The Ipcress File and British Spy films

[DB7]

Raising Caine

Sidney J Furie's The Ipcress File (1965)

Andrew Pulver
Saturday August 13, 2005
The Guardian


Brainwashing for breakfast ... Michael Caine on his way to stardom as Harry Palmer

Author: Len Deighton (b1929) grew up in London, served in the RAF, and went to art school after the war on an ex-serviceman's grant. After a spell working as an air steward and writing a cookery column, he completed his first novel. The Ipcress File was published in 1962 and, with the vogue for cold-war espionage novels, was an immediate success. In total, Deighton wrote six novels about the same spy. He went on to invent another recurring character, Bernard Samson, for a string of espionage novels. Deighton also wrote books on cooking - such as The Action Cook Book and Où Est Le Garlic (both 1965).

The story: Although acclaimed for the "authenticity" of his work, Deighton had no experience of espionage outside his war service, later claiming he only turned to it because his knowledge of police procedures was too weak to sustain a novel. His food-and-Mozart-loving spy - not referred to by name in The Ipcress File - is a former army sergeant, who is transferred to a shadowy intelligence unit called WOOC(P) and is asked to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a number of scientists. A contact called Jay appears to be pivotal, but an attempt to make a deal with him goes awry, and the chase after one particular scientist, Raven, leads to Beirut.
Our hero subsequently finds himself at the site of a US atom bomb test at a place called Tokwe, where he is kidnapped and imprisoned, and becomes the subject of attempted brainwashing. WOOC(P)'s boss, Dalby, is unmasked as a double agent, and the term "Ipcress" is revealed to stand for the brainwashing technique: Induction of Psycho-neuroses by Conditioned Reflex with Stress.

The film-makers: Canadian-born director Sidney J Furie (b1933) first worked on the Cliff Richard vehicle The Young Ones (1961), but it was gay biker kitchen-sink drama The Leather Boys (1964) that got him noticed by James Bond co-producer Harry Saltzman. Saltzman was looking to set up productions on his own, and hired Furie for what was by all reports a tempestuous shoot.

Saltzman noticed a then little-known Michael Caine in Zulu (1964), and signed him to a seven-film contract, of which Ipcress was the first. The near-simultaneous release of Ipcress and Alfie (1965) in the US was the major factor in Caine's rocketing stardom.

How book and film compare: Furie, notoriously, was said to have set fire to the screenplay on the first day of shooting, to express his dislike for it. The film version sticks roughly to the novel's narrative path but, according to Caine, the actors were encouraged to come up with their own dialogue.

The central character was nudged closer to resembling Caine himself - a glasses-wearing Londoner - and was also given a name, Harry Palmer (despite the character specifically stating in the novel: "My name isn't Harry"). Other inventions include the "Ipcress tape" and the psychedelic visuals used to torture Palmer.

Inspirations and influences: Palmer was conceived as a modern answer to Bond, and the film readily tapped into London's burgeoning reputation as a fashionable city. Caine would make two more Harry Palmer films in the 1960s, which would set a template for the enormously influential working-class icon he would develop in films like The Italian Job (1969), Get Carter (1971), and The Man Who Would Be King (1975).

[mysteriesofedgarwallace]

I hav always thought it a shame that Deighton's 'Horse Under Water' was never made into a film, as it was supposed to have been.
This is the 2nd book in the series.

[Merton Park]

Ipcress was superb when it was first released, and is still a great film, one of my all time favourites. I remember first hearing Caine's voice, and was really suprised, never really having heard a leading man speak with a cockney accent before. Within no time I got used to this unusual voice, and never really thought about it again, it added to the character.

The follow up, Funeral in Berlin, wasn't nearly as good, whilst Billion Dollar Brain seemed like a send up. I watched Bullet in Beijing a few years ago, and that wasn't quite so bad. But far and away, The Ipcress File was in a different league.

[catflap]

Just reading about the upcoming DVD release. Wow!

(from www.dvdtimes.co.uk)

Network have announced the UK Region 2 DVD release of The Ipcress File (Special Edition) for 16th January 2006 priced at £29.99. Double Oscar winner Michael Caine plays spectacle wearing, working-class spy Harry Palmer. He has a lack of respect for his superiors, he's a dab hand in the kitchen and he loves Mozart. Palmer is a former army sergeant working off a conviction for black market activities in Berlin. To avoid a court martial he agrees to work for a covert intelligence unit called WOOC (P). His assignment is to investigate a scientific brain drain and locate a missing doctor. But what is The Ipcress File and who can Palmer trust in this stylish, hard-boiled tale that catapulted Caine to international stardom.

