THE IPCRESS FILE (1965)

This is what I love to call an admirable spy thriller than most of successful but routine formulaic entertainment of Bond. Director Sidney J. Furie brought here suave and thinking man’s Bond on screen named Harry Palmer starring bespectacled Michael Caine. It begins with kidnapping and soon we come to know that around seventeen renowned scientists were kidnapped, returned brain washed few days later and ceased to function as earlier. Palmer is appointed for investigation and the rest is all absolutely edge on the seat, stylish, gritty espionage thriller from British cinema.

Unlike Bond films, Palmer here is not represented as super spy designed to give you merry go round entertainment of action- adventure- chasing-destroying cool cars and romancing with sexy dames; instead he’s no nonsense secret agent belongs to working class who has more to rely on his brain and imperfect eye vision. Instead of Martini and gizmos, he loves cooking and listening Mozart. It has some of the Hitchcokian thrilling moments and matching great score by John Barry. One of the taut, well made and compulsive spy thrillers of its time.

Ratings-8/10