Spanish Prisoner, The (1997)

reviewed by
Chad Polenz


The Spanish Prisoner

Chad'z rating: **1/2 (out of 4 = OK/average)

1998, PG, 112 minutes [1 hour, 52 minutes]

[thriller/mystery]

Starring: Campbell Scott (Joe Ross), Rebecca Pidgeon (Susan Ricci), Steve Martin (Jimmy Dell), Ricky Jay (George Lang), produced by Jean Doumanian, written and directed by David Mamet.

Seen April 18, 1998 at 12 p.m. at the Ritz Bourse (Philadelphia, PA), theater #1, with Ted Prigge for $4.50 [Theater rating: ***: good seats, sound, and picture]

Independent films thrive on their dialogue, storytelling, characterization and other basic aspects while the big-budget Hollywood blockbusters use these elements only as needed. "The Spanish Prisoner" seems to be an independent film that tries to have it both ways, as it's a standard thriller that attempts to substitute emotion and sympathy for special effects and production design.

The basic set-up to the story is rather simple, but explaining the significant aspects is a complicated task as many details are pushed aside to make room for the plot. We start out somewhere in the Caribbean where we meet our four main characters: Joe Ross (Scott), a young man who is apparently successful, as he has just finished some kind of mathematical or chemical formula that will change the world; Susan Ricci (Pidgeon), Joe's new personal secretary who adores him like a 5-year-old with a large vocabulary; George Lang (Jay), Joe's co-worker and company lawyer who plays a role in how successful he will become; and Jimmy Dell (Martin), a wealthy-but-mysterious businessman who serves as the film's main catalyst (and only interesting character).

Right from the beginning it's clear the film is establishing all the key elements which will crop up later. The pacing is slow, tedious, and often boring and it's not due to overwhelming detail, but to lack thereof. Almost nothing happens in terms of plot, only scene after scene of the generic highbrow, 5th Avenue business rhetoric. When the Jimmy Dell character is introduced, it's through a manner which is impossible to understand at the time, and only minor details crop up later to explain the significance to the rest of the plot.

Mamet has often been called a master of characterization and dialogue, yet the entire first act seems more like a novel acted out rather than a modern film. The performances are mediocre and conflicting because the actors are playing caricatures, not characters (i.e. Scott as the monotone loner and Pidgeon as the happy-go-lucky extrovert). Most importantly, we don't learn much about Joe, nor about "The Process" he has invented and its application. The absence of that is probably one of the film's central themes, but since it creates for a snowball effect of flaws, it's more distracting than anything else.

Although the first half tends to wander with little focus, everything comes back into play as the second half turns almost instantly into a suspenseful thriller. What had been a subtle, almost irrelevant sub-plot involving a conflict and cooperation between Joe and Jimmy suddenly becomes the main focal point of the film. Jimmy had always been an enigmatic character, and when Joe realizes he has just been completely taken advantage of and framed into a situation impossible of escape, a fantastic case of the perfect conspiracy is evident.

Throughout the second and third act the plot thickens as Joe becomes entrapped by just about everyone and everything and it's impossible to tell who's who and what's what. The "Batman Syndrome" (where by a seemingly normal man is transformed into a brilliant detective and stunt man) takes over, and it doesn't work because the atmosphere isn't gripping enough to believe. The story is so involved with itself that everything that happens seems to take place within a reality shared by only a few characters while no one else in the world seems to notice the insanity going on (unless it creates for suspense) [example of the former: Joe and Susan running from police and villains through airports and boat docks while no one seems to notice the chaos; example of the latter: everyone in the world noticing some blood on Joe's hands as he rides the subway, giving the impression he is about to be "caught"].

Even if "The Spanish Prisoner" fails to be a thrilling adventure, it still has an original hook, that is, an independent take on a tired Hollywood formula. It's a valiant effort to be sure, but the net result is a bit too sensational and thus the impact isn't as strong as it could be.


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(C) 1998 Chad Polenz
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