Blu-Ray Review - The Ipcress File (1965)

Genre: Drama, Spy
Distributor: Network
BD Release Date: 28th July 2014 (UK)
Rating: PG
Running Time: 109
Director: Sidney J. Furie
Cast: Michael Caine, Nigel Green, Gordon Jackson
Buy: The Ipcress File Blu-Ray

The Ipcress File was the film that made Michael Caine a superstar. It was partly a downbeat response to the James Bond films, which the producer Harry Saltzman produced as well as The Ipcress File. Over the years it has become something of a British classic and has spawned many sequels, all of which star Michael Caine.

Harry Palmer is a cockney counter espionage agent who has a knack for gourmet food and has to deal with government bureaucracy. He is moved to investigate the kidnapping and reappearance of scientists who have been brainwashed. He also on the way accidently kills a CIA agent and now the CIA and the kidnappers are after him.

Michael Caine’s portrayal of Harry Palmer is decidedly unglamorous; he wears NHS Glasses and lives alone in his Notting Hill flat and cooks for himself. It’s as far from the playboy lifestyle of James Bond as you can get. His performance got him the starring role in Alfie and made his star rise even more.

The film is a vastly different to the Bond films of the time and almost has the seriousness of John le Carré spy novels of the time. However it still has this air of coolness and the film has a sense of humour, the name Harry Palmer itself is a masturbation joke. It’s however a lot bleaker than the Bond films of the time, the morality of the characters are greyer than the very overt black and white characterizations in the Bond series.

It has aged surprising well which is probably down to the way the film was shot which makes it look like Palmer is always being followed. Sidney J. Furie also perfectly balances the more over the top spy elements with the reality of Palmer’s domestic life. The score by John Barry has also became a classic in its own right and remains of his finest scores in a long career of great scores. The disc has lots of bonus features including commentary from Sidney J. Furie, interviews and a vintage documentary on Michael Caine among much more.

★★★★

Ian Schultz