The Ipcress File (1965)

My Review

“The Ipcress File” is a classic British spy thriller featuring Michael Caine as secret agent Harry Palmer, something of the opposite of James Bond with his low-key personality and the film’s unglamorous depiction of espionage work. The story centers on Palmer sent to investigate the disappearance of an important scientist, following the neutralizing of other scientists working on projects for Her Majesty’s government.

Director Sidney J. Furie (“Wonderful Life” 1964) did a marvelous job at managing traffic in this busy motion picture project. The well written screenplay by Bill Canaway and James Doran was adapted from the Len Deighton spy novel “The IPCRESS File,” published in 1962. The supporting cast in this independent film includes Nigel Green, Sue Lloyd, Gordon Jackson, Aubrey Richards, Thomas Baptiste, and Guy Doleman as Colonel Ross.

The watchable movie “The Ipcress File” was a smash hit at the box office for 007 impresario Harry Saltzman, Lowndes Productions, and Rank Film Distributors. The films featuring Michael Caine as Harry Palmer include “The Ipcress File” (1965), “Funeral in Berlin” (1966), “Billion Dollar Brain” (1967), “Bullet to Beijing” (1995), and “Midnight in Saint Petersburg” (1996).