The Spanish prisoner

Joe Ross (Campbell Scott) is the unworldly inventor of “the process,” an undisclosed mathematical formula that has a huge monetary potential for the company he works at. However, his boss is unwilling to discuss the personal bonus Joe believes he has coming to him. While on a business trip to the Caribbean, he runs into Jimmy Dell (Steve Martin), a mysterious, rich stranger who offers him a few tips on life and business. This meeting marks the beginning of his spiral into a labyrinthine world of shady characters, plot twists and surprise reversals, where nothing is what it appears to be and nobody can be trusted. As in “House of Games” (1987), Mamet’s first film as a director, the elaborate con game visited on the innocent victim in “The Spanish Prisoner” completely shatters their sense of equilibrium. Trust proves Joe’s undoing, faith in humanity his tragic flaw. As with many other of Mamet’s films, an underlying theme running throughout the film is that of the immorality of the corporate world that rewards those who act ruthlessly and punishes those who hold to a code of ethics. Cast also includes Ben Gazzara, Felicity Huffman and Rebecca Pidgeon.