Who doesn’t loveSteve Martin? A staple of stand-up comedy, film, and music for 50 years, Martin’s unique brand of fiery humor and charm has made him one of the most beloved figures in pop culture. As a comedy actor and writer, his versatility is crucial to his unanimous approval rating,as he has something for everyone: R-rated comedies, rom-coms, family entertainment, and subversive genre exercises. At the peak of his abilities, Martin walked away from the stand-up world to pursue ambitious cinematic projects, such as the musicalPennies From Heaven, and peculiar romances likeAll of MeandL.A. Story. In his late 70s, Martin made his way to television with thepopular Hulu series,Only Murders in the Building. There is one instance in his towering career when Martin provided no laughs and only sheer menace.The Spanish Prisoner, a twisty neo-noir byDavid Mamet, unveils Martin’s untapped dramatic chops, withMartin morphing into a convincing dramatic without breaking a sweat.
The Spanish Prisoner
An employee who develops a lucrative secret process for his corporation is tempted to betray the company when higher ups attempt to take the process from him. Dastardly intrigue ensues.
David Mamet Constructs a Story Labyrinth in ‘The Spanish Prisoner’
When watching a David Mamet film, prepare to get conned. As a writer-director, the playwright and authorspecializes in stories about con artistspulling a fast one or unsuspecting participants caught in a web of lies and fraud. Mostly celebrated as just a screenwriter, his filmsHouse of Games,Homicide, andState and Maindeserve broader public recognition.The Spanish Prisoneris pure Mamet–minus the lack of profanity. Mamet’s 1997 film follows Joe Ross (Campbell Scott), an employee of a mysterious business who develops an unknown lucrative process. Temptations arise for Joe when he learns that his company’s top executives are looking to shortchange him from profits. Jimmy Dell (Martin), an enigmatic wealthy business executive, guides Joe through this labyrinth of greed and dastardly intrigue. Jimmy’s unassuming ways suggest that there is something more nefarious to him.
If the basic synopsis ofThe Spanish Prisonersounds vague, that’s what the film intended. It’s not enough that Joe is bewildered by the scheme unfolding around him.Mametclouds the story with such mysterythat he never reveals the content of Joe’s invention.The field of Joe’s place of employment is kept under wraps, as well as the background of Jimmy’s business dealings. As a whole, many viewers will be completely lost in the story, and depending on your preference for mystery as a source of drama, this will either make it gripping or entirely unwatchable. For the most part,The Spanish Prisonerembraces its intricate plotting, with Mamet deploying mystery as a dramatic device. However,Mamet’s tone and punchy dialogue are subdued, especially when compared to thevulgar banter between the hustling real estate agentsin his play and screenplay,Glengarry Glen Ross, so viewers are forced to invest in this puzzle.
Steve Martin’s Dramatic Turn Breaks the Conventions of Comic Actors Turning Serious
Thanks to his seamless shift into portraying an unflappable menace, Steve Martin’s performance inThe Spanish Prisoneris miraculous. Comedic actors have always been drawn to chase the prestige and acclaim of dramatic roles, with some, includingTom HanksandMichael Keaton,shifting almost exclusively to drama. When comic stars chase after an Academy Award via dramatic turns, they often carry remnants of their comedic persona to maintain their mainstream popularity, likeRobin WilliamsinGood Morning, Vietnam,Jim CarreyinThe Truman Show, andAdam SandlerinPunch-Drunk Love. By expressing a seriocomic affectation in these weighty films helmed by auteur filmmakers, the stars comment on their public persona in a mold outside the comfort of a traditional studio comedy. In short, these actors arestill mildly humorous in their respective dramatic showcases, and more or less feel like an extension of their onscreen identity.
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Martin’s work inThe Spanish Prisoneris adrastic outlier in his filmography, as there is not a whiff of sarcastic humor, hysterical angst, or charm in his performance. While the aforementioned stars have curated an album of dramatic performances,this role has little connective tissue to Martin’s oeuvre. Jimmy Dell is a straightforward performance that fits Mamet’s tone but seemscompletely incongruous with Martin’s likeness. As a viewer,you expect him to finally crack, perhaps break out into song, or perform a manic Martin-esque stunt, but Jimmy remains unphased. Even if the plot is nearly impossible to interpret, Jimmy’s stillness suggests a supreme confidence in his motivations. Jimmy acts as a foil to Joe, with the former representing poised gravitas, and the latter representing bewilderment. This makes Jimmy inherently charming in Joe’s eyes, butthe character’s charisma is not a product of a comic’s infectious wit. Instead, he carries himself like a watchful guardian over Joe, as we are led to believe he is being undermined by his boss, Mr. Klein (Ben Gazzara). Jimmy makes him feel important, evident in the scene when he encourages Joe to hire a lawyer and claim ownership of his process.
Steve Martin is a Perfect Fit for David Mamet in ‘The Spanish Prisoner’
More impressive than his restraint is Martin’s effortless display of austerity. On the surface, a comedic actor giving a deadly serious performance in a noir looks like the epitome of self-indulgence. Breakthrough dramatic showcases from comics are often slapped with the derided “Oscar bait” label, as the Academy has proven to be fans of audacious against-type performances. However, Martin’s dramatic turn breaks all the conventions by not engaging in pretentious theatrics on the screen.The actor completes a tightrope act of stripping away his familiar presence while never calling attention to himself.There is nothing tongue-in-cheek about Martin, a lovable comedy star, playing an enigmatic swindler inThe Spanish Prisoner. The role of Jimmy Dell is the kind of part designed for an exceptional supporting character actor to knock out of the park–someone along the lines ofElias Koteas,Keith David, orEd Harris. Martin, the born stand-up,delivers a steady performance with the graciousness of a classically trained actor.
The Spanish Prisoneris an indecipherable psychological maze of betrayal and deception, and David Mamet wouldn’t have it any other way. In the film, Jimmy Dell’s motivations are the most inscrutable of all, but where his co-stars give purposefully muted performances,Steve Martin’s internalized menace keeps the viewer engaged throughout the mystery.Helped by our preexisting bond with Martin, the film’s greatest asset is the desire to learn more about Jimmy, particularly his moral compass. Furthermore, Martin’s resume as a stand-up and musicianvocally prepared him to deliver the precise speech patterns of Mamet’s dialogue. Martin’s performance inThe Spanish Prisoneris one of his finest, not because he’s unveiling showy dramatic chops, but because he is not. The minimalism of his performance subverts our hackneyed expectations of what makes a riveting dramatic turn from a beloved comedic actor.
The Spanish Prisoneris available to stream on Prime Video in the U.S.
