Pierrepoint: The Last Hangman (2005) The Last Hangman (original title)

Director:

Adrian Shergold

Writers:

Bob Mills (screenplay)
Jeff Pope (screenplay)

Release Date:

7 April 2006 (UK)

Genre:

Biography | Crime | Drama | History

Tagline:

Respected citizen. Loving husband. Professional killer.

Plot:

The life and times of Albert Pierrepoint - Britain's most prolific hangman.

Plot Keywords:

Hangman | Criminal | War Criminal | Gallows | Rose

Awards:

2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Simon Armstrong	...	Minister
Ann Bell	...	Violet Van Der Elst
Nicholas Blane	...	Governor of Strangeways
Clive Brunt	...	Warder at Strangeways
Cavan Clerkin	...	George Cooper
James Corden	...	Kirky
Marie Critchley	...	Woman in Pub
Neil Fitzmaurice	...	Cliff the Scouser
Keiran Flynn	...	Neville
Clive Francis	...	Field Marshall Montgomery
Christopher Fulford	...	Sykes
Frances Shergold	...	Alice
Lizzie Hopley	...	Dorothea Waddingham (as Elizabeth Hopley)
Peter Jonfield	...	Mr. Andrews
Bernard Kay	...	Uncle Tom
Dominic Kemp	...	Medical Officer
Claire Keelan	...	Jessie Kelly
Rodney Litchfield	...	Sellers
Jack Lord	...	Jack Ellis
Eddie Marsan	...	James 'Tish' Corbitt
Tobias Menzies	...	Lt. Llewelyn
Ben McKay	...	Timothy Evans
Christopher Newland	...	Warder at Pentonville
Maggie Ollerenshaw	...	Mary Pierrepoint
Jacqueline Pilton	...	Lady Shopper
Mary Jo Randle	...	Mrs. Corbitt
Paul Ready	...	Anthony David Farrow
Mark Roper	...	Man Shopper
Kate Rutter	...	Woman in Pub
Ian Shaw	...	Percy
Sheyla Shehovich	...	Irma Grese
Robin Soans	...	Governor Paton-Walsh
Timothy Spall	...	Albert Pierrepoint
Juliet Stevenson	...	Annie Pierrepoint
Mary Stockley	...	Ruth Ellis
Tim Woodward	...	Governor of Holloway
Warren Bertram	...	Fritz Klein
David Davies	...	Nazi Prisoner
Joyia Fitch	...	Elizabeth Volkenrath (as Joy Fitch)
Marie Gawthorpe	...	Old Woman
Kenny Greenfield	...	Nazi Prisoner
Jo Gould	...	Goss
Owen Jennings	...	Protestor
Scott Davidson	...	Josef Kramer (as Michael Norton)
Suzie Sackie	...	Juana Bormanns
Sarah-Jane Silverton Andrews	...	Market Shopper
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Elizabeth Ford	...	Shouting Protestor (uncredited)
Kathryn Pogson	...	(uncredited)
Peter Ryder	...	Protester (uncredited)
John Warman	...	Prison Warder (uncredited)

Directed by
Adrian Shergold

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Bob Mills		screenplay
Jeff Pope		screenplay

Produced by
Rebecca Eaton	....	executive producer
Andy Harries	....	executive producer
Christine Langan	....	producer
Jeff Pope	....	executive producer
Claudine Sturdy	....	line producer
Paul Trijbits	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Martin Phipps

Cinematography by
Danny Cohen		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Tania Reddin

Casting by
Kate Rhodes James

Production Design by
Candida Otton

Art Direction by
Andrea Coathupe

Costume Design by
Mary-Jane Reyner		(as Mary Jane Reyner)

Makeup Department
Christina Baker	....	makeup designer
Paul Gooch	....	makeup artist
Ashley Johnson	....	makeup artist
Natalie Reid	....	additional makeup artist

