Caught On Camera!

    “The time of my birth is missing!”
    The President “Well lets bring it all up to date!”

    “Oh, and you’ve got my height wrong by half an inch!”

BCNU

Thought For The Day

    Basically ‘the Prisoner’ is all about Number 6, about “self.” Therefore we who are watching, see only that which takes place with Number 6, or scenes which affect or concern the Prisoner either directly or indirectly where he involves himself.

   We watch as Number 8 {Nadia Rakovsy} is put through an interrogation session about whether or not suicide was in her mind that time she went for a long swim. Yet we are not privy to how Number 48 came to The Village. The President said that Number 48 had never been “with it” he means with “them.” But he was, and then he went and gone! Number 48 played by Alexis Kanner was the former Number 8 who had been with them, and then he went and gone because he committed suicide. Later to be resurrected as Number 48!

   We do not see The Village Festival for which Number 6 was helping Number 24 with her mind-reading and photographic skills. Or how Speedlearn came about in The Village, nor how The Village administration attained the Seltzman machine, because they do not affect the Prisoner. Well in two respects, but not until much later when both have been up and running for quite some time.
    “Self” is at the heart of ‘Fall Out,’ as both Number 6 and Number 1 come face to face with their other “self.” And yet 6 had met with himself previously as ‘The Schizoid Man,’ which is said to be an episode inspired by the film ‘The Prisoner of Zenda,” a novel by Anthony Hope in which a King is abducted on the eve of his coronation on behalf of Prince Michael who wants the King’s throne for himself. To prevent this, a distant cousin, who bears a remarkable resemblance to Rudolf of Ruritania, is persuaded to impersonate Rudolf for the coronation to take place. Perhaps this idea works in another way in ‘Fall Out,’ that The Village is being ruled by a bad King, and so the members of court decide that Number 1 has to be replaced, but replaced by someone who looks the very image of 1, by a man of their choosing, Number 6! But perhaps that idea smacks more of ‘The Man In The Iron Mask’ in which King Louis XIV of France is eventually replaced by his identical twin Philippe. Which in later years Patrick McGoohan would play Fouquet in the 1977 film version of the Alexandre Dumas novel.

Be seeing you

Exhibition of Arts And Crafts

“It doesn’t do……..

…….to ask questions!”

BcNu

CITIZEN 6

    There are those who would have it that ‘the Prisoner’ is all about twins, as with the electrician and gardener seen in ‘Arrival, the photographer-Number 113b, and the operator of The Tally Ho dispenser Number 113c. Those along with look-a-likes and doppelgangers. However in the case of Number 6, its more a case of triplets!

BCNU

Hammer Into Anvil

   There are two basic elements within this episode which give rise to the concern of “running or screening order.” In other words which is supposed to come first, ‘Hammer Into Anvil,’ or ‘It’s Your Funeral?’ During ‘It’s Your Funeral’ Number 6 learns about jammers and jamming from an eccentric artist Number 118, while Number 6 sits to have his portrait painted. And yet in the previous episode ‘Hammer Into Anvil,’ does not Number 6 carry out a number of his own acts of “jamming” against Number 2? The affair with the L.P records, and the circled word “Security” and question marked? That message to XO4 from D 6, the leaving blank sheets of paper in the stone boat. Making a telephone call to the head of Psychiatrics about Number 2, the sending of a coded message by pigeon, and the deception of the Cuckoo clock. Not forgetting the act of sending a message by heliograph. Some have it because of these acts, it makes Number 6 the original jammer. {A Jammer being unable to escape for whatever reason. Perhaps because escape is not possible!} But then why does he have to learn about jamming from Number 118 in the next episode? In the film library order of 'the Prisoner' {according to Tony Sloman- film librarian on the Prisoner} 'It's your Funeral' appears before 'Hammer Into Anvil.' This then would make sense. Number 6 in having learned about jamming from Number 118 in ‘It’s Your Funeral,’ then carries out such acts against Number 2 in ‘Hammer Into Anvil.’

