THE SPANISH PRISONER |
| CREDITS: Director: David Mamet. Cast: Ben Gazzara, Felicity Huffman, Ricky Jay, Steve
Martin, Rebecca Pidgeon & Campbell Scott. USA 1997. INTRODUCTION: Mamet returns with his fifth film as director, following "Things Change", "Homicide", "Oleana" and his first film "House of Games" with a film that harks back to the themes explored in that debut. SYNOPSIS: Joe Ross (Scott) has invented a process that has the potential to make his company a mint. Invited by his boss Joe Klein (Gazzara), to the idyllic south sea island of St Estephe along with his friends, company lawyer George Lang (Jay) and secretary Susan Ricci (Pidgeon), to present his process to the top brass, all seems to be going well. But Klein becomes evasive when Ross asks him about his bonus. On the island Ross encounters eccentric millionaire Jimmy Dell (Martin) who offers to assist him, fearing he will be cut out of the action Ross accepts Dell's offer of assistance. Back in New York however things do not run smoothly and FBI agent Pat McCune (Huffman) is soon on the case REVIEW: Perhaps better known as a playwright and screenwriter of such classics as "Wag The Dog", "Glengarry, Glen Ross" and "About Last Night", Mamet has always chosen highly literate but obscure scripts for his directorial duties, this is no exception. Mamet, the ultimate showman, has always been fascinated by those charming and intelligent individuals who make their livelihoods on the con-game. This was thematic subject of his debut film "House of Games" and is once again explored with relish here. The script twists and turns like a twisty-turny thing, going out of its way to wrong foot the audience, although at times Mamet has an unfortunate tendency to telegraph the twists in advance, no more so than in the d‚nouement where his constant focusing on apparently irrelevant details soon make you realise their importance. As with any such film, where true motivations are hidden, the cast must be top notch and the ensemble here work like a well oiled machine, playing off each others often shrouded relationships as the tangled plot is slowly unwound revealing that no-one and nothing is exactly what they seem. Mamet's wife Pidgeon is at times ingratiatingly weak in her outdated role as the timid secretary, but this is all part of Mamet's game. Martin puts in a surprisingly good performances in his best role for years as the charming but duplicitous millionaire, proving once again, as he did in "Grand Canyon" that there is more to him than he slap-stick comedy personae would suggest. Gazzara puts in a brief but compelling performance as Ross' boss, Huffman is commanding in the role of the FBI agent, Jay is superb as Ross' friend and legal advisor and Ed O'Neill puts in a characteristically brief appearance as an FBI agent. But it is Campbell Scott in a rare lead role who is the real star, his performance as the na‹ve Ross, the only one we can trust, demonstrates the sort of ability that should of put him on the 'A' list a long time ago, instead of leaving him languishing in minor support roles in the likes of "The Daytrippers". Mamet seems to take an inordinate amount of pleasure in misdirecting the audience, inverting the archetypes and traditions of 100 year of movie making. He clearly holds cinema and the money-men behind it in disdain, as was made clear by his celebrated theatrical satire on the film world "Speed The Plough". With the exception of "Oleana", an big-screen adaptation of one of his own plays, Mamet has never tried to tackle the big issues he tackles on stage in the cinema. Preferring instead to direct mindless 'entertainments' and this slick but soulless film typifies Mamet the film director. Trust no one, especially not Mamet. Mutt's Rating: *** |