The Spanish Prisoner (1997)
87%RT Audience Score: 80%
Awards & Nominations: 3 nominations
The Spanish Prisoner delivers just what fans of writer-director David Mamet expect: a smart, solidly constructed drama that keeps viewers guessing… and entertained along the way
If you’re looking for a movie that will keep you guessing until the very end, then The Spanish Prisoner is the perfect choice. With its intricate plot and clever twists, this film will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. David Mamet’s direction is top-notch, and the performances from the cast are outstanding. Whether you’re a fan of thrillers or just looking for a fun night at the movies, The Spanish Prisoner is definitely worth checking out. Just be prepared to have your mind blown!
Production Company(ies)
Columbia Pictures, New Regency Productions, Pascal Pictures,
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Islamorada, Florida, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for thematic elements including tension, some violent images and brief language
Year of Release
1998
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby SR
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:NA
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Oct 6, 1998
Genre(s)
Crime/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Campbell Scott, Rebecca Pidgeon, Steve Martin, Ricky Jay, Ben Gazzara, Felicity Huffman, directed by David Mamet, written by David Mamet, crime, drama, PG, box office gross, reviewed by Mike Clark, Leonard Klady, Andrew Sarris, Derek Adams, Liam Lacey, Kenneth Turan, producer Jean Doumanian, con game, FBI, false accusation, rising corporate star, invention, mystery, thriller, twists, Hitchcockian, Chekhovian, manipulation, intrigue, cosmic, victimizers, victims, smart, solidly constructed, keeps viewers guessing, entertainment
Worldwide gross: $9,593,903
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $17,606,165
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,757
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,919,974
US/Canada gross: $9,593,903
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $17,606,165
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,451
US/Canada opening weekend: $124,011
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $227,578
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,616
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $10,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $18,351,410
Production budget ranking: 1,410
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $9,882,234
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$10,627,480
ROI to date (est.): -38%
ROI ranking: 1,610
Rebecca Pidgeon – Susan Ricci
Steve Martin – Julian “Jimmy” Dell
Ricky Jay – George Lang
Ben Gazzara – Mr. Klein
Felicity Huffman – Pat McCune
Director(s)
David Mamet
Writer(s)
David Mamet
Producer(s)
Jean Doumanian
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
3 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (61) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (54) | Rotten (7)
There are enough twists and grown-up intrigue to keep one asking, “Hey, what’s going on here?”
January 9, 2018 | Rating: 3/4
Mike Clark
USA Today
TOP CRITIC
David Mamet has a penchant for sleight-of-hand thrillers, and The Spanish Prisoner is his craftiest to date.
November 20, 2008
Leonard Klady
Variety
TOP CRITIC
The Spanish Prisoner shares with Glengarry Glen Ross a vision of life as a cosmic con game in which the victimizers feed the fantasies of the victims.
April 27, 2007
Andrew Sarris
Observer
TOP CRITIC
David Mamet’s most consistently enjoyable film to date is a cool, typically clever con-trick drama packed with deliciously inventive twists that get ever more convoluted and unnerving as the plot proceeds.
February 9, 2006
Derek Adams
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
There’s something fresh, even restorative, in watching an American studio movie that doesn’t treat the movie-going audience like a bunch of gullible marks.
April 12, 2002 | Rating: 3/4
Liam Lacey
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
Mamet brings more than a decade’s worth of filmmaking experience to his latest project, and his skill as a director has improved considerably.
February 14, 2001
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
A neo-noir thriller cut from a fine bolt of Hitchcockian gabardine laced with silken Chekhovian thread, “The Spanish Prisoner” gets its title from a passage presented in the third act that Mamet calls “the oldest con in the book.”
July 3, 2022 | Rating: 4.5/5
Michael Clark
Epoch Times
Mamet plays with our preconceived notions to keep us off-guard and unaware of the machinations unfolding beneath his façade of already questionable activities.
May 9, 2019 | Rating: 8/10
Jared Mobarak
Jaredmobarak.com
October 2, 2009 | Rating: B-
Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews
One exceedingly well-crafted piece of manipulation that keeps the audience strung along with every intricate turn of the plot.
April 1, 2009 | Rating: 3.5/4
Michael Dequina
TheMovieReport.com
The result is rather frustrating — the story works but feels oddly hollow, almost like a con game itself.
February 2, 2009 | Rating: 3/4
Maitland McDonagh
TV Guide
April 9, 2005 | Rating: B-
Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews…
Plot
Joe Ross has developed a process that will make his company a fortune. It will also make whoever has it a fortune, so the facts are kept secret and secure. However, the executives at the company seem reluctant to commit to bonuses or royalties for Ross, so he starts looking at his options. He also has a new friend, the wealthy Jimmy Dell, and he is happy to give him advice on the matter.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film on Fresh Kernels.
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