Stuart
Warden
Posts: 274
Registered: 11-1-2003
Member Is Offline
Mood: Back in the Village.
|
![[*]](./images/thevillage/default_icon.gif) posted on 2-14-2009 at 08:33 PM |
|
|
The Chimes of Big Ben
I managed to find time to watch this episode last night. I wouldn't say it's my favourite episode, but it's not the worst either. I
like the way the first act mirrors "Arrival" with Nadia apparently being kidnapped and waking up in the Village.
Leo McKern's Number 2 seems highly emotionally-involved in his job, almost obsessive about Number 6, and unstable. One minute he's jovial,
the next he's being sadistic and hot-tempered. He's not stupid though.
Number 6 seems to think that Number 2 is some kind of bumbling buffoon though, at least judging by his completely transparent escape attempt in this
episode. His piece of "abstract art" looks like exactly what is is - a boat! And why does he act so strangely towards Nadia when he first meets
here - giving her the same sort of evasive replies that he got when he firs arrived - he seems to be doing his level best to convince her that
he's just another Village collaborator! Very out of character, if you ask me.
"Civilization is the progress toward a society of privacy. The savage's whole existence is public, ruled by the laws of his tribe.
Civilization is the process of setting man free from men."
Ayn Rand
|
|
|
Jan
Individual
Posts: 178
Registered: 6-7-2008
Member Is Offline
|
| posted on 2-15-2009 at 12:17 PM |
|
|
I always wonder why (1) No. 6 says he is not a number, and (2) Nadia introduces herself to him by rejecting her number and giving her name, and so (3)
No. 6 keeps his number and doesn't give his name. I understand from the perspective of the plot that we can't know his name, but, if it
were real, wouldn't he tell her his name, too?
But, still, I love the ending of it. The office is right there in the Village and he's back where he started. It's not my very favorite
episode, but it's right up there at the top of the list for me.
|
|
|
John Ryerson
Warden
Posts: 650
Registered: 1-9-2006
Member Is Offline
Mood: Willing to do some wood work.
|
| posted on 2-15-2009 at 09:36 PM |
|
|
Operation Clone
Hello Fellow Villagers
This is a great episode and all of No.6 behavior is because he trusts no one, including Nadia.
He is probably aware that his "escape sculputer" is known for "what it is" to No.2 but is willing to work with (use) Nadia as a resource until she
shows what side she may be playing. Thus he tracks time the chimes chime and the gig is up....he trusted No ONE (but himself) just as he said .
Leo McKern's No.2 is brilliant and comes so close to liberating No.6's inner No.1 personae (Is that an order No.6 ?) which is what The
Village is really after....his leadership.
No.2 is so use to power that The Village's most awesome weapon, Rover, is like taking the dog out for a walk (Oh well, Orange Alert.)
He also knows the secret of No.1 with the No.6 will come back "Whimpering" bit as he has been broken by that terrifying secret himself.
Great episode.... but No.2 is correct the "plan" is rather mundane but it does set the stage for the later battle royal of wills in OUAT.
"The Plan" of COBB had been used already in a film called 36 hours (oddly the time it took McG to write OUAT):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/36_Hours
This plot was also used in Operation Roggosh in the 1966 season of Mission Impossible. No wonder No.2 thought it rather mundane. 
BCNU
Tommcfearsom
[Edited on 2-15-2009 by John Ryerson]
|
|
|
Stuart
Warden
Posts: 274
Registered: 11-1-2003
Member Is Offline
Mood: Back in the Village.
|
| posted on 2-16-2009 at 07:51 PM |
|
|
Kevin Stoney's character states that Number 6 has re-appeared after a gap of months. To me that suggests that this particular episode belongs at
least half way through the run of the series. This is also suggested by the fact that the radio voice states that the Village council is
democratically elected, which implies that it probably comes after "Free For All".
Nadia reveals herself to be a pretty scary piece of work - voluntary undergoing torture and pursuit by Rover just to make Number 6 trust her. This is
dedication bordering on fanaticism. Quite possibly she's genuine KGB/GRU.
Did anyone else notice that the truck that picks up the crate and drives it to the airport is driving on the left side of the road? Good evidence for
the Village being in the British Isles, or a Polish driver who's been knocking back too much vodka and doesn't care which side of the road
he drives on?
"Civilization is the progress toward a society of privacy. The savage's whole existence is public, ruled by the laws of his tribe.
Civilization is the process of setting man free from men."
