It relies. I enjoyed the book. Segal is a very young man in this, with that flippant, relaxed quality that made him so popular. All Rights Reserved. 2023's Most Anticipated Sequels, Prequels, and Spin-offs, Dirk Bauer . On paper, this film had all the makings of a potential masterpiece: youve got a marquee cast, headed up by George Segal, Max Von Sydow, and Alec Guinness, for starters. Unfortunately, the film is weighed down, not only by a ponderous script, but also by a miscast lead; instead of a heavy weight actor in the mold of a William Holden, George Segal was cast as Quiller. Max Van Sydow is better as the neo-Nazi leader, veiled by the veneer of respectability as he cracks his knuckles and swings a golf club all the time he's injecting Segal with massive doses of truth serum, while Senta Berger is pleasant, but slight, as the pretty young teacher who apparently leads our man initially to the "other side", but whose escape at the end from capture and certain death at the hands of the "baddies" might lead one to suspect her true proclivities. How did I miss this film until just recently? Although the situations are often deadly serious, Segal seems to take them lightly; perhaps in the decade that spawned James Bond, he was confused and thought he was in a spy spoof. Elleston Trevor wrote 19 novels in the highly successful Quiller series. The Quiller Memorandum - Wikipedia The film starred George Segal in the lead role, with Alec Guinness supporting andwas nominated for three BAFTAs. And of course, no spy-spoof conversation would be complete without mentioning 1967s David Niven-led piss-take on the Bond films, Casino Royale. He manages to get over the wall of his garage stall as well as the adjoining one and then outside to the side of the building before detonation. He was the author of. An almost unrecognizable George Segal stars in "The Quiller Memorandum," set in Berlin and made 40 years ago. The British Secret Service sends agent Quiller to investigate. It's not my intention to be obnoxious and list every point in the movie that strays from the book, but it's truly a shame that such well-crafted material--intriguing back stories, superior spy tactics--is wasted here. Performed by Matt Monro, "Wednesday's Child" was also released as a single. The Quiller Memorandum, British-American spy film, released in 1966, that was especially noted for the deliberately paced but engrossing script by playwright Harold Pinter. We never find out histrue identity or his history. Neo-Nazi plot When Quiller refuses to talk, Oktober orders his execution. So, at this level. She claims she turned in the teacher from the article, and points out the dilapidated Phoenix mansion. He recruits Berger to help him infiltrate the Neo-Nazis and discover their base of operations, but, once again, is thwarted. Directed by Michael Anderson; produced by Ivan Stockwell; screenplay by Harold Pinter; cinematography by Erwin Hiller; edited by Frederick Wilson; art direction by Maurice Carter; music by John Barry; starring George Segal, Max Von Sydow, Alec Guinness, Senta Berger, and guest stars George Stevens and Robert Helpmann. If Quiller isnt the most dramatically pleasing of the anti-Bond subgenre, its certainly not for lack of ambition, originality, or undistinguished crew or cast members. The movie made productive use of the West German locations. As other reviewers have suggested, this Cold War Neo-Nazi intrigue is more concerned with subtle, low-key plot evolution than the James Bond in-your-face-gadgetry genre that was prevalent during the 60's-70's. In the process, he discovers a complex and malevolent plot, more dangerous to the world than any crime committed during the war. THE SITE FOR DIE HARD CRIME & THRILLER FANS. The first thing to say about this film is that the screenplay is so terrible. True, Segal never seems to settle into the role of Quiller. Quiller Memorandum, The (Blu-ray Review) - The Digital Bits A Twilight Time release. In a clever subversion of genre expectations, the plot and storyline ignore contemporary East versus West Cold War themes altogether (East Berlin is, in fact, never mentioned in the film). I listened to the audio version narrated by Andrew B Wehrlen and found it an utterly engaging tale. I thought the ending was Quller getting one last meeting with the nice babe and sending a warning to any remaining Nazis that they are being watched. The Quiller Memorandum, based on a novel by Adam Hall (pen name for Elleston Trevor) and with a screenplay by Harold Pinter, deals with the insidious upsurge of neo-Nazism in Germany. Yes, Scream