‘The Spanish Prisoner’ Is an Underrated Thriller That Needs to Be Rediscovered [The Overlooked Motel]
Tyler Doupe'
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Welcome to The Overlooked Motel, a place where under-seen and unappreciated films are given their moment in the spotlight. I hope you enjoy your stay here and find the accommodations to be suitable. Now, please take a seat and make yourself comfortable. I have some misbehaving guests to ‘correct.’
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Today’s pick is a taut thriller that didn’t make much noise upon release that’s just waiting to be rediscovered. The Spanish Prisoner features a stellar performance from Steve Martin in a rare serious role, a twist-filled narrative sure to keep the audience guessing until the big reveal, and a timeless quality that keeps the picture from feeling dated more than 25 years after release.
The Spanish Prisoner follows Joe Ross (Campbell Scott), a mathematician who has developed a mysterious ‘process’ for his employer that is expected to make everyone involved very wealthy. When Joe senses his company is being cagey about compensation, he takes the advice of a new friend, Jimmy Dell (Steve Martin), and attempts to determine if he has a legal right to the process he created. As he weighs his options, Joe begins to question the intentions of those in whom he’s put his trust. What follows is an unpredictable series of twists and turns that lead to a jarring and unpredictable denouement.
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The film opens with a close-up shot of customs jargon at a security checkpoint. The text is printed in French. The audience, save for those fluent in French, is given several seconds to stare dumbly at the verbiage before the English language translation comes into focus. That’s the perfect beginning to a film that often seems puzzling, with the finer details eventually coming into focus over time. Since much of The Spanish Prisoner unfolds like a puzzle, I will be vague with my analysis and attempt to avoid giving too much away to ensure any surprises remain intact for first-time viewers.
One of the primary themes at the core of this suspenseful film is the notion that appearances can be deceiving. Much ado is paid to making a case for why we can’t always trust our eyes or what we think we see. That messaging ties directly into the central mystery at play. The main character, from whose perspective the proceedings unfold, may interpret what he sees to mean one thing, when in actuality, it may mean something entirely different. But when we gloss over that nuance, we miss the bigger picture. That message is illustrated masterfully after the big reveal. But I’ll stop there.
The mysterious ‘process’ at the core of the narrative is central to the storyline but we know almost nothing about it. We are told the process will ensure market control and generate large amounts of capital. But that vague overview leaves viewers with more questions than answers. Writer/director David Mamet goes so far as to actually obscure the estimated revenue that may be generated by the process over the course of the next 3-5 years. Joe writes the number down on a blackboard but it’s kept out of frame and not spoken aloud.
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The withholding of information serves a couple of purposes. The first is to keep the audience off kilter so we’re less likely to put the pieces together prematurely. Additionally, keeping the figure from the viewer makes sure the film stays timeless. If we were given the sum, it would inevitably feel dated as inflation takes its course. But keeping the estimated yield out of sight ensures the film has the same impact whether you watched it upon release or are taking it in decades later. Moreover, the hairstyles, wardrobe, and set design are all very classic. One would be hard-pressed to say for sure when the film was released just by watching. And that’s no small feat, considering how recognizable most ‘90s films are as a product of that decade.
Timeless qualities aside, The Spanish Prisoner is steeped in a high level of paranoia that only grows as the narrative unfolds. It quickly becomes apparent that someone isn’t telling the entire truth. But with a cast full of quirky characters, it’s often difficult to discern whether someone is being deceitful, just peculiar, or possibly both.
Steve Martin stands out in a rare serious role here. The celebrated actor is simultaneously mysterious and reassuring, showing he’s quite capable of tackling more solemn fare and should be given the opportunity to do so more often.
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The film also does an impressive job of pulling the wool over the viewer’s eyes. Similar to pictures like Memento, The Spanish Prisoner throttles the flow of information to preserve the twist upon which the central mystery is hinged. Mamet protects the big reveal almost as fiercely as the characters within protect the mysterious process, ensuring the surprise remains intact for as long as possible. The reveal caught me off guard the first time I watched the film. But upon repeat visits, one can see how the twist is supported with just enough pertinent information to keep the viewer from feeling cheated.
As for why The Spanish Prisoner remains fairly underrated after all these years, I’m not quite sure. The flick garnered around $10 million during its theatrical bow but didn’t achieve the level of success it might have with a larger marketing budget. That, however, is no reflection on the quality of the picture. The Spanish Prisoner is a masterful effort that delivers high levels of suspense and a twisty narrative guaranteed to keep you guessing.
If you are amongst the uninducted, I highly recommend giving The Spanish Prisoner a shot. You can find it streaming on Tubi, FreeVee, and Peacock as of the publication of this post.
That’s all for this installment of The Overlooked Motel. If you’d like to chat more about under-seen and underrated films, feel free to hit me up with your thoughts on Twitter, Threads, or Instagram.
Categorized:Editorials The Overlook Motel
