The Ipcress File (film)

The Ipcress File
original poster
Directed by	Sidney J. Furie
Produced by	Harry Saltzman
Screenplay by	Bill Canaway James Doran
Based on	The IPCRESS File by Len Deighton
Starring	Michael Caine
Music by	John Barry
Cinematography	Otto Heller
Editing by	Peter R. Hunt
Studio	Lowndes Productions Limited
Distributed by	J. Arthur Rank
Release date(s)	March 1965 (1965-03)
Running time	109 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

The Ipcress File is a 1965 British espionage film directed by Sidney J. Furie and starring Michael Caine, Guy Doleman, and Nigel Green. The screenplay by Bill Canaway and James Doran was based on Len Deighton's 1962 novel, The IPCRESS File. It has won critical acclaim and a BAFTA award for best British film. In 1999 it was included at number 59 on the BFI list of the 100 best British films of the 20th century.

Plot

A top scientist called Radcliffe (Aubrey Richards) is kidnapped from a train and his security escort killed. A senior British intelligence officer, Colonel Ross (Guy Doleman), sends for Harry Palmer (Michael Caine), who up to that point has been engaged in a tedious stakeout.

Ross tells Palmer that he is being transferred to a department headed by Major Dalby (Nigel Green). Radcliffe's disappearance appears to be part of a brain drain; seventeen top British scientists have been taken, then returned with their minds somehow wiped of technical knowledge. Ross introduces Palmer to Dalby as a good man but insubordinate. His file records that he had been court-martialed for black market activities, but offered a job as a spy as an alternative to jail. Ross tells Dalby that his position is precarious, and that "the people upstairs" will close Dalby's department down if it can't get Radcliffe back. Dalby is told not to complain since he's got a very good job for a major repeatedly passed over for promotion. Dalby tells Palmer that his criminal tendencies may be of use, but that if he gives any trouble, he will go straight to prison.

At his first departmental meeting, Palmer befriends a young woman, Jean Courtney (Sue Lloyd) and a Scotsman, Jock Carswell (Gordon Jackson). Dalby briefs his agents on the Radcliffe kidnapping, saying that they suspect "Bluejay" (Frank Gatliff). Palmer contacts Bluejay, who is willing to arrange the return of Radcliffe in exchange for £25,000. Palmer organises an expensive and unauthorised raid that yields nothing but a piece of audio tape, marked "IPCRESS", that produces a meaningless noise when played.

Radcliffe is bought back from his captors, but proves to have forgotten everything about his research. Just after the exchange, Palmer spots and shoots an armed man lurking nearby, but is chagrined to learn that he has just killed a CIA agent. He finds himself under CIA surveillance.

Carswell finds a book titled "Induction of Psychoneuroses by Conditioned Reflex under Stress": IPCRESS. He tells Palmer, but is killed when he goes to report his discovery.

Palmer is caught up in a power struggle between Ross and Dalby. He becomes involved with Courtney, but suspects that she is watching him for Ross. The IPCRESS file disappears from Palmer's desk, leading Palmer to suspect he is being framed. This is confirmed when he finds the body of the CIA agent who was following him in his flat.

While leaving London by train, Palmer is kidnapped. Waking up in a cell, he finds that Bluejay is his captor, also being told that he is in Albania. Bluejay subjects Palmer to intense brainwashing, apparently over the course of weeks. Palmer secretly uses a nail from his cell to inflict distracting pain on himself during the sessions. Overpowering his guards, Palmer escapes from his prison to find that he is still in London.

Suspecting both Ross and Dalby, Palmer separately arranges for both to meet him at the apparently disused warehouse that had been his prison. After getting off the phone with Palmer, Dalby is shown to be speaking with Bluejay, with whom he'd been working the entire time. Palmer confronts Dalby and Ross as they arrive in the warehouse. Ross admits testing Palmer but insists that Dalby is the double agent. Dalby cooly faces Palmer down, addressing him with the code phrase used during Palmer's brainwashing to make him kill Ross. Palmer narrowly breaks the spell by smacking his hand against metal, inflicting pain on himself as he did while being subject to conditioning. Killing Dalby, Palmer is told by Ross that he had been counting on Palmer's insubordinate nature.

