Prisoner, The (1955)

TBA • NR • Series • Catalog pick

Two legendary actors at the height of their careers face off in a film so controversial that both the Cannes and Venice Film Festivals banned it. Following World War II, a strong-willed cardinal (Academy Award winner Alec Guinness, 1957 Best Actor, THE BRIDGE OVER RIVER KWAI) is arrested as a traitor to the state. His will is strong, but so is that of his inquisitor (Jack Hawkins), a seemingly benevolent man who uses oily charm to lure the cardinal into speaking freely. The interrogator eventually resorts to false evidence, dirty tricks and cruelty. Months pass, and the cardinal's spirit seems impossible to break. As the interviews become increasingly hostile, the captors turn to the last bastion of the immorally powerful: torture. Eventually the cardinal is exploited and destroyed. A tale for all times, all beliefs, and once witnessed, impossible to forget. THE PRISONER is a bold example of corruption, power and faith.