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The Prisoner
S1.E5
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IMDbPro

The General

  • Episode aired Nov 5, 1967
  • TV-PGTV-PG
  • 1h
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
753
YOUR RATING
Keith Pyott in The Prisoner (1967)
The Prisoner: A, B, And C
Play trailer1:03
1 Video
15 Photos
DramaMysterySci-Fi
An instant learning process becomes the Village's latest fad, but Number Six is sure that Number Two is using it as a brain washing tool.An instant learning process becomes the Village's latest fad, but Number Six is sure that Number Two is using it as a brain washing tool.An instant learning process becomes the Village's latest fad, but Number Six is sure that Number Two is using it as a brain washing tool.
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
753
YOUR RATING
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Peter Graham Scott
    • Writer
      • Lewis Greifer
    • Stars
      • Patrick McGoohan
      • Colin Gordon
      • John Castle
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Peter Graham Scott
    • Writer
      • Lewis Greifer
    • Stars
      • Patrick McGoohan
      • Colin Gordon
      • John Castle
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 5User reviews
    • 5Critic reviews

    Videos1

    The Prisoner: A, B, And C
    Trailer 1:03
    The Prisoner: A, B, And C

    Photos15

    Norman Mitchell in The Prisoner (1967)
    Patrick McGoohan and Norman Mitchell in The Prisoner (1967)
    Al Mancini in The Prisoner (1967)
    Al Mancini in The Prisoner (1967)
    Colin Gordon and Conrad Phillips in The Prisoner (1967)
    Conrad Phillips in The Prisoner (1967)
    Betty McDowall in The Prisoner (1967)
    Peter Howell in The Prisoner (1967)
    Peter Howell in The Prisoner (1967)
    Michael Miller in The Prisoner (1967)
    Keith Pyott in The Prisoner (1967)
    Colin Gordon in The Prisoner (1967)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Patrick McGoohan
    Patrick McGoohan
    • Number Six
    Colin Gordon
    Colin Gordon
    • Number Two
    John Castle
    John Castle
    • Number Twelve
    Peter Howell
    Peter Howell
    • Professor
    Angelo Muscat
    • The Butler
    Al Mancini
    Al Mancini
    • Announcer
    Betty McDowall
    Betty McDowall
    • Professor's Wife
    Peter Swanwick
    Peter Swanwick
    • Supervisor
    Conrad Phillips
    Conrad Phillips
    • Doctor
    Michael Miller
    • Man in Buggy
    Keith Pyott
    Keith Pyott
    • Waiter
    Ian Fleming
    Ian Fleming
    • Man at Cafe and First Top Hat
    Norman Mitchell
    Norman Mitchell
    • Mechanic
    Bette Bourne
    Bette Bourne
    • Projection Operator
    • (as Peter Bourne)
    George Leech
    George Leech
    • First Corridor Guard
    Jack Cooper
    • Second Corridor Guard
    • (as Jackie Cooper)
    John Clifford
    • Assistant
    • (uncredited)
    Peter Madden
    Peter Madden
    • Undertaker in opening sequence
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Peter Graham Scott
    • Writer
      • Lewis Greifer
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Other than Leo McKern, Colin Gordon is the only actor to play No 2 in more than one episode (although some of the other No 2s appear in other roles in other episodes). However, Gordon was not the original choice to play No 2 in The General (1967), and this may explain the difference in character between the No 2 in A. B. and C. (1967) who is disheveled, lacks confidence, and is bullied by No 1 and the more strident No 2 in "The General". However, the characters are united by the fact that both of them enjoy drinking a lot of milk, and also abuse technology for their own ends. The script was also altered so that Colin Gordon's character could say that he knew No 6 from before.
    • Goofs
      As the professor's wife holds Number Six's drawing of her, a repaired tear can be seen running across the middle of it before she tears it in half a moment later, indicating it had been already been torn in a previous take.
    • Quotes

      Number Twelve: You don't believe it? A University-level degree in three minutes.

      Number Six: It's improbable.

      Number Twelve: But not impossible.

      Number Six: Nothing's impossible in this place.

    • Connections
      Featured in The Dom Reviews: The Prisoner, the General & Many Happy Returns (2015)
    • Soundtracks
      Drumdramatics No. 2: Section 4 - Dream Vibrato, Rising and Falling
      (uncredited)

      Written by Robert Farnon

      Chappell Recorded Music Library

    User reviews5

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Education
    Number six(Patrick McGoohan) becomes interested then alarmed in a new educational tool called "speedlearn" touted by number two(a returning Colin Gordon) that can instantaneously teach people facts and figures, which in theory would greatly reduce the need for traditional school, but in reality only feeds them knowledge without the ability to think about it, or more importantly, to reason, since this is really a brainwashing device created by a professor and used by a mysterious "general", which "six" is determined to uncover, though whose ultimate identity will come as a surprise... Effective episode is now a bit dated because of the clunky computer, but its themes of educational brainwashing for society/government still resonates today.
    helpful•3
    1
    • AaronCapenBanner
    • Jun 9, 2015

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 5, 1967 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Portmeirion, Gwynedd, Wales, UK
    • Production companies
      • Everyman Films
      • Incorporated Television Company (ITC)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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