Cerimonia infernale

Dismissed by the late David Shipman as "a pretentious plea against capital punishment" and now disinterred by the wonder that is Talking Pictures. Boasting a truly extraordinary international cast, shot in kafkaesque black & white by Ossie Morris and full of ripe one-liners, it's just the film you'd expect Lawrence Harvey to have directed.

A real bore-fest, this one, which is a shame as the cast is exceptional, featuring a good mix of big stars and character actors in support. What a shame then that this Spanish production is so unrelentingly boring, with a prisoner on death row involved in a plot to help him achieve freedom. It's arty in the worst kind of way, full of boring dialogue and routine scenarios. No thanks!

This is a timeless drama challenging the matter of justice as it is enforced by law, unavoidably leading to mistakes that can't be corrected and leaving wounds and damages for life. Laurence Harvey is the prisoner convicted and sentenced to execution, while his brother (Robert Walker) and sweetheart (Sarah Miles) with a team of others plan to set him free in order for them all to get at the money obtained in some kind of a robbery that cost someone his life, which Harvey actually tried to prevent while instead he got prosecuted for the manslaughter. They all become victims to the ultimate judicial murder, as finally the wrong man gets executed. This is actually a drama, the stage is almost Shakespearian, and all the characters play vital parts. The most striking thing however is the cinematography, which is almost expressionistic in its consistently intimate approach to the actors' faces, making their expressions a vivid part of the drama. It is claustrophobic and very dark as almost everything happens in the dungeons of a prison, but also all the prison staff and wards play an important part and even the other prisoners by their noise constituting almost a chorus. It is all very much like a Greek drama in its structure, leading all the protagonists hopelessly into an abyss of destiny in which they are all ultimately helpless. The story ends classically in a great question mark, as we never shall know what happened next to all the survivors - there is only death in the whole drama. Regrettably this became the only film that Laurence Harvey ever had the opportunity to direct, and it marks in many ways the epitome of his career. He continued acting in films but constantly on a lesser scale until he ended tragically and abruptly at only 45 from a stomach cancer.

When I saw this in the sixties it really made me realize the breadth of acting ability of Ross Martin. I had only seen him in roles of the comedic sidekick prior to this role. His believability as the evil commandant was astounding. This made the movie for me.

An obscure and thought-provoking film delivering an almost expressionistic and brooding approach to a twisted situation adequately performed by notorious players . Dealing with a bank robber (Laurence Harvey) who is condemned to death penalty for committing a murder during the failed robbery and about to be executed by firing squad . His brother (Robert Walker Jr , Robert Walker's son with whom bears a remarkable resemblance) comes up with a plan to break him out of prison--but on the condition that his brother's girlfriend (Sarah Miles)"date" him first. Shocking! . . . Savage! . . . Sensual! This is the Ceremony . Her innocence . . . Traded for her lover's life .The story of a man condemned . . . Of his brother who offered to save him for a price . . . His brother's woman!

The Ceremony (1963) displays a simple and plain plot about a convicted killer sentenced to prison , condemned to death and subsequently rescued by his brother who demands liaison with sister-in-law as reward . This is a real and striking drama, developing an intimate approach to the actors as physical as moral , making their expressions a vivid aspect of the drama . Being mostly shot in interior scenarios , and all the roles perform vital parts giving intense interpretations . The higlight of the movie is the cinematography by prestigious director of photography Oswald Morris . As well as evocative and appropriate production design by designer Ramiro Gómez , filmed on various locations in Tangier, Morocco , and La Mancha , Toledo , Sevilla , Andalucía, Spain . Stars Laurence Harvey giving a nice acting , as usual , and he produces and directs , as well . Being very well supported by a great cast with plenty of important British/American actors , such as : Ross Martin , Robert Walker Jr. , Lee Patterson , Jack MacGowran , Noel Purcell and being a Spaniard/American coproduction here appearing several Spanish actors , such as : Fernando Rey , Fernando Sancho, José Guardiola , Carlos Casaravilla , José Nieto , Xan Dan Bolas , José Luis Martin, Barta Barri , among others.

This mishmash was uneven but professionally directed by Laurence Harvey , and it failed at the international boxoffice . Laurence Harvey's film debut came in House of Darkness (1948), and he was soon signed by Associated British Studios. Harvey was cast as Romeo in "Romeo and Juliet" (1954) , a flick that exemplified the main problem that kept Harvey from major stardom , his screen persona was emotionally aloof if not downright attractive . Then , Harvey attracted enough attention in Hollywood to be brought over by Warner Bros. And given a main character in "King Richard and the Crusaders" (1954). After making three flops in a row, Harvey began a brief reign as the Jack the Lad of British cinema with the great success of "Room at the top" (1958). That film and "Looking back in anger" (1959), which was also released that year, inaugurated the "kitchen sink" school of British cinema that revolutionized the country's film industry and continuing in Hollywood, in the 1960s. In this Hollywood interlude, Harvey also appeared in the screen adaptations of Tennessee Williams' "Summer and Smoke" (1961) opposite the great Geraldine Page, Oscar-nominated for her role, and the artistically less successful "Walk of the wild side" (1962), supported by the legendary Barbara Stanwyck . His next and last decade of Harvey's screen life -dying early at 45- was a disappointment, with the actor relegated to less and less prestigious pictures and international co-productions that needed a "star" name , such as : "Struggle for Rome" , "Night Watch" , "Yellow-Headed Summer" , "Welcome to Arrow Beach" , "The Deep" and "Rebus". And he directed some films with limited success, making the transition to director with this "The Ceremony" (1963) and finished directing "Sentence in aspic" (1968) after the death of original director Anthony Mann. Rating : 6/10 . Acceptable and passable but neither notable , not extraordinary .