Production Management
Layla Blackman	....	post-production supervisor (as Layla Evans)
Rowena McInnes	....	post-production supervisor
Harriet Sutcliffe	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sean Guest	....	first assistant director
James Andrew Haven	....	second assistant director (as James Haven)
Sarah MacFarlane	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Simon Bailey	....	dressing props
Simon Bailey	....	set dresser
Graham Barford	....	construction team
Lee Biggs	....	construction team
Noel Cowell	....	stand-by props
Steve DeJulius	....	construction team (as Steve De Julius)
Katrina Dunn	....	art department runner
Jess Foster	....	construction team
David Gray	....	stand-by rigger
Darren Haywood	....	construction team
Terry Kyte	....	dressing props (as Terry Kite)
Terry Kyte	....	set dresser (as Terry Kite)
Robert Parks	....	construction team
Jason Reilly	....	construction manager
Lee Riley	....	construction team
Simon Riley	....	stand-by props
Amanda Smith	....	production buyer
Andrew Smith	....	stand-by carpenter (as Andrew 'Wiggy' Smith)
Sarah Stuart	....	stand-by art director
Steve Transfield	....	construction team
Gary Watson	....	property master
James Wells-Hunt	....	construction team (as James Wells Hunt)
Mark Williamson	....	construction team

Sound Department
Philip Barnes	....	dialogue editor
Nick Cox	....	sound effects editor
Nigel Edwards	....	dubbing mixer
Nigel Edwards	....	sound mixer
Mark Hackett	....	foley mixer
Paul Hanks	....	foley artist
Alex Hudd	....	sound consultant: dolby
David McMillan	....	boom operator
Reg Mills	....	sound recordist
Tom O'Pray	....	foley editor
Joseph Paines	....	sound trainee
Ian Waggott	....	foley artist

Special Effects by
Hugh Goodbody	....	special effects senior technician

Visual Effects by
James Clarke	....	visual effects
William Foxwell	....	film recorder operator: Lip Sync Post (as Will Foxwell)
Scott Goulding	....	digital lab operator
Daniel Tomlinson	....	digital lab operator

Stunts
Bill Davey	....	stunt performer
Dave Fisher	....	stunt performer
Glenn Marks	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Lucy Bristow	....	camera operator
Damian Paul Daniel	....	second unit: camera (as Damian Daniel)
Andy Hill	....	clapper loader
Leal Ignatius	....	assistant camera
Grant Maclean	....	electrician
Paul McGeachan	....	gaffer
Ken McKay	....	still photographer
Alan McPherson	....	electrician
Alex Mott	....	grip
Zac Nicholson	....	director of photography: second unit
Dan Shoring	....	focus puller
Garry Thomson	....	best boy

Casting Department
Vanessa Baker	....	adr voice casting
Brendan Donnison	....	adr voice casting
Andy Morgan	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sharon McCormack	....	costume cutter
Pat Williamson	....	wardrobe assistant
Joanna Wright	....	wardrobe assistant
Nicole Young	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Shane Chapman	....	picture editor
Steven Forrester	....	assistant editor
Selina Jones	....	assistant editor
Maya Maffioli	....	assistant editor
Kevin Phelan	....	head of post-production: Lip Sync Post

Music Department
Peter Fuchs	....	music scoring engineer
Steve Parr	....	music mixer
Steve Parr	....	music recordist

Transportation Department
Mark Beeton	....	unit driver
Dave Bury	....	facilities driver
Malcolm Cooper	....	camera car driver
Carl Foxall	....	facilities driver (as Carl Foxal)
Eric Francks	....	unit driver
Stewart Gray	....	facilities driver
David Jenkins	....	facilities driver (as Dave Jenkins)
John Molloy	....	facilities driver
Chris O'Flynn	....	unit driver
Simon Peace	....	facilities driver
Micky Watts	....	unit driver (as Mick Watts)