Harry Palmer character

The protagonist of Deighton's novel was nameless, but in Chapter 5 he remarks, "My name isn't Harry, but in this business it's hard to remember whether it ever had been." In the opening scenes of the film, Palmer is shown to care little for authority, to indulge in quick repartee and to have an interest in good food. Newspaper cuttings shown in Palmer's kitchen are actually cookery articles written for The Observer by Deighton, an accomplished cook and cookery writer. In a scene where Palmer prepares a meal, the hands in close-up are Deighton's.

IPCRESS procedure

The brainwashing shown is similar to a shock technique called Psychic driving pioneered by Dr. D. Ewen Cameron, originally on unwitting mental hospital patients, and utilised and funded by the U.S. CIA's MKULTRA program in Canada.

Cast

• Michael Caine as Harry Palmer
• Guy Doleman as Colonel Ross
• Nigel Green as Major Dalby
• Sue Lloyd as Jean Courtney
• Gordon Jackson as Carswell
• Aubrey Richards as Dr. Radcliffe
• Frank Gatliff as Bluejay
• Thomas Baptiste as Barney
• Oliver MacGreevy as Housemartin
• Freda Bamford as Alice
• Pauline Winter as Charlady
• Anthony Blackshaw as Edwards
• Barry Raymond as Gray
• David Glover as Chilcott-Oakes
• Stanley Meadows as Inspector Keightley
• Peter Ashmore as Sir Robert
• Michael Murray as Raid Inspector
• Anthony Baird as Raid Sergeant
• Tony Caunter as O.N.I. man
• Douglas Blackwell as Murray
• Glynn Edwards as Police Station Sergeant

Production and contrast with Bond franchise

The film was intended as an ironically downbeat alternative portrait of the world of spies portrayed in the successful and popular James Bond films - even though one of the producers and others in the production team were in fact also responsible for the latter franchise. In contrast to Bond's public school background and playboy lifestyle, Palmer is a Cockney who lives in a Notting Hill flat and has to put up with red tape and inter-departmental rivalries. When appointed to a new post, one of his first questions is whether he will get a pay rise. (Bond's salary is hardly mentioned and he only goes to the best hotels, often using the Presidential suite.) The action is set entirely in London with humdrum locations. And although Palmer is, like Bond, a gourmet, he shops in a supermarket.

In this respect, it is a tribute to the complexity and flexibility of the mind of Harry Saltzman, who was an acknowledged master of proposing "bigger and more extravagant ideas" for Bond films according to the MGM Home Entertainment documentary Harry Saltzman: Showman. Five prominent members of the production team - producer Harry Saltzman, executive producer- Charles Kasher (who also produced the sequel-"Funeral In Berlin", film editor Peter R. Hunt, composer John Barry (who produced a distinctive and innovative score) and production designer Ken Adam - also worked on the James Bond film series, and projects like this ultimately led to Saltzman's departure from Eon Productions and his sale of Danjaq, LLC to United Artists in 1975.

The film had two immediate sequels: Funeral in Berlin (1966) and Billion Dollar Brain (1967). Decades later Michael Caine returned to his Harry Palmer character in Harry Alan Towers' Bullet to Beijing (1995) and Midnight in Saint Petersburg (1996).

The only major main line railway route to be closed by Dr Beeching is referenced. The soon to be abducted scientist is seen boarding a train at Marylebone Station and the station announcer calls for passengers for the train to "Rugby, Leicester, Nottingham, Sheffield", the doomed route of the Great Central Main Line.

Reception

The film currently holds a "Fresh" rating of 100% at Rotten Tomatoes.

Awards

Writers Bill Canaway and James Doran received a 1966 Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Foreign Film Screenplay.

The film won the BAFTA Award for Best British Film, and Ken Adam won the award for 'Best British Art Direction, Colour'.

The film was entered into the 1965 Cannes Film Festival.

External links

• The Ipcress File at the Internet Movie Database
• The Ipcress File at the TCM Movie Database
• The Ipcress File at AllRovi
• The Ipcress File at Rotten Tomatoes
• The Ipcress File - Photos
• Kees Stam's Harry Palmer movie site and filming locations
• The Deighton Dossier