The Spanish Prisoner (1997)

Director:

David Mamet

Writer (WGA):

David Mamet (written by)

Release Date:

3 April 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Can you really trust anyone?

Plot:

An employee of a corporation with a lucrative secret process is tempted to betray it. But there's more to it than that.

Plot Keywords:

FBI | Innocence | Secret | Murder | Bonus

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Campbell Scott	...	Joseph A. 'Joe' Ross
Steve Martin	...	Julian 'Jimmy' Dell
Rebecca Pidgeon	...	Susan Ricci
Ben Gazzara	...	Mr. Klein
Ricky Jay	...	George Lang
Felicity Huffman	...	Pat McCune
Richard L. Friedman	...	Businessman
Jerry Graff	...	Businessman
G. Roy Levin	...	Businessman
Hilary Hinckle	...	Resort Concierge
David Pittu	...	Resort Manager
Christopher Kaldor	...	Dell's Bodyguard
Mike Robinson	...	Security Person
Olivia Tecosky	...	Flight Attendant
Charlotte Potok	...	Bookstore Woman
Paul Butler	...	Bookbinder
J.J. Johnston	...	Doorman
Emily Weisberg	...	Secretary
Stephanie Ross	...	Receptionist
Elliot Cuker	...	Antique Car Dealer
Scott Zigler	...	Car Dealer's Assistant
Steven Hawley	...	James, Restaurant Manager
Jordan Lage	...	George, Maitre d'
Steven Goldstein	...	Lawyer
Jonathan Katz	...	Lawyer
Paul Dunn III	...	Jailer
Tony Mamet	...	FBI Agent Levy
Jack Wallace	...	Sanitation Man
Ed O'Neill	...	FBI Team Leader
Clark Gregg	...	FBI Sniper
Lionel Mark Smith	...	Detective Jones
Jim Frangione	...	Detective Luzzio
Allen Soule	...	Fingerprint Technician
Mary B. McCann	...	Policewoman (as Mary McCann)
Gustave Johnson	...	Property Clerk (as Gus Johnson)
Isiah Whitlock Jr.	...	Trooper
Harriet Voyt	...	Airline Employee
Kristin Reddick	...	Airport Mother
Andrew Murphy	...	Airport Child
Jeremy Geidt	...	Timid Man
Carolyn 'Coco' Kallis	...	Timid Woman
Neil Pepe	...	Airport Security
Charles Stransky	...	Deckhand
Takeo Matsushita	...	United States Marshal
Keiko Seiko	...	United States Marshal (as Seiko Yoshida)
Mimi Jo Katano	...	Japanese Tour Guide
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Larry Blamire	...	FBI Agent in Van (uncredited)
Conrad Glover	...	FBI Agent in Bathroom (uncredited)
Kevin Watson	...	Hobo (uncredited)

Directed by
David Mamet

Writing credits (WGA)
David Mamet		(written by)

Produced by
Letty Aronson	....	co-executive producer
J.E. Beaucaire	....	executive producer
Jean Doumanian	....	producer
Sarah Green	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Carter Burwell

Cinematography by
Gabriel Beristain		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Barbara Tulliver