VI Marketing Is Behind the Creepy Ghostface Sightings Causing Scares Across the U.S. David Oyelowo, Taylor Sheridan's 'Bass Reeves' Series at Paramount+ Casts King Richard Star Demi Singleton (EXCLUSIVE), Star Trek: Discovery to End With Season 5, Paramount+ Pushes Premiere to 2024. His job is to locate their headquarters. This exciting movie belongs to spy sub-genre being developed during the cold war , it turns out to be a stirring thriller plenty of mystery , tension , high level of suspense , and a little bit of violence . It keeps the reader engrossed right up to the last couple of lines. Can someone explain it to me? A spy thriller for chess players. The Quiller Memorandum | Mountain Xpress The mind of the spy Elleston Trevor (pictured) himself was a prolific, award-winning writer, producing novels under a range of pen names nine in total! The Quiller Memorandum strips the spy persona down to its primal instincts, ditching the fancy paraphernalia in favor of a rather satisfying display of wits and gumption. In the following chapter the events have moved on beyond the crisis, instantly creating a how? question in your mind. It was nominated for three BAFTA Awards,[2] while Pinter was nominated for an Edgar Award for the script. The Quiller Memorandum | film by Anderson [1966] | Britannica See for instance DANDY IN ASPIC too, sooo complex and fascinating in the same time. The Quiller Memorandum came near the peak of the craze for spy movies in the Sixties, but its dry, oddly sardonic tone sets it apart from both the James Bond-type sex-and-gadget thrillers and the more somber, "adult" spy dramas such as Martin Ritt's The Spy Who Came In from the Cold (1965). Lindt (Berger) is a school teacher who meets Quiller to translate for him. Writing in The Guardian, playwright David Hare described Pinters strengths as a dramatist perfectly: In the spare, complicated screenwriting of Pinter, yes, no and maybe become words which do a hundred jobs. Unfortunately, when it comes to the use of language in Quiller, less does not always function as more. 1966. This was a great movie and found Quillers character to be excellent. Author/co-author of numerous books about the cinema and is regarded as one of the foremost James Bond scholars. Oktober demands Quiller reveal the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) base by dawn or Inge will be killed. What a difference to the ludicrous James Helm/Matt Bond (or is it the other way round?) It is very rare that I find anyone else who is even aware of the Quiller books and yet they are as your reviewer mentions, absolutely first class. But Quiller is an equal to a James Bond, or a George Smiley. The film is ludicrous. The film magnificently utilizes West German locations to bring the story to life. "The Quiller Memorandum" is a film with a HUGE strike against it at the outset.they inexplicably cast George Segal as a British spy! Your email address will not be published. 1966's The Quiller Memorandum is a low-key gem, a pared-down existential spy caper that keeps the exoticism to a minimum. His Oktober does, however, serve as a one-man master class in hyperironic cordiality: Ah, Quiller! The Quiller Memorandum Reviews. Quiller leaves the Konigshof Hotel on West Berlin's Kurfurstendamm and confronts a man who has been following him, learning that it is his minder, Hengel. The Quiller Memorandum certainly couldnt compete on an aesthetic level with a film like Spy Who Came in from the Cold: No actor, certainly not George Segal, is going to one-up Richard Burton in the anti-Bond department. The film ends with Quiller suspecting that Inge is more than an ordinary schoolteacher. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. (What with wanting to go to sleep and wanting to scream at the same time, this film does pose certain conflict problems.) The characters and dialog are well-written and most roles are nicely acted. Michael Anderson directs with his usual leaden touch. THE QUILLER MEMORANDUM (3 outta 5 stars) The 1960s saw a plethora of two kinds of spy movies: the outrageous semi-serious James Bond ripoffs (like the Flint and Matt Helm movies) and the very dry, methodical ones that were more talk than action (mostly John Le Carre and Alistair MacLean adaptations). They wereso popularthat in 1966 a film was made the title waschanged to The Quiller Memorandum and from then on all future copies of the book were published under this title, rather than the original. The film was shot on location in West Berlin and in Pinewood Studios, England. Soon after his amorous encounter with