Prisoner of Honor (TV 1991)

"Prisoner of Honor" documents the French Dreyfus Affair that saw a French Captain sent to Devils' Island for espionage near the end of the nineteenth century. Richard Dreyfuss plays Colonel... See full summary »

Director:

Ken Russell

Writer:

Ron Hutchinson

Stars:

Richard Dreyfuss, Oliver Reed, Peter Firth

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Dreyfuss	...	Col. Picquart
Oliver Reed	...	Gen. de Boisdeffre
Peter Firth	...	Maj. Henry
Jeremy Kemp	...	Gen. de Pellieux
Brian Blessed	...	Gen. Gonse
Peter Vaughan	...	Gen. Mercier
Kenneth Colley	...	Capt. Dreyfus
Catherine Neilson	...	Eloise
Lindsay Anderson	...	War Minister
Christopher Ashley	...	Orator #1
Shauna Baird	...	Henry's wife
David Bamford	...	Boy prostitute
Duncan Bell	...	Army doctor
John Bennett	...	Magistrate
John Cater	...	New War Minister

Storyline

"Prisoner of Honor" documents the French Dreyfus Affair that saw a French Captain sent to Devils' Island for espionage near the end of the nineteenth century. Richard Dreyfuss plays Colonel Picquart who is given the job of justifying Dreyfus' sentence. Instead, he discovers that Dreyfus, a Jew, was merely a convenient scapegoat for the actions of the true culprit, a member of the French General staff. His attempt to right the wrong sees his military career ended and the famous French author, Emile Zola, found guilty of libel.

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Plot Keywords:

dreyfus affair | anti semitism

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Taglines:

The crime of one nation. The courage of one man. (dvd)

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 November 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der Gefangene der Teufelsinsel

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dreyfuss / James Productions, Etude, Warner Bros. Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Richard Dreyfuss (who plays Col. Picquart in this film) has claimed to be a descendant of Capt. Alfred Dreyfus (played by Kenneth Colley), the main character in this film.

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Soundtracks

"Jamais"
Written by Barry Kirch and Phil Steele
Performed by Phil Steele

User Reviews

Intelligent film, hidden gem for the right people.

First of all this movie is not for people who expect lots of graphical action and are into effects. However if you like an intelligent plot which works on many different levels and with good acting this is a hidden gem indeed.

Based on the true story of the Dreyfuss-affair which took place late 19th century when a french Captain is sentenced to life-imprisonment on Devil's Island.

I noticed in an earlier comment that someone posted that basically the movie is about getting the Jew..however that is a mistake..it is far more complicated than that. This movie is about the spirit of the army as well as the community in the era which this movie represents.

I found the movie to be one of the most intelligent and true which I have ever seen with a very credible cast who deliver their lines in a very realistic and profound manner. It is a semi-court drama to underline that this is not a movie with a lot of graphical action, and yes, it helps if you are into politics and morals.

You will see Richard Dreyfuss lay down some of his best work in this underrated movie.

If you do go see it, there is unfortunately a very easy to spot continuity error very early in the film. However, don't be intimidated by this, it is the only flaw I have noticed, the rest of the movie is error free.

Although this is not a masterpiece it is very well crafted, and somehow I found it to be out of the ordinary despite that it has a ordinary look to it. It woke up something inside of me, and in a way I found this movie even more emotional arousing than movies like ie. Schindler's List. A very nice touch to the the ending, and the movie will probably leave you with a few things to think about.