   The library or production order of ‘the Prisoner' has ‘It’s Your Funeral' before ‘Hammer Into Anvil,’ And yet ‘It’s Your Funeral’ has the majority of the Kosho scene. However the scenes of Kosho were clearly meant for ‘Hammer Into Anvil,’ because of Number 6’s opponent Number 14 played by Basil Hoskins. Basil Hoskins does not appear in ‘It’s Your Funeral,’ although there he is as Number 6’s opponent during that bout of Kosho, which is made up of unused film footage not used in ‘Hammer Into Anvil.’ As it happens Kosho, a bizarre sport thought up by Patrick McGoohan, replaced the original idea of a Karate match between Number 6 and Number 14.

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Village Life!

   "So, what are we doing here?"
   "Enjoying afternoon tea."
   "But there is no tea, my cup's empty!"
   "And shouldn't we be at the cafe if we're to enjoy afternoon tea?"
   "These must be the new cafe facilities arranged by Number Two."
   "I wouldn't mind a toasted teacake."
   "You'll have to shout a bit dear, the waiter's over there at the cafe!"
   "So what's today?"
   "Thursday."
   "Appreciation Day."
   "I'll have to pick something up for tea on my way home."
   "How is Arthur?"
   "Still suffering with his lumbago."
   Village Announcement "Just to remind you good people everywhere, the big day is tomorrow, Appreciation Day. Remember folks, speeches from Number Two and the unveiling of the magnificent Appreciation monument. Don't miss it, come one, come all, be seeing you."
   "Oh today's not Thursday, it's Wednesday!"
   "So they won't be filming the big Appreciation Day ceremony today?"
   "Doesn't look like it."
   "We'd better have some more tea then."

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Caught In the Spotlight!

     The spotlight is more often than not upon the Prisoner-No.6, seen here as himself dressed in his own clothes. Well he's happier that way it seems. There is much to this man that is an enigma. Even as a child there was something in his brain which was a puzzlement! But at least we did learn one thing, the reason behind his act of resignation - that is was a matter of conscience, as well as for peace of mind because too many people know too much. He certainly knew too much about No.2 and told him so - to his face and saw him as an enemy at the same time!

   The Prisoner was originally brought to The Village because he had resigned from his highly secret, and confidential job, or was he? Yes, No.2 wanted to know why No.6 had resigned, and yet as he once said "If he will only tell us why he resigned, all the rest would follow." So the reason why No.6 resigned was really only a starting point from which to gain all the other important knowledge inside his head, to be extracted rather than protected!

   Whilst here No.6 is not induced into taking up a working position when at the Labour Exchange, however he does undergo conditioning there. He's under threat of being posted disharmonious and unmutual. Undergoes a fake leucotomy, maintained by a hallucinatory drugged state of mind. Tranquillised, runs for public office in the elections, tries to escape, attempts to bring down The Village from within, and is put on trial. Has his identity taken away, and wakes up as somebody else! And later has a complete change of mind!! Spends time undermining No.2, intervening in an assassination plot, and generally poking his nose in where it's not wanted. Working out in The Village gymnasium, or his own private gymnasium in the woods. There's his semi weekly Kosho practise, chess matches down on the lawn of the Old People's Home. No.6 must have had a good deal of spare time on his hands.

   Yet as time goes on it is somehow decided that they don't want to break No.6, that the "tissue" must not be damaged. They don't want a man of fragments, he is not like the others, he must be "won over." And then having survived the ultimate test of Degree Absolute, he is then not to be called No.6 or indeed any number at all "Sir" is his new title. And the reason behind his resignation no longer seems to matter to the Assembly, as "Sir" is offered ultimate power, and the chance to meet No.1. But it avails him nothing. Because you see No.6 is just as much a prisoner at the end as he was at the beginning, just like you and me really. Except that the spotlight is more on No.6 than it is us, which is just as well really. Because there's nothing wrong with living a quiet existence, no-one bothers you much that way.

Be seeing you