A Hangman's Tale

"Pierrepoint: The Last Hangman" is by no means the kind of film one might find enjoyable. The idea of what happens to a professional hang man after he spends his career executing over 600 people does not seem like ideal entertainment. But what makes the film watchable is how we get to know this man and ultimately the tragedy in him as the job he tries so hard to perfect, turns him into a broken man.

Albert Pierrepoint was Britain's last hangman. He is played by Timothy Spall one of those actors who's face you probably recognize but who's name might allude you. In the beginning of the film Pierrepoint is introduced to us as a bit of keener when it comes to executions. He knows the length of the rope to use on each victim so the deed is done quickly, efficiently and humanely. While his colleagues can't bear to actually pull the lever, Pierrepoint seems to have a gift of going about it objectively with practically no feeling for the victim whatsoever. It's only after the execution that he deals with the dead in a humane way. As he cleans the dead bodies and cares for them, he feels now that they are dead, they have payed for their sins and therefore should be dealt with the utmost respect.

This idea goes deeper when Pierrepoint is later assigned by the government to participate in the execution of German war criminals after the second world war. Pierrepoint must kill 47 of the German's in a week, which averages out to about 13 a day. He gets upset when 12 coffins are counted for the daily dead which leaves one without. For me this was the moment when we see the cracks in Pierrepoint's system begin to crack. As the film goes on and on and Pierrepoint is executing one person after another it becomes impossible to deny his own humanity.

The story of Albert Pierrepoint came to me the same way Edith Piaf did in "La Vie En Rose". Here was a person I knew nothing about going into the film, but as I left I felt I had an understanding of what kind of a man he was.

I believe the film is making a definite case against the death penalty. There is a cold harshness of Pierrepoint's execution. No questions are asked as to the people's innocence, and after doing some research, I did find that he did indeed execute at least one person who was later pardoned posthumously for his crimes. The line between right and wrong becomes unclear, and that's exactly how Pierrepoint is meant to feel by the end of the film.

The film's message towards the death penalty reminded me of another recent film, "Rendition" in the way that film dealt with torture. Both films ask if their primary actions were necessary and if any positive result was gained.

The death penalty has since been abolished in Britain and we see the last one performed by Pierrepoint. But even before the last one, we see a man broken by his own conscience and humanity. "Pierrpoint" is an interesting take on an important issue, told through the eyes of someone who performed it first hand. The performances are excellent, particularly Spall who shows the cracks of this precise man spill out ever so slightly. It's now available on DVD so I would try to seek out this little treasure.

3.5 stars out of 4