The Prisoner

The Prisoner (1967)

199 mistakes - chronological order

(3 votes)

The Chimes of Big Ben - S1-E2

Revealing mistake: When Nadia and Number 6 are embracing, many of the reverse-angle shots showing them from behind betray the use of a double for Nadia. Nearly every time the camera angle changes, she is noticeably several inches shorter.

Jean G

The Chimes of Big Ben - S1-E2

Factual error: The truck transporting Number 6 and Nadia drives on the left side of the road. Fine for England, where the scene was shot - but they're supposed to be in Poland, where everyone drives on the right.

Jean G

The Chimes of Big Ben - S1-E2

Continuity mistake: Nadia and Number 6 go together to the Green Dome (Number 2's residence). While they stand at the entrance, the door knocker changes to one of a completely different design between one shot and the next.

Jean G

The Chimes of Big Ben - S1-E2

Continuity mistake: Number 2 sits down and places his umbrella beside him with the handle facing out. The camera angle changes, and although he hasn't touched it again, the umbrella handle is now facing inward.

Jean G

The Chimes of Big Ben - S1-E2

Continuity mistake: When Number 6 and Nadia get into the shipping crate, they're both able to stretch out completely for the 12-hour trip. But when the crate is opened, it's suddenly several inches shorter, and 6 has to bend his neck at an uncomfortably sharp angle to fit into it.

Jean G

The Chimes of Big Ben - S1-E2

Plot hole: When Nadia had been held captive in The Village, how did she get word to her accomplice to be ready at the exact time, in the exact location, and with a packing crate ready, and a whole series of transports arranged? Even if Nadia was in on the ruse of conning Number 6, wouldn't he be suspicious?

A. B. and C. - S1-E3

Visible crew/equipment: When "A" confronts Number 6, as he attempts to leave the party, there is a shot facing Number 6 with a doorman either side of him and if you look in the top right of the screen you can see a boom microphone poke out from behind the door. (00:12:48)

Jack Vaughan

A. B. and C. - S1-E3

Revealing mistake: In the fight at the end of the B scenario, Number 6 has a small problem. His pants split open in the back. Fortunately, they somehow manage to mend themselves again.

Jean G

A. B. and C. - S1-E3

Continuity mistake: While Number 6 follows Number 14 around the Village, her briefcase keeps switching itself from her right hand to her left between shots, without her having moved it. Later, when she enters the hallway, the case disappears altogether.

Jean G

A. B. and C. - S1-E3

Continuity mistake: During the dance, the bottle of wine on Number 6's table is sitting on the left side. No one touches it, but when he and B come back to the table, the wine has moved itself to the center.

Jean G

A. B. and C. - S1-E3

Continuity mistake: Number 14 has to push a button to activate the first tape she puts into the player. She then puts on the 'A' tape and it starts playing by itself, with no button pushed. When she puts in 'B,' though, she has to push the button again.

Jean G

A. B. and C. - S1-E3

Continuity mistake: Number 6 substitutes clear water for the red-tinted drug in the syringe. But when Number 14 later injects him with the same syringe, the fluid in it has turned red again.

Jean G

Number Two: I'm the boss.
Number 6: No. One is the boss.

More quotes from The Prisoner

Living in Harmony - S1-E14

Trivia: This episode was not shown in the initial U.S. airing of "The Prisoner" on CBS. There was speculation that its pacifist, anti-violence moral might have been construed as a Vietnam War protest, but the network's reason for censoring the episode has never been disclosed.

Jean G

More trivia for The Prisoner

Chosen answer: 1) It's never made entirely clear, but it seems that the government, Six's employers, are involved. 2) Because they wanted to know why he resigned. 3) It's never revealed, although many fans assume that Six is really John Drake, McGoohan's character from the prior show Danger Man. McGoohan has, however, denied that this was the intent and there are some notable differences between the characters. 4) It's never revealed, although, as, in the final episode, Six and his companions are able to drive to London, it must logically be located within the British Isles. 5) No details are ever given as to who has ultimate authority over the Village.

Tailkinker

Answer: Hope I am not going on too much, but I was watching bits of "The Prisoner" on YouTube, and have some information in response to question three "What was Number Six's name?" In the opening sequence of "The Prisoner" Patrick McGoohan/The Prisoner/Number Six walks into an office and throws a resignation letter on the table. He then drives to his house and hurriedly packs a suitcase. You can see him throw a UK passport into the suitcase. Seconds later, knockout gas is pumped into his house. He falls unconscious, then revives in "The Village." If he has a UK passport this must give his name, so it can be inferred that his name might be known to, or available to, anybody who really wants to know. After all, it seems plausible that the people or organisation who ordered his removal to "The Village" would have made at least a rudimentary search of his house and found the passport. Subsequently, in "Arrival" the first episode of the series, Patrick McGoohan/The Prisoner/Number Six meets "Number Two" who shows him a series of photographs illustrating his life from his schooldays up till his resignation. I find it inconceivable that Number Two could have acquired such a comprehensive amount of information about Patrick McGoohan/The Prisoner/Number Six, and not known his name. Yet Number Two never once mentions his name. Occasionally, in later episodes, characters mention that they knew Number Six in the time before they were transported to "The Village." But, during all seventeen episodes of the series, neither Patrick McGoohan/The Prisoner/Number Six, nor anybody else, ever mentions his name. From all this, it is clear that it was deliberately intended that viewers of "The Prisoner" would never know his real name.

Rob Halliday

Answer: Patrick McGoohan was often asked these, and many other questions about The Prisoner. He always refused to answer. He said the programme contained the answers. But you might want to try reading "I Am (Not) A Number, Decoding The Prisoner" written by Alex Cox and published in the UK in 2017. I regret that I, personally, was not wholly convinced by everything in this book. However, Alex Cox makes a dedicated and conscientious effort to deal with some questions asked about this very enigmatic television series. Alex Cox argues that Patrick McGoohan intended that the 17 episodes of The Prisoner should be watched in the order in which they were filmed, as these fill in details along the way. Even so, many questions about The Prisoner may always remain unanswered. One obvious paradox is that Patrick McGoohan/The Prisoner/Number 6 always says "I am not a number", and it is quite clear that much of his life before he arrived in "The Village" is well known to everybody, but he never, not even once, ever mentions his real name.

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