Casting by
Kerry Barden
Billy Hopkins
Suzanne Smith

Production Design by
Tim Galvin

Art Direction by
Kathleen Rosen

Set Decoration by
Jessica Lanier

Costume Design by
Susan Lyall

Makeup Department
Victor DeNicola	....	key hair stylist (as Victor Denicola Jr.)
Frank Griffin	....	hair stylist: Mr. Martin
Frank Griffin	....	makeup artist: Mr. Martin
Caridad 'Cookie' Jones	....	assistant hair stylist: Florida
Sheila Walker	....	additional makeup artist: Florida (as Sheila Jean Walker)
Carla White	....	key makeup artist
Marleen Alter	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Scott Durban	....	production supervisor: Florida
Michele Giordano	....	production supervisor: New York
Martha Griffin	....	post-production supervisor
Cecilia Kate Roque	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Cas Donovan	....	first assistant director
Peter Herman	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Wally Adee	....	assistant props: New York
Ted Alcayaga	....	carpenter: Florida
Bobby Amor	....	assistant props: Florida
Judson Bell	....	construction foreman
Manya Cetlin	....	art department coordinator (as Manya L. Cetlin)
Jack Coyle	....	carpenter
Mark Dane	....	lead man: Florida
Gerald DeTitta	....	lead man: New York (as Gerald Detitta)
Paul W. Gorfine	....	stand-by scenic
David Gulick	....	property master
Jon Hall	....	construction foreman: Florida
John J. Harajovic Jr.	....	set dresser
Laura Iler	....	property assistant
Brian Keane	....	set dresser: Florida
James V. Kent	....	assistant decorator (as James Kent)
Charles E. McCarry	....	assistant art director: New York (as Charles McCarry)
Kris Moran	....	assistant propmaster (as Kristine Moran)
Patrick Murphy	....	set dresser (as Pat Murphy)
Peter E. Nauyokas	....	on-set dresser (as Peter Nauyokas)
Lauren O'Brien	....	art department production assistant: Florida
Debby Osborne	....	carpenter: Florida
Susan Peterson	....	scenic painter
Barbara Peterson-Malesci	....	assistant art director: Florida (as Barbara Peterson)
Nicholas Scott	....	charge scenic: Florida
Kurt Smith	....	construction coordinator
Nancy Sternberger	....	set decorator: Florida
Haven Storey	....	scenic painter (as Haven Story)
Frank A. Torres	....	set dresser: Florida
Bill Wieters	....	master charge scenic (as William Wieters)
Homer Wills	....	construction coordinator: Florida
Kate Yatsko	....	assistant set decorator: New York
Timothy Joliat	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Kenneth Salter	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Kenneth Salter	....	graphic artist (uncredited)
Theodore Suchecki	....	propmaker (uncredited)

Sound Department
Michael Barry	....	sound re-recording mixer
David Boulton	....	adr mixer
Tim J. Carroll	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Kevin Cerchiai	....	boom operator: Florida (as Kevin M. Cerchiai)
Richard P. Cirincione	....	sound editor (as Richard Cirincione)
Laura Civiello	....	sound editor
Kenna Doeringer	....	assistant adr editor
Jay Kessel	....	assistant sound editor
George A. Lara	....	foley recordist (as George Lara)
Marc Laub	....	foley editor
Eytan Mirsky	....	sound editor
Linda Murphy	....	boom operator: New York
T.J. O'Mara	....	boom operator: New York
John Pritchett	....	production sound mixer (as John Patrick Pritchett)
David M. Roberts	....	boom operator
Maurice Schell	....	supervising sound editor
Brian Vancho	....	foley artist
Deborah Wallach	....	adr editor
Warren A. Weberg	....	second boom operator