Other crew
Jeremy Angel	....	runner
Jeremy Angel	....	stand-in
Kate Brontë-Stewart	....	floor runner (as Kate Bronte Stewart)
Natalie Cheary	....	unit publicist
James Clarke	....	digital laboratory supervisor
Joey Coughlin	....	runner
Joey Coughlin	....	stand-in
James Grant	....	location manager
Charlotte Ingham	....	assistant researcher
Polly Jefferies	....	production coordinator
Mo Johnstone	....	script supervisor
Himesh Kar	....	senior executive
Marigo Kehoe	....	head of production
Jen Lambert	....	unit nurse (as Jennifer Lambert)
Stewart McLaughlin	....	technical advisor
Vicky Mills	....	researcher
Kieron O'Keefe	....	consultant
Martin Roberts	....	production runner
Caroline Sanders	....	production accountant (as Caroline Russell)
Jo Sanders	....	assistant accountant
Sarah Turner	....	researcher
Zell Wakwella	....	production secretary

Production Companies

• UK Film Council (present)
• National Lottery through UK Film Council (as Awarding Funds from the National Lottery)
• Granada Television (as A Granada Production)
• Capitol Films (present)
• Masterpiece Theatre (in association with)

Distributors

• Redbus Film Distribution (2006) (UK) (theatrical)
• IFC First Take (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Odeon Films (2007) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Granada Television (2005) (UK) (TV)
• Imagem Filmes (2007) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Independent Television (ITV) (2005) (UK) (TV)
• Lionsgate (2006) (UK) (all media)
• Lumière Home Entertainment (2009) (Belgium) (DVD)
• Lumière Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Vendetta Films (2005) (New Zealand) (DVD)
• Video Film Express (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Aimimage / Ice Film  cameras supplied by
• Bon Appetit Catering  catering (as Bon Appetit)
• Farm Group, The  digital intermediate
• Farm Group, The  sound post-production
• Fatts  post-production script services
• J&J Caterers  catering
• Lip Sync Post  video to film transfer
• Offline Editing Company, The  post-production facilities
• Radio Orchestra of Bratislava  music performed by

Also Known As:

"The Last Hangman" - UK (original title)

MPAA:

Rated R for disturbing images, nudity and brief sexuality

Runtime:

UK:90 min | Argentina:90 min | USA:95 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White (some scenes) | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15 | USA:R | Singapore:M18 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Chatham Historic Dockyard, Chatham, Kent, England, UK

Company:

UK Film Council

Trivia:

As per the promo material, and the DVD insert, this film is "based on a true story," however, it might be more appropriate to describe the film as "based on true events," since the story is rather liberal with the actual facts of Pierrepont's, and other character's lives and circumstances. Big picture, true, small picture, not terribly accurate or precise.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Weights of the condemned being expressed in the American way as pounds, rather than the British stones and pounds. Pierrepoint was most meticulous, and would have based all his executions on the UK Home Office table of drops for hanging, which uses British units.

Quotes:

Albert Pierrepoint:[while attending to Dorothea Waddingham"s lifeless body] She paid the price; she's innocent now.

Soundtrack:

Makin' Whoopee

Spall is mesmerising as Pierrepoint...

Capital punishment in Great Britain was abolished in 1964. Prior to that date there were many Home Office appointed Hangmen, none more prolific than Albert Pierrepoint, who served from 1932 to 1956, during which time he hanged an estimated 433 men and 17 women.

