 owned or: rented the whole house? What were his words about the lease, for house, the appartment? And perhaps we was cost conscious and had a house maid only a periodical term, twice a week or so. - BCNU!
ReplyDeleteAdd. Discussed with Jana. Most likely No. 6 would have leased the entire house, not rented it, the way I understood it. It's a different thing. Perhaps there was something he intended to do with it because it's so big. Establish his own "agency" of - business detectives, spies and maybe that's why he quit... Oh no, go away! - BCNU!
DeleteHello Arno,
DeleteYes I think we can be sure that the Prisoner leased the building as a house, as the President actually told the former No.6 that "You will see that your home is being made ready," pictured on the wall screen, a house that had been put up for sale.
Ah! I had not thought about the Prisoner having what we here in Briatin used to call a "daily" to come in and clean for him, good point.
Perhaps it was his fiancees idea of living there. I can imagine Janet Portland wanting a large house, then there would be the need for a servant or two, if only a housemaid. I don't see Janet Portland being the domestic type!
Very kind regards
David
BCNU
They chose #1 Buckingham Place for the home entrance shot because #5 belonged to Lee Radziwill, etc. Why they chose to apply the number "5" to the front door of what remains number 1 Buckingham Place remains a mystery. Perhaps, an in joke. I am not "in" and, thus, do not understand any mirth from the curious false address number used in the Prisoner TV series. Perhaps The Radzwills (now extinct), wanted to have a 1960s "hip" address, without revealing their physical address? Alas, a couple of doors over is easy to guess.
DeletePerhaps a matter of understanding: if No. 6 had leased the house why then and how could the Village offer it for sale (seeing the sign removed), if it wasn't his property? - BCNU!
ReplyDeleteThey never went inside and filmed externally. The internal scenes a bit shabby were filmed at studio. Notice the vapour pouring through a silly keyhole not becoming of a residence in B-Place! Someone saw 1 BP as a unique classy setting for the entree and had a connection with the property. In the entree the number shown is no. 5 Should have made it No 6 knowing it was really No. 1.....but also how did a top spy not notice the posh black car waiting for him as he left the MI5 complex, then was somehow it was in front of him but later behind him as he made his way home. A very good stimulus to thinking out side of the square.....
ReplyDeleteHello Nicolaus,
DeleteThank you for your comment.
That’s not quite right that filming never took place in No.1 Buckingham Place, they were allowed to film just inside the front door when No.6 returned to London in ‘Many Happy Returns.’ When I watch that scene in which No.6 knocks on the front door, it always makes me wonder who he thought would be there to open the door!
Buckingham Place is a select street, and at times some important and influential people have lived there. So how a secret agent could afford to live there I don’t know.
The thing about the black hearse is, generally here in Britain no-one gives a hearse a second glance if it’s empty, only if there’s a coffin in the back. Besides the driver could simply have given way to allow the Lotus to leave the underground car park, and it is just an underground car park, and not an MI5 complex.
As for the behaviour of the hearse in traffic, the way it’s behind, then ahead is just due to the way the film was edited, but it’s good visually.
David
Be seeing you
ReplyDeleteNumbers 53 and 55 Catherine PL. will also be of interest, as The Village Bentley(?) is parked in front of these two lovely and well preserved homes whilst waiting for #6. Note, the small 18th century door frame remains on #53 and that they have security gates in the windows. Hmm, I suspect that HRH's neighbourhood is fairly safe? —Be seeing you.