Stunts
Bill Anagnos	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
James Adams	....	grip: Florida (as Jim Adams)
Martin Albert	....	grip
Richard Audino	....	electrician: New York (as Rich Audino)
Robby Baumgartner	....	gaffer (as Robert Baumgartner)
Kurt Beckler	....	grip: Florida
Donald Bialer	....	grip: New York (as Don Bialer)
John Billeci	....	electrician: New York
Jim Bridges	....	still photographer (as James Bridges)
Tony Campenni	....	dolly grip
Mark J. Casey	....	electrician
Daniel Cournoyer	....	best boy grip: New York (as Dan Courrnoyer)
Scott D. Davis	....	best boy electric (as Scott Davis)
Michael DiIeso	....	rigging grip (as Mike DiIeso)
Robert K. Feldmann	....	key grip
Dennis Green	....	video playback operator
Johnny Hale	....	best boy grip: Florida (as Johnny Montana Hale)
Beck Hoehn	....	camera trainee
Perry A. Jones	....	grip: Florida (as Perry Jones)
Roger Kimpton	....	grip: New York
Dave 'Lash' LaRue	....	best boy grip
Michael Logan	....	grip: Florida (as Mike Logan)
Bruce MacCallum	....	camera operator
Peter Manno	....	second assistant camera: Florida
David Margolis	....	electrician (as Dave Margolis)
Jack McPhee	....	electrician
William D. Moran	....	grip: New York (as William Moran)
Kai Morbey	....	generator operator: Florida
Bob Podbielski	....	grip: New York
Richard Porta	....	electrician: New York
Patrick Quinn	....	second assistant camera
Wayne Schneiderman	....	electrician: Florida
Chris Silano	....	first assistant camera
William Smaling	....	best boy electric: Florida
Brian Snyder	....	grip
Fred Valentine	....	electrician: Florida
Peter Walts	....	best boy electric: New York
Robert E. White	....	camera trainee: Florida (as Robert White)
Nina Zarnett	....	grip: New York
Guy Holt	....	electrician (uncredited)
David Larue	....	best boy grip (uncredited)
Roger Marbury	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Ed Arenas	....	extras casting assistant: Florida
Kristine Bulakowski	....	extras casting assistant: New York
Kevin Fennessy	....	extras casting: Boston
Yonit Hamer	....	extras casting: Florida (as Yonit Duchman)
Meredith Jacobson	....	extras casting: New York (as Meredith Jacobson Marciano)
Carolyn Pickman	....	location casting: Boston
Matt Bouldry	....	location casting assistant: Boston (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lynette Bernay	....	set costumer: Florida
Laurie Buehler	....	tailor
Deborah R. Feanny	....	wardrobe production assistant: Florida
Frank L. Fleming	....	assistant costume designer
Deborah Newhall	....	wardrobe supervisor
Rebecca Smith-Serna	....	set costumer
Hartsell Taylor	....	wardrobe supervisor: New York

Editorial Department
Jane Pia Abramowitz	....	first assistant editor
John Dicker	....	second assistant editor (as Joan Dicker)
Mark Ginsberg	....	color timer
Daniel Mason	....	editing intern: New York
Dan O'Grady	....	negative cutter (as Daniel O'Grady)
Jeff Robinson	....	post-production assistant
Joe Violante	....	dailies advisor

Music Department
John Beal	....	musician: bass
Virgil Blackwell	....	musician: clarinet (as Viril Salackwell)
Carter Burwell	....	conductor
Carter Burwell	....	orchestrator
Robert Carlisle	....	musician: French horn
Eric Chariston	....	musician: percussion
Emile Charlap	....	musicians contractor
John Clark	....	musician: French horn
Tim Cobb	....	musician: bass
Missy Cohen	....	assistant music editor
Larry Farrell	....	musician: trombone
Michael Farrow	....	music engineer
Lawrence Feldman	....	musician: tenor/baritone sax
Gordon Gottlieb	....	musician: percussion
Richard Hagen	....	musician: French horn
Trudy Kane	....	musician: flute
Todd Kasow	....	music editor
Sonny Kompanek	....	orchestrator
Diane Lesser	....	musician: oboe
Charles Loeb	....	musician: guitar
William Mays	....	musician: piano
Emily Mitchell	....	musician: harp
Joe Passaro	....	musician: percussion
James Pugh	....	musician: trombone
Marcus Rojas	....	musician: tuba
Roger Rosenberg	....	musician: tenor/baritone sax
James Saporito	....	musician: percussion
Dick Sarpola	....	musician: bass
Henry Schulman	....	musician: oboe
Stacy Shames	....	musician: harp (as Stacey Shames)
Gary Topper	....	musician: tenor/baritone sax
John Moses	....	musician: clarinetist (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Bob Carnes	....	transportation captain
Kerry Clark	....	parking coordinator: New York
Francis Connolly Jr.	....	transportation captain: New York (as Frank Connolly Jr.)
Tom Costley	....	driver (as Thomas Costley)
William Coyman	....	driver
John Cronk	....	driver
Robert Destasio	....	driver
James C. Donahue	....	driver (as James Donahue)
Ron Dunder	....	driver (as Ronald Dunder)
Ken Farnell	....	driver (as Kenneth Farnell)
Jimmy Flynn	....	transportation coordinator (as James Flynn)
Joseph Gagliardi	....	driver
George Green	....	driver
Gerry Guarino	....	driver
Richard Hanscom	....	driver
Joe Mallon	....	driver
John McBride	....	driver
Dan Russell	....	driver

