The Problem of Cell 13

Infobox short story
name = The Problem of Cell 13
author = Jacques Futrelle
country = United States
language = English
series =
genre = Mystery fiction
published_in = Boston American
publication_type = newspaper
publisher =
media_type =
pub_date = Oct 30 – Nov 5 1905

__NOTOC__

The Problem of Cell 13 is a short story by Jacques Futrelle first published in 1905 and later collected in "The Thinking Machine" (1907), which was featured in crime writer H. R. F. Keating's list of the 100 best crime and mystery books ever published. [cite web| last = Liukkonen| first = Petri| title = Jacques Futrelle| work = Authors' Calendar| publisher = Kuusankosken kaupunginkirjasto| date = | url = http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/futrell.htm| accessdate = 2008-02-11] The story was selected by science fiction author Harlan Ellison for Lawrence Block's "Best Mysteries of the Century". [cite mailing list |url=http://harlanellison.com/heboard/archive/unca20030523.htm |title=Futrelle |date=2003-04-30 |accessdate=2008-02-11 |mailinglist=Unca Harlan's Art Deco Dining Pavilion |last=Ellison |first=Harlan |authorlink= Harlan Ellison]

Plot summary

Like Futrelle's other short stories, "The Problem of Cell 13" features Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen as the main character, although most of the story is seen through the perspective of a prison warden. While in a scientific debate with two men, Dr. Charles Ransome and Alfred Fielding, Augustus, "The Thinking Machine", insists that nothing is impossible when the human mind is properly applied. To prove this, he agrees that he will take part in an experiment in which he will be incarcerated in a prison for one week and given the challenge of escaping. He achieves the goal with great ingenuity and explains fully how he did it.

Everyone around Augustus is amazed at his explanation, and they wholeheartedly believe his point that nothing is impossible, though the warden asks what would have happened if many of the key elements of Augustus's escape had not been present. Augustus smiles smugly and states that there were also two other ways out, and leaves it at that.

Adaptations

The story was adapted for television by Arthur A. Ross in 1962 as part of the U.S. series "Kraft Mystery Theater". The episode starred Claude Dauphin as Van Dusen, and was awarded the 1963 Edgar Award for Best Episode in a TV Series. [cite web| title = Edgar Search| work = Mystery Writers of America| url = http://mysterywriters.org/edgarsDB/edgarDB.php| accessdate = 2008-02-11]

"Cell 13", a 1973 adaptation for the British series "The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes" saw Douglas Wilmer, famous for his portrayal of Holmes in BBC productions of the sixties, play the Professor. [cite web| title = Douglas Wilmer| work = The Journal of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London Website| url = http://www.sherlock-holmes.org.uk/world/dwilmer.php| accessdate = 2008-02-11]

In 1978, West Berlin radio station RIAS produced and broadcast "Das sicherste Gefängnis der Welt" ("The Safest Prison in the World"), a radio play based on the story. This was the second of 79 Van Dusen stories so adapted. [cite web| last = Koser| first = Michael| coauthors = Pircher, Gerd| title = Die Van-Dusen-Hörspiele| work = Die offizielle Professor van Dusen-Seite| date = 2004| url = http://www.profvandusen.com/kos2.htm| language = German| accessdate = 2008-02-11]

Notes

elected bibliography

External links

* [http://www.futrelle.com/stories/TheProblemOfCell13.html The Problem of Cell 13 at Futrelle.com.]
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