Pierrepoint did any one watch this?

[puddicat]

What a wondetrful portrayal of britains most prolific hangman, Timothy Spall was outstanding,and Juliet Stevenson as his wife, briliant as his money grabbing wife, wish we could have programmes of this calibre!!!!

[johnlambert]

I agree

One claim to fame here, my wife's cousins husband is Albert Pierrepoint's great nephew

[Bathsheba]

My claim to fame is I live a couple of miles away from the pub he used to have! x

[puddicat]

omg i am in such famous company lol!!!,but did you think it was near the truth!!!

[grasscarp]

My father met him in Egypt when he came out to hang someone in the army......

[Ethel]

I have one criticism only, and that is not about the brilliant performances of all the actors.

The trailer blazed out 'The Last Hangman' when he clearly was not the last hangman in Britain. An unnecessary inaccuracy.

I enjoyed it very much - it was about Pierrepoint the executioner, rather than Albert the man.

[puddicat]

yes ethel the saddest was when he had to hang his friend,why he didnt say pass on that one, the authorities surely would have understood!!!

[johnlambert]

I thought it was a very moving tribute to the man.

I imagine it's not an easy job to do, but he carried out his gruesome duties in a humane maner, and treated the condemmed with dignaty and respect, which Timothy Spall portrayed with great style

[johnlambert]

*Dignity*

[Bathsheba]

Can't say if it was near the truth, as I haven't read any biographies about him, but I admired the way he was portrayed as a conscientious worker.

[Ethel]

I think it was important to him that he didn't know the crimes that had been committed - he didn't want to carry out the execution as a form of personal revenge to a crime he found hideous, although he was very aware of Ruth Ellis before he hanged her.

Pierrepoint kept his sanity by keeping a personal distance from the criminal, carrying out the order as humanely as possible and treating the body with dignity and respect afterwards.

He worried that if he knew too much about the criminal, it would become personal. Pierrepoint learnt a lot from his father who held the same beliefs. It meant he could view it as the judge and jury who were responsible for the execution, not him.

A very sound and strong character indeed.

[celeryman]

It gets better I met a bloke years ago who delivered telegrams as a lad in Failsworth,he told me there was always a good tip when Albert got a telegram. The film showed letters being method of calling him to a job,I would think telegram would be used for important stuff.Film was given bad review in paper, cant remember which,I thought it was ok but the bit about his mate Tish murdering someone being tried then sentanced and Albert not knowing about it till night before hanging was a little hard to believe. I think we will have to read more about Albert to get the truth.

[Ethel]

That was true about hanging his mate - he didn't know his proper name. I can honestly say I have known many people by their first name only, or a nickname.

[johnlambert]

I read somewhere that he was furious at FM Montgommery for revealing to the world that he was responsible for 'despatching' some notorious Nazi's after the war

[Robinia]

Yes it was well portrayed, Tim Spall was brilliant as always...
there's a link to an interview with Albert Pierrepoint on
here which will give you a bit more insight into his personality.

[puddicat]

Thanks robinia that was a interesting link!!!

[spanner7853]

damn I misseed it. Does anyone know if it is repeated?

[spanner7853]

*missed*

[puddicat]

dont know spanner, but i first thought its going to be a bit long winded, i wanted to know if mr pierrepoint had a family, if so they werent included in this film, mind u his wife seemed middle aged when they wed!!!!