Other crew
Joan Altman	....	auditor
Tom Antonellis	....	intern (as Thomas Antonellis)
Cathy Beazley	....	assistant to producer
Walter 'Red' Bedell	....	on-set medic: Florida
Robert Sean Burke	....	location assistant
Anne Cabral	....	assistant production coordinator: Florida (as Anne E. Cabral)
Juliet Carter	....	production secretary
Tom Cole	....	assistant: Harriet Voyt
Chloe Conroy	....	assistant location manager: New York
Patricia Crown	....	production counsel
Mary Cybulski	....	script supervisor
Tom Danaher	....	seaplane pilot: Florida
Shirley Davis	....	production coordinator
Jacqui Deegan	....	assistant: Sarah Green
Christine V. Desrochers	....	assistant production coordinator (as Christine Desrochers)
Anne Disano	....	shopper: New York
Jason Dudek	....	office intern: Florida (as Jason Rothberg Dudek)
Mark Edlitz	....	assistant: David Mamet
Meryl Emmerton	....	assistant to unit production manager
Ashley Ezell	....	seaplane assistant: Florida
Joe Facey	....	craft service: New York
Debora Fearon	....	craft service: New York (as Debora B. Fearon)
Mark Fitzgerald	....	assistant location manager
Kenneth D. Fitzgibbon	....	set medic (as Ken Fitzgibbon)
Charlotte Fodor	....	office intern: Florida
Jennifer Zolten Freed	....	post-production accountant (as Jennifer Freed)
Jon Glafcke	....	projectionist: Florida
Monica Gomi	....	intern
Ginger Gonzalez	....	set production assistant
Derek Grabski	....	caterer: Florida
Grant Grizzard	....	caterer: Tomkats
Edith Hagigi	....	intern
Alexis Hajatian	....	intern
Charles Harrington	....	location manager
Scott P. Herring	....	seaplane co-pilot: Florida
Liz Hodder	....	caterer: Tomkats
Christian J. Hollyer	....	office production assistant (as Christin Hollyer)
Ricky Jay	....	technical consultant
Joan E. Kane	....	assistant: Sarah Green
Mark Howard Katz	....	craft service: Florida
Kate Kelly	....	assistant accountant
Elizabeth Klenk	....	craft service: New York
Tim Koch	....	office production coordinator: Florida
Zack Kushner	....	assistant: Steve Martin
Dirk Q. Long	....	caterer: Tomkats (as Dirk Long)
James MacDonald	....	set medic (as James Macdonald)
Artie Malesci	....	marine coordinator: Florida
A.B. Maloy	....	line reader: Florida
Gabe Marano	....	production secretary: New York
Annette McGraw	....	caterer: Tomkats
David Melito	....	assistant accountant
Jessica A. Milstein	....	production secretary (as Jessica Milstein)
Brian Moon	....	set production assistant: Florida
Stacy J. Morris	....	craft service: Florida
Franco Parente	....	location assistant: Florida
Patricia Porter	....	accounting assistant: New York
Andrew Possick	....	production assistant
Bill Powers	....	caterer: Tomkats
Karen Radzikowski	....	set production assistant
Jeff Robinson	....	set production assistant
Sabrina L. Rodriguez	....	set production assistant
Dan Rybicky	....	executive assistant: Sarah Green
Holly S. Rymon	....	assistant production coordinator: New York (as Holly Rymon)
Sam Sanders	....	caterer: Tomkats
Adam Schlesinger	....	assistant to producer
Elayne Schneiderman	....	production coordinator: Florida
Deidre Schrowang	....	assistant accountant (as Deidre Schrowang)
Kate Schultz	....	location assistant: New York
Agatha Sohn	....	assistant to producer
Danielle Sotet	....	post-production accountant
Francis Spieldenner	....	set production assistant
Diana Strauss	....	location manager: New York
Ryan Thomas	....	intern
Dan Vanchieri	....	intern
Harriet Voyt	....	executive assistant: David Mamet
Michael L. Walker	....	set production assistant: New York
Andy Wheeler	....	assistant accountant
Frank Wilson	....	caterer: Tomkats
Kara Zito	....	intern
Randall Balsmeyer	....	title designer (uncredited)
Joseph Bouvier	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Thomas Downey	....	stand-in (uncredited)
William Moree	....	location scout (uncredited)

