It was with some interest that I sat and watched an interview with the real Billy Hayes before writing this. Two interviews in fact where Hayes admits this film does not tell the whole story. Above all he states that this was not a first offense for him, it was only the first time he was caught smuggling hashish out of Turkey. Had to happen sooner or later and Hayes was sent to Turkish prison.
That does not lessen in the slightest the impact that Midnight Express has because jail is jail no matter where you go. And jail except for a few western countries like the USA is rough. What it is is not as squalid as what you see in Turkey. And of course those rights that are in the Constitution that one takes for granted here just aren't there in most countries. It's only in countries with their legal system stemming from an Anglo-Saxon tradition that you are innocent until proved guilty. Good reason to deter people from doing what Billy Hayes did.
Midnight Express is probably the best of a tradition of Americans in foreign prisons films like Breakout or Brokedown Palace as other examples. Brad Davis in a breakthrough role gives a powerful performance as our protagonist Billy Hayes. His fellow western inmates include Randy Quaid, Norbert Weisser and Academy Award nominee John Hurt. Each of them adapts to Turkish prison in their own way and they all mentor Davis.
The real Billy Hayes said that the portrayal of the Turks was unjust and that we shouldn't judge Turkey by the Turks we see here. I wouldn't do that either, but who do we see but Turks involved in the criminal justice system so different that our's and Turk prisoners in the same jail that Davis and the rest are in.
Jail is jail and no jail is complete without it's officials finks. Paolo Bonacelli is the stool pigeon planted in the same cell with the foreigners and he gets a rather just comeuppance for his activities. Most powerful of all is the head guard Paul Smith who has made Davis a particular target for torture. Inadvertently also he's means for Davis's deliverance.
Midnight Express got two Oscars for Best Music score and best adapted screenplay and other nominations including the one John Hurt got for Best Supporting Actor. Prison films never date and Midnight Express is as powerful as when it was released in 1978.
That does not lessen in the slightest the impact that Midnight Express has because jail is jail no matter where you go. And jail except for a few western countries like the USA is rough. What it is is not as squalid as what you see in Turkey. And of course those rights that are in the Constitution that one takes for granted here just aren't there in most countries. It's only in countries with their legal system stemming from an Anglo-Saxon tradition that you are innocent until proved guilty. Good reason to deter people from doing what Billy Hayes did.
Midnight Express is probably the best of a tradition of Americans in foreign prisons films like Breakout or Brokedown Palace as other examples. Brad Davis in a breakthrough role gives a powerful performance as our protagonist Billy Hayes. His fellow western inmates include Randy Quaid, Norbert Weisser and Academy Award nominee John Hurt. Each of them adapts to Turkish prison in their own way and they all mentor Davis.
The real Billy Hayes said that the portrayal of the Turks was unjust and that we shouldn't judge Turkey by the Turks we see here. I wouldn't do that either, but who do we see but Turks involved in the criminal justice system so different that our's and Turk prisoners in the same jail that Davis and the rest are in.
Jail is jail and no jail is complete without it's officials finks. Paolo Bonacelli is the stool pigeon planted in the same cell with the foreigners and he gets a rather just comeuppance for his activities. Most powerful of all is the head guard Paul Smith who has made Davis a particular target for torture. Inadvertently also he's means for Davis's deliverance.
Midnight Express got two Oscars for Best Music score and best adapted screenplay and other nominations including the one John Hurt got for Best Supporting Actor. Prison films never date and Midnight Express is as powerful as when it was released in 1978.