Ayn Rand
|
|
|
Jan
Individual
Posts: 178
Registered: 6-7-2008
Member Is Offline
|
| posted on 2-18-2009 at 02:22 AM |
|
|
One of my favorite scenes in the entire series, and also one of the funniest, occurs in Chimes. It's the scene in which No. 6 stuffs the music
speaker into the fridge. Love that!
|
|
|
moor_larkin
Warden
Posts: 417
Registered: 8-7-2006
Location: England
Member Is Offline
Mood: Feeling Mature
|
| posted on 2-18-2009 at 10:11 AM |
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by Stuart
Kevin Stoney's character states that Number 6 has re-appeared after a gap of months. |
That suggests
to me that at least two months are meant to have passed, maybe three. Less than two months and he would have referred to weeks surely?. Then again,
less than a few months and would anyone have regarded a grown-up man as being *missing* at all?
I think in Many Happy Returns a year is referenced........ I'm sure I remember a year passing being mentioned.... That would put the halfway mark
of the series as about a year. One could postulate that the whole series is meant to be two years in real time....... maybe, if one wants symmetry.
But then the final two episodes are only covering a matter of a week and a day, or two......
I think it makes sense that large chunks of time should slip through the story with no narrative. One of the problems of soap operas today is that
they have a set of characters who have to have momentous events constantly happening to them - hence they have love affairs and commit murders at
frightening rates. Much of *real* life is entirely unmemorable.... and then lots of things happen very suddenly and afterwards all is quiet
again.....
One Number Two had even been in power so long he was due to retire.......
|
|
|
Jan
Individual
Posts: 178
Registered: 6-7-2008
Member Is Offline
|
| posted on 2-18-2009 at 12:40 PM |
|
|
| Quote: |
One Number Two had even been in power so long he was due to retire.......
|
Had he been in power for a long time, or did he come in older, and just hit retirement age?
Yes...MHR does say one year specifically, and I always have the impression that his imprisonment stretched over quite a bit of time. But you
can't really tell time in The Village, so who knows?
|
|
|
6
Defector
Posts: 82
Registered: 10-23-2003
Location: New Zealand
Member Is Offline
Mood: Orange Alert!
|
| posted on 2-20-2009 at 12:07 PM |
|
|
This is another episode I never tire of watching. Like "Arrival" it is an episode that encapsulates everything the series is about without
retreading too much ground already covered in the first episode. Much of this is done through the introduction of Nadia and the mirroring of Number
Six's own arrival.
That being said, and as others have noted, I cannot help but feel that it belongs about halfway in the running order but fully appreciate the
rationale for showing it as episode two (a crucial postion to create and maintain a loyal audience).
It is, on the face of it, a more traditional adventure story with audience friendly characters (particularly the ever-popular Leo McKern Number Two)
and situation - "cloak and dagger"/escape and the friendly banter and naturalistic dialogue between the main players. McKern's almost casual
approach ("Oh, well... Orange Alert") is a nice change from the usual business-like attitudes of other Number Twos and the end-of-episode punchline
is possibly one of the very best in the series.
There are some jarring oddities such as the hackneyed, "Old Bean" performance we see in Colonel "J" from the usually always excellent Kevin Stoney
and the awkwardly-edited "love scene" between Number Six and Nadia but these are minor quibbles and don't detract from what is, without doubt,
a spectacular and satisfying episode.
One of my absolute favourites. 10/10
|
|
|
moor_larkin
Warden
Posts: 417
Registered: 8-7-2006
Location: England
Member Is Offline
Mood: Feeling Mature
|
| posted on 2-23-2009 at 11:39 AM |
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by Jan
| Quote: | | But you can't really tell time in The Village, so who knows? |
I noticed that
the single episode of Chimes is a six to eight week period. At the very beginning the Fenella voice-in-a-box says that the art competition will take
place in six weeks time..............
Allowing that Arrival could easily be seen as encompassing four weeks or so..... settling in...... (how long was Six in the hospital for I wonder?
Cobb said "Weeks/months? It's hard to tell!" but then he was batting for the village team) and that the former person who was Six, had been
astray whilst deciding to resign........we are easily at a stage where *months* could squeak in as a casual expression in conversation especially if
the chap wanted to make it sound mildy disparaging..........