Thanks
Don Budge	....	special thanks
John Cogliano	....	special thanks
Frank Glassboro	....	special thanks (as Sergeant Frank Glassboro)
Ralph Greenberg	....	special thanks
Mark Young	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Jasmine Productions Inc.
• Jean Doumanian Productions
• Magnolia Films
• Sweetland Films

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Classics (1998) (USA) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (1998) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Bac Films (1998) (France) (theatrical)
• Kinowelt Filmverleih (1998) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Laurenfilm (1998) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Pathé Distribution (1998) (UK) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Líder Films (1999) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Indies Home Entertainment (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2000) (Argentina) (VHS)
• TF1 Vidéo (2001) (France) (DVD)
• Filmes Lusomundo (199?) (Portugal) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Axium Payroll Services  payroll services
• Balsmeyer and Everett  titles designed and produced by
• Bank of Boston  production bank
• Boston Light & Sound  production equipment and sound
• Camera Service Center  grip and lighting equipment
• Chase NY  production bank
• Effects House, The  opticals
• Great Northern Brokerage Services  insurance
• High Output  grip and lighting equipment
• J.G. Films  negative cutting
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  transportation equipment
• Panavision New Zealand  camera equipment provided by
• Reiff & Associates  insurance
• Sound One Corporation  post-production sound services
• Spera Corporation  post-production equipment
• Tomkats Catering  catering
• Trevanna Post  post-production accounting

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic elements including tension, some violent images and brief language

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:PG | Canada:PG | USA:PG (certificate #35283) | Singapore:PG | Iceland:L | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Jasmine Productions Inc.

Trivia:

'Dog my cats' is an American expression used to indicate astonishment.

Goofs:

Continuity: When kissing Joe passionately at the Boston airport, Susan's hand is grasping the back of Joe's head. As the shot shifts, her hand has dropped to his shoulder, but too quickly for her to have moved it.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Airport Security:What is the purpose of your trip, please?
Joe Ross:Business.
Airport Security:Thank you and welcome to St. Estéphe.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Game K N B: Episode dated 5 October 2006" (2006)

Soundtrack:

I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now

Engaging and interesting - story and performances

I thoroughly enjoy movies which leave some things unanswered at the end, and where every minute detail is not spelled-out by a line of dialog, a calendar pictured on-screen, or peripheral scenes inserted, which are there only to amplify some detail otherwise unexplained. This movie (thankfully) contains none of these, and they aren't a part of Mamet's forte. What the "process" is, specifically, couldn't matter less.

This is a serpentine story, with one enigma after another, also a Mamet trait. It is completely engrossing, and the performances of the four primary leads {Campbell Scott, Rebecca Pidgeon, Ben Gazzara, and Steve Martin (superb in an uncharacteristic, duplicitous role)} are without fault. Scott sometimes looks like he could use a shot of caffeine, but that is pretty much his style, and is consistent with this character.

Pidgeon is Mamet's wife, and performs admirably. He either marries good actresses, or excels in getting them to perform well (probably a bit of each). If you haven't seen "House of Games," with his previous wife, Lindsay Crouse, and Joe Mantegna - be certain to do so.

For me, any Mamet film would get at least 7 or 8 stars, sight- unseen. This one (like most of his) is a "10." Also, like Woody Allen film's, and more recently, those by Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy, Mamet's always employ many from a recurring, talented, cohesive ensemble of actors.