The Ipcress File (1965)
January 26, 2025 12:34 PM - Subscribe

Insubordinate British sergeant Harry Palmer is recruited to help investigate a puzzling series of top scientists who've suddenly become inactive. Loosely based in the novel by Len Deighton. Stars Michael Caine.

Also stars Guy Doleman, Nigel Green, Sue Lloyd, and Gordon Jackson.

This movie was conceived as a kind of "anti-James Bond". Michael Caine portrays a reluctant spy at the mercy of his superiors, impressed enough with his qualities, and his disposability, to uncover a strange brainwashing operation targeting the top scientific minds in Britain. The movie shares some DNA with the James Bond franchise, being produced by Harry Saltzman, with production design by Ken Adam, and music by John Barry, all who were involved with the early Bond movies. Len Deighton had also been a bit involved with the Bond franchise, but was fired early on.

Michael Caine recollects on the making of The Ipcress File.

The Harry Palmer character went on to be featured in two more movies in the 1960s, and revived again in the mid 1990s, all portrayed by Caine. The Ipcress File would be adapted again as a 2022 ITV series, with Joe Cole as Palmer.
posted by 2N2222 (2 comments total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
Bespectacled Michael Caine clearly stands out in this one, playing the cheeky spy Harry Palmer, who mostly wants to stay out of prison, cook a good meal, and chase skirts. He's a smartass with authority, gets a sparkle in his eye when he sees an attractive woman, and focuses his effort when he's in the kitchen.

Interestingly, despite his humble class, the Cockney Palmer exhibits a sense of sophistication, compared to his bowler-wearing, more posh superiors, Ross (Guy Doleman) and Dalby (Nigel Green). He prefers Mozart to Dalby's like of military brass band marches. And he's discriminating with food quality, in contrast with Ross's attention to price and value. His superiors are also quite ruthless, even if quite willing to let others do their dirty work or get killed in the process.

The whole movie takes place in a dreary London, except for a short stint in what would presumably be Albania. We get no exotic locations. Palmer's bedsit is neat and clean, but unremarkable. He doesn't drive an Aston Martin, but is issued a blue Ford Zodiac. No amusing gadgets, and he's forced to give up his semiauto pistol for a revolver. Action scenes are restrained and we get no dramatic stunts. But what we do get is a very compelling and watchable Michael Caine.
posted by 2N2222 at 4:42 PM on January 26 [4 favorites]


I forgot to mention: the theme by John Barry is perfectly matched to Harry Palmer. Probably most well known for the brash, electric guitar dominant arrangement of the James Bond theme, The Ipcress File theme stands out for its sparse, vaguely Eastern-sounding melody, apparently played on a cimbalom, a kind of fancy Eastern European hammered dulcimer. I've wondered if the theme was the inspiration for the theme to the TV show, Dexter.
posted by 2N2222 at 4:55 AM on January 29 [1 favorite]


« Older King of the Hill: Peggy the Bo...   |  Person of Interest: The Crossi... Newer »

You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments

poster