Following his father Henry and uncle, Thomas, into the family 'trade', Pierrepoint became the number one hangman in Britain and his career brought him into contact with many notorious criminals including "Lord Haw-Haw" ("Germany Calling"), real name William Joyce; John George Haigh, the famous "acid bath murderer"; Derek Bentley, still a controversial case and the subject of the 1991 film LET HIM HAVE IT; Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in Britain, and again the subject of a movie, DANCE WITH A STRANGER (1985); gangster, Antonio "Babe" Mancini; Theodore Schurch, the last person to be executed for treason in Britain. Perhaps the most controversial case in Pierrepoint's career was that of Timothy Evans, whose wife and baby daughter had been found murdered at their home at 10 Rillington Place, also the home of one John Reginald Christie. Evans was executed in 1950. Christie was later charged with the murders of seven women and hanged in 1953. Evans was eventually granted a posthumous pardon in 1966. Evans was played harrowingly by John Hurt in the 1971 movie 10 RILLINGTON PLACE, with Richard Attenborough as a chilling Christie (according to John Hurt on the DVD commentary for 10 RILLINGTON PLACE, Pierrepoint himself actually offered his services, under an assumed name, as technical adviser for the hanging scene in that film as the actual method was covered by the Official Secrets Act and, ever the professional, Pierrepoint wanted it re-creating accurately, and nor would he have wished his work to be misrepresented).

Pierrepoint's body of work (if you'll forgive the expression) was greatly affected by World War II, and he worked all over Europe including Germany, Cyprus, Gibraltar and Austria. It is believed that in 1945 he hanged 190 men and 10 women war criminals at Hameln prison in the British controlled sector of Germany, including Irma Greese, Elizabeth Volkenrath, Juana Boreman and the "Beast of Belsen", Josef Kramer. During the war itself he had assisted his uncle Thomas in the execution of 16 American soldiers, condemned by Court Martial for murder and rape, at a military prison in Somerset. The movie carefully portrays Pierrepoint the man, not Pierrepoint the executioner. When he does his work he leaves Albert Pierrepoint outside. He is totally professional: he doesn't care who they are or what they've done, all that matters to him is that they are human beings who have to die and he will achieve that as quickly and humanely as possible. All that matters to him is height, weight and physical condition. He is also portrayed as compassionate. When organising the order of the hanging of the German war criminals he selects a girl, who has just accused him of doing the Jews work for them, to be hanged first. His army assigned assistant agrees as she's an 'arrogant bitch'. 'No,' says Pierrepoint, 'she's the youngest. She'll be the most frightened.' And after the deed he insists that the remains be treated with due reverence: 'They've paid the price. They're innocent now. D'y'see?' The publicity surrounding the Nazi war criminals disturbs Pierrepoint, as people applaud him in the street and buy him drinks in the newly acquired pub owned by himself and his wife. This isn't right to him. What he does, his job, is private, he does not even discuss it with his wife. All this attention isn't right. Also there is now an ever growing movement opposed to capital punishment. To some he is a national hero, to an increasing number of others he is a murderer. He starts to question his role. Timothy Spall, known as a dry, comedic actor on British TV (AUF WIEDERSEHEN, PET) and usually the slimy, slightly dopey, comic villain in movies like HARRY POTTER and LEMONY SNICKETT, is mesmerising as Pierrepoint. He portrays a quiet, gentle man, and one who regards his profession with honour and pride. He is appointed by the Government; he is the best in the land. His is not to question the law or the decisions of the lawmakers; his is to do his duty to the best of his ability. And he does. Only when his own notoriety, the hanging of his friend and the changing mood of the country toward capital punishment creep into the melting pot, does his resolve start to falter, and only when the various prison authorities start haggling over payments for his services, something he sees as an insult to his position as Chief Executioner, does he consider resigning, which of course he finally does. There are a few historical inaccuracies and inconsistencies (such as the main fact that he was not the last executioner. Capital Punishment continued for another eight years after Pierrepoint's resignation) but this is the norm for this kind of movie, and on the whole the film is as accurate as any film covering over 20 years in 90 minutes. The acting is excellent in all quarters, particularly Juliet Stevenson, though Spall leads by a length. The period is very well captured and is a close cousin to VERA DRAKE in this respect. The main thing about this movie is that it lingers with you and makes you want to think and learn more about its subject. With Pierrepoint's 'clients' having played such a large part in cinema history, it's time we had a movie about the man himself. And this is it. Recommended.