Thought For The Day

    'Hammer Into Anvil.' This episode marks a return appearance of Patrick Cargill, previously seen as Thorpe in ‘Many Happy Returns,’ but the two characters are not meant to be the same, although fictionally speaking I like to think that they are. This situation does occur throughout the series, with certain actors playing different parts in some episodes. Filming of this episode was an odd mixture of studio mock-up, Borehamwood locality and second unit Portmeirion footage. McGoohan only appears in The Village proper a couple of times, being film from previous episodes. There are also several back shots which are actually Frank Maher. Again, much of Portmeirion is seen and the story is usually a strong favourite, almost provoking boos from the audience aimed at Number 2 and cheers for Number 6. The episode is effectively a two man show, as occurs in the later episode ‘Once Upon A Time.’ ‘Hammer Into Anvil’ also represents one of the rare examples of Number 6 actually winning against The Village. A coded message is said to be in McGoohan's own handwriting.

    George Markstein was keen to play up the spy aspect of the series. Code names such as D6 and XO4 have hints towards MI5, MI6, and MI9, and smacks of ZM73, PR12, and XB4 of 'Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling.' The Cold War element may also have come from the title, if likened to the 'Hammer and Sickle'. The graveyard seen on the beach in ‘Arrival,’ if indeed it is a cemetery in the first place, in ‘Hammer Into Anvil’ it is moved to a memorial garden."

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