The most feared and respected executioner in the history of Britain, Albert Pierrepoint is the focus of this gripping movie. Following in the career footsteps of his father and his uncle, Pierrepoint secretly worked as a hangman from 1932 to 1956 while remaining devoted to his loving wife and family. However, when his involvement in the deaths of several Nazi war criminals is reveal to the public, Pierrepoints double life is expose. Timothy Spall, Juliet Stevenson, Eddie Marsan star.

The Last Hangman (2005)
  • Rating: (2,636 votes)
  • Tagline:Respected citizen. Loving husband. Professional killer. »
  • Runtime:90 minutes
  • Director: Adrian Shergold
  • Country:UK
  • Actors:
    Minister
    Simon Armstrong
    Violet Van Der Elst
    Ann Bell
    Governor of Strangeways
    Nicholas Blane
    Warder at Strangeways
    Clive Brunt
    George Cooper
    Cavan Clerkin
    Kirky
    James Corden
    Woman in Pub
    Marie Critchley
    Cliff the Scouser
    Neil Fitzmaurice
    Neville
    Keiran Flynn
    Field Marshall Montgomery
    Clive Francis
  • Genre:Drama
  • Producers:
    Rebecca Eaton
    executive producer  
    Andy Harries
    executive producer  
    Christine Langan
    producer  
    Jeff Pope
    executive producer  
    Claudine Sturdy
    line producer  
    Paul Trijbits
    executive producer  
  • Plot: Albert Pierrepont delivered groceries - and was a hangman. Following his father's footsteps he quickly became known for his efficiency and compassion, rising to become 'the best in the land'. From the early 1933 until the end of his career in 1955 he executed some 608 people including the 'Beasts of Belsen' (war criminals) for which he earned the gratitude of a nation. But by the time he hanged Ruth Ellis, the last women to be executed in Britain, public sentiments had changed....and so had Pierrepont. Written by johnno.r[at]xtra.co.nz
The Last Hangman
  • User's comment:As much to do with living as death by kevgavin

    I'd just been through a run of watching many poorly made, uninspiring and disappointing films in the last year, then luckily I saw this film Pierrepoint aka The Last Hangman which restored my faith in cinema.

    Like all excellent films, it a simple story, expertly performed by a very strong cast. The other great element of a quality film is that it can be interpreted in many different ways by its viewers.

    It shouldn't be explained as a portrayal of a man who hanged people although that is exactly what he did, what made him famous and what he will be remembered for.

    For me Pierrepoint is more about working life. The job was always going to be a vocation as his father had been a hangman before him and he wanted to live up to a man he admired. We see the ends that he goes to, to be the best in his chosen field and I must admit I thought this was shown brilliantly; his care, his attention to the task, his desire to see the job done right. In the period of time that this story is set your job was something you took pride in not something you exploited to get better money and benefits while doing as little effort as possible.

    It is impossible to be completely accurate when making a biographical film as you are condensing a persons lifetime into a couple of hours of screen time so therefore the director, writers, editor and producers need to shorten, edit and take a certain amount of artistic license.

    Fortunately I knew nothing about Albert Pierrepoint before I watched this film so I didn't know what had been left in and left out of this account of his life, since then I talked to my father who knew many things about the man as he had lived and worked in London just after hanging was abolished and had seen Pierrepoint interviewed. He told me about a few things that weren't shown in the film, things that would have given my father an opinion about what type of person this famous hangman was. I've asked my father to see the film as I want to know how the celluloid depiction compares to his memories of the real man; even if he believes it to be inaccurate I'll still watch it again.

    It is a dark, sad film which wouldn't be a great date movie but maybe a film you should watch the next time you have a bad day at work.


  • Quotes: Albert Pierrepoint: It's not been easy. I've got things in here too Albert Pierrepoint: that I'd rather they weren't there. Oh, aye. I can keep them at bay, yeah. But they're waiting for me. Waiting for me to let my guard down. Waiting all the bloody time they are. Albert Pierrepoint: I did a lot of jobs in Germany. More than were really good for me. Too many really. I get so bloody tired now...
  • Also known as: Pierrepoint: The Last Hangman (Australia - DVD title), Pierrepoint: The Last Hangman (International - English title), Pierrepoint: The Last Hangman (USA), Pierrepoint (Argentina - cable TV title), Pierrepoint (UK - new title), Az utolsó hóhér (Hungary - imdb display title), O Lavador de Almas (Brazil), O teleftaios dimios (Greece - cable TV title), Pierrepoint - Le dernier bourreau (Canada - French title),

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