Special features of The Ipcress File Special Edition package are:
# Special packaging which incorporates a stylish slip case
# New interview with Sir Michael Caine about his career and making The Ipcress File, filmed exclusively for this DVD (21:10mins)
# New interview with legendary Oscar™-winning production designer Sir Ken Adam (Dr Strangelove, Barry Lyndon, The Spy Who Loved Me) about making The Ipcress File exclusively on this DVD (10:31mins)
# Sixties documentary Candid Caine, featuring Sir Michael Caine talking frankly about his career in 1969 (44:20mins)
# Digitally remastered movie in the original 2.35:1 aspect ratio
# Introductory booklet written by journalist Christopher Bray, author of Caine: A Class Act
# Commentary with director Sidney Furie and film editor Peter Hunt
# “The Ipcress File – Michael Caine Goes Stella” exclusive comedy sketch with Phil Cornwell as Michael Caine (4:58mins)
# Separate soundtrack CD with music by composer John Barry OBE
# A copy of the original Len Deighton novel
# Stills gallery (13:29mins)
# A3 dual sided Ipcress File movie poster designs
# Original US radio commercials
# Original theatrical trailer

A standard edition of the DVD will also be available RRP £15.99. It will contain all features as listed above excluding the John Barry Soundtrack CD, the Len Deighton novel, the introductory booklet and the movie posters.

[mysteriesofedgarwallace]

I was reading about this on the network site the other day. Looks like a 'must have'

Phil Cornwell is brilliant as Caine.

[smudge]

(mysteriesofedgarwallace @ Jan 4 2006, 10:47 PM) I was reading about this on the network site the other day. Looks like a 'must have' Phil Cornwell is brilliant as Caine.

AFAIK it's cheapest via SENDIT (ex Blackstar) at the mo'.

SMUDGE

[foha80]

(Merton Park @ Aug 22 2005, 05:10 PM) The follow up, Funeral in Berlin, wasn't nearly as good, whilst Billion Dollar Brain seemed like a send up. I watched Bullet in Beijing a few years ago, and that wasn't quite so bad. But far and away, The Ipcress File was in a different league.

Billion Dollar Brain directed by Ken Russell whose film work in the 70's didn't quite engage me.The fault was probally mine,maybe I should look at work again,suggestions anyone.

[Stephen Pickard]

Has anybody purchased this new edition yet? I would like to know if the film transfer has been improved. All the editions I have exhibit colour problems. There seems to be a lack of green. When Carswell (Gordon Jackson) is shot at the traffic lights, they turn red, amber then blue not green!

[penfold]

(Lord Brett @ Mar 9 2004, 04:02 PM) Finch! Of course, he would have been perfect. There are many lesser known examples of the post-le Carre British spy movie which deserve to be better known. Try to check out the following: Innocent Bystanders - 1972, starring Stanley Baker Callan - 1974 - the film of the TV series Charlie Muffin - 1979. Made for TV but still excellent, my favourite role for David Hemmings The Executioner - 1970, starring George Peppard Danger Route - 1968, starring a very angry Richard Johnson. Any other titles I should seek out?

Not mentioned thus far, but great Spy TV, were the two series of 'Sandbagger' from 1978-80, starring Roy 'Adam Dalgleish' Marsden, Ray Lonnen and Richard Vernon....written by (allegedly) an insider, Ian Mackintosh, who died mysteriously before a third series could be written....a mixture of cold-war espionage and FCO politics, some episodes do seem to hint at 'Spycatcher' type goings on....
Certainly carries an air of authenticity, Marsden is superb...highly recommended. On DVD from
Network... Series 1 Series 2

[WiseFilms]

First time upon viewing 'Ipcress File' , it was mindboggelingly fantastic. Second time, put me to sleep. It's very good , though not up to the DVD investment test. Best spy flick with humor is David Greene's 'Sebastian' (with marvellous John Gielgud and Dirk Bogarde). Best Le Carre (despite what he claims for the posturing, jejune 'Constant Gardner') is, by an Alaskan mile - 'The Little Drummer Girl' , a shamefully overlooked gem of a popular novel.

[Cuffy]

I love the Ipcress File - one of those films that I've never tired of and probably one of the first DVD's I ever bought. Prior to that I could count on the BBC screening in the xmas schedules about 2am on New Years morning. It was another 12 years before I got to read the book though - it proved a mistake to read it after the film was so deeply ingrained in my mind.

I thought the movie version of Callan was excellent. It's woefully overlooked by most of my peers, which I find something of a shame. What little I saw of the TV series impressed me - the later episodes were shown in a 1am slot by one of the UK channels about 10 years ago but as usual, they didn't seem to show the full run.

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by WiseFilms First time upon viewing 'Ipcress File' , it was mindboggelingly fantastic. Second time, put me to sleep.

You weren't asleep, it hypnotised you

Steve

[stevie boy]

The Deadly Affair, The Spy who came in from the Cold and The Ipcress File. 3 superb examples of the spy genre.

[scholes]

The Ipcress file and Funeral in Berlin are eminently watchable Harry Palmer tales.
I thought the Billion Dollar Brain wasn't quite up to the mark, although Ed Begley's performance as the lunatic General Midwinter was very powerful.

My own personal favourite is the Third Man.

[stevie boy]

Originally Posted by scholes The Ipcress file and Funeral in Berlin are eminently watchable Harry Palmer tales. I thought the Billion Dollar Brain wasn't quite up to the mark, although Ed Begley's performance as the lunatic General Midwinter was very powerful. My own personal favourite is the Third Man.

The Third Man is a perfect film, and still fresh , 50 years later