It's not always what they say, so much as the way they say it.........
|
|
|
|
Jan
Individual
Posts: 178
Registered: 6-7-2008
Member Is Offline
|
| posted on 2-23-2009 at 12:17 PM |
|
|
You have to discount what Cobb said, since he had "gone over" and everything was therefore a lie.
|
|
|
Stuart
Warden
Posts: 274
Registered: 11-1-2003
Member Is Offline
Mood: Back in the Village.
|
| posted on 2-23-2009 at 12:17 PM |
|
|
That's a good point, although my impression of "Arrival" was that it took place over a period of something like a couple of days. On the other
hand, you've also got to allow for some time in between episodes, so yes, that could work.
"Civilization is the progress toward a society of privacy. The savage's whole existence is public, ruled by the laws of his tribe.
Civilization is the process of setting man free from men."
Ayn Rand
|
|
|
Jan
Individual
Posts: 178
Registered: 6-7-2008
Member Is Offline
|
| posted on 2-23-2009 at 03:31 PM |
|
|
He arrived and did some stuff. Tried to escape and ended up in the hospital overnight. Next day tried to get out with the electropass and
helicopter. So, maybe three days? Who knows? That's my motto for trying to get a firm grip on episode details..."who knows?".
|
|
|
6
Defector
Posts: 82
Registered: 10-23-2003
Location: New Zealand
Member Is Offline
Mood: Orange Alert!
|
| posted on 2-23-2009 at 09:46 PM |
|
|
The only thing we do know is that we don't know...
Having said that, I've always got the impression that "Arrival" takes place over a couple of days too. Cobb - even if we take what he says is
gospel - could have been in the Village weeks beforehand...
|
|
|
Pandora Moon
Inmate
Posts: 3
Registered: 8-9-2010
Member Is Offline
|
| posted on 8-9-2010 at 02:49 PM |
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by Jan
I always wonder why (1) No. 6 says he is not a number, and (2) Nadia introduces herself to him by rejecting her number and giving her name, and so (3)
No. 6 keeps his number and doesn't give his name. I understand from the perspective of the plot that we can't know his name, but, if it were real,
wouldn't he tell her his name, too? |
I've been wondering about that too. Nadia is acting how you expect someone to act in that situation while 6 is not giving anyone any alternative to
call him anything other then 6.
|
|
|
John Ryerson
Warden
Posts: 650
Registered: 1-9-2006
Member Is Offline
Mood: Willing to do some wood work.
|
| posted on 8-25-2010 at 06:57 PM |
|
|
Hello Folks
The interesting thing about COBB is that (along with A.B.&C.) we get a quick answer to an important question ... Which side are you on? .... the
answer is that No.6 is being held by his own people, given all the folks he knew from his old job .... there is also the borderline confession of a
weary No.6 that he resigned as an act of moral awareness as revealed in OUAT (written by McG at the very beginning of the series thus showing he knew
full well where the series was going).
A.B.&C. established early in the series run that No.6 did not try to defect .... sooooo ... very early on McG got rid of a lot of the spy guy
motivations so the rest of the series could focus on it's real theme (as stated by McG) the "numeralization" of man the reduction of a human being
to just a number .... only the script editor seems to not realize this ...;-)))
*************************
"I used the secret-agent thing as a launching pad and the numeralization thing as a progression," he said briskly, matter-of-factly. "And now I
just hope there are a couple of thoughts in it somewhere that relate to the things that are going on around us, to our situation at the moment. It
will be interesting to see what viewers think the symbols are. I will say this: There are, within it, answers to every single question that can be
posed, but one can't expect an answer on a plate, saying, 'Here you are; you don't have to think; it’s all yours; don’t use your brain.’” (McG TV
Guide 1968)
*****************************************************
Troyer: How would you have described or explained the concept of the series to those writers, the first time you sat down with them, what did you
tell them?
McGoohan: It was very difficult because they were also prisoners of conditioning, and they were used to writing for "The Saint" series of the
"Secret Agent" series and it was very difficult to explain, and we lost a few by the wayside. I had sat down and I wrote a 40-page, sort of, history
of the Village, the sort of telephones they used, the sewerage system, what they ate, the transport, the boundaries, a description of the Village,
every aspect of it; and they were all given copies of this and then, naturally, we talked to them about it, sent them away and hoped they would come
up with an idea that was feasible.
Troyer: What about the philosophy, the rationale of the Village? What did you tell them about that? Its raison-d'etre, not its mechanics...
McGoohan: (very deliberately) It was a place that is trying to destroy the individual by every means possible; trying to break his spirit, so that he
accepts that he is No. 6 and will live there happily as No. 6 for ever after. And this is the one rebel that they can't break.
BCNU
Tommcfearsom
[Edited on 8-25-2010 by John Ryerson]
|
|
|
