In the darkly comic blackmail thriller Executioner, a fictional shadow cabinet minister is offended when the male prostitute he hires describes his reputation as “colourful”. The MP insists he prefers the term “maverick”, and his sneer when uttering the word “proletariat” signals his right-wing leanings.
From Stage to Screen
Adapted by Peter Benedict from his play Deadlock, Executioner retains a staginess that feels excessive for the screen. Benedict co-directs and stars as MP Robert Marlowe, delivering a lip-smacking performance that makes Hannibal Lecter seem like a character from kitchen sink realism. The entire film unfolds in the basement studio of Marlowe’s country estate, where he dabbles in pottery while listening to Gilbert and Sullivan—with an echo of The Mikado in the plot.
A Night of Deception
Marlowe’s wife, described as “more of a long-term alibi”, is away for a few days. His assistant Mark (Christian Greenway) has booked 19-year-old Tommy (Max Raphael) to spend the night. As Marlowe shows Tommy around the studio, he casually mentions that the German manufacturer of his kiln made ovens for the Holocaust, a comment that sets an ominous tone.
Things quickly turn dark, and preposterous double-crosses pile up higher than an MP’s promises before an election. The film, clearly made on a tiny budget, feels more like a filmed recording of a play than an actual movie. Its portrayal of a sleazy, venal Tory MP also feels dated; the original play was first staged in 2007, and post-David Cameron and Boris Johnson, the portrayal of right-wing privilege and disdain has evolved.
Executioner is available on digital platforms from 6 July.