Inge, Quiller is drugged on the street by a crafty hypodermic-wielding operative and wakes up in a seedy basement full of stern-looking Nazis in business attire. Fairly interesting spy movie, but doesn't make much sense under close scrutiny. This time he's a spy trying to get the location of a neo-Nazi organization. Oktober informs Quiller that if he does not disclose secret information this time, both he and Inge will be killed. Michael Anderson directs a classy slice of '60s spy-dom. The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett, Norwegian crime show Witch Hunt comes to Walter Presents, The Wall: Quebec crime show comes to More4, Irish crime drama North Sea Connection comes to BBC Four, The complete guide to Mick Herrons Slough House series. Ian Nathan of Empire described the film as "daft, dated and outright confusing most of the time, but undeniably fun" and rated it with 3/5 stars. But George Segal just doesn't cut it as a British secret agent in The Quiller Memorandum. This well-drawn tale of espionage is set in West Berlin, 15 years after the end of WW II. Try as he might though, he can't quite carry the lead here, lacking as he does the magnetism of Connery or the cynicism of Caine. The shooting on location in Berlin makes it that much more thrilling. Quiller (played by George Segal) is an American secret agent assigned to work with British MI6 chief Pol (Alec Guinness) in West Berlin. This film has special meaning for me as I was living in Berlin during the filming and, subsequent screening in the city. Watchlist. Written by Harold Pinter from the novel by Adam Hall Produced by Ivan Foxwell Directed by Michael Anderson Reviewed by Glenn Erickson The enormous success of James Bond made England the center of yet another worldwide cultural phenomenon. The book is built around a continual number of reveals. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. See production, box office & company info, Europa-Center, Charlottenburg, Berlin, Germany. Quiller befriends a teacher, Inge Lindt, whose predecessor at the school had been arrested for being a Neo-Nazi. Two British agents are murdered by a mysterious Neo-Nazi organization in West Berlin. I read it in two evenings. Theres a humanity to Quiller that is unique in this type of action spy thriller. - BH. Quiller enters the mansion and is confronted by Phoenix thugs. After they have sex, she unexpectedly reveals that a friend was formerly involved with neo-Nazis and might know the location of Phoenix's HQ. You are the hero of an extraordinary novel that shows how a spy works, how messages are coded and decoded, how contacts are made, how a man reacts under the influence of truth drugs, and that traces the story of a vastly complex, entertaining, convincing, and sinister plot. Omissions? 1966's The Quiller Memorandum is a low-key gem, a pared-down, existential spy caper that keeps the exoticism to a minimum. Twist piles upon twist , as a British agent becomes involved in a fiendishly complicated operation to get a dangerous ringleader and his menacing hoodlums . Quiller Series by Adam Hall - Goodreads One of the first grown-up movies I was allowed to go see by myself as an impressionable adolescent (yes, this was some years ago now) was the Quiller Memorandum, with George Segal. A man walks along a deserted Berlin street at night and enters an internally lit phone box. Quiller tells Inge that they got most, but clearly not all, of the neo-Nazis. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Also the increasing descent into the minutiae of spycraft plays into the reveal, plot-wise as well as psychologically. The Quiller Memorandum subtitles. From that point of view, the film should be seen by social, architectural, and urban landscape historians. Alec Guinness plays spymaster Pol, Quillers minder. Alec Guinness gets to play a Smiley prototype but brings too much Noel Coward to the table. Harold Pinter's fairly literate screenplay features . Always under-appreciated by U.S. audiences, it's a relief to know that she's had a major impact on the German film community in later years. [5], According to Fox records, the film needed to earn $2,600,000 in rentals to break even and made $2,575,000, meaning it initially showed a marginal loss, but subsequent television and home video sales moved it into the black. Quiller Memorandum, The - DVD Talk When Quiller returns to his hotel, a porter bumps Quiller's leg with a suitcase on the steps. Quiller, however, escapes, and with Inges help, he discovers the location of Phoenixs headquarters. ): as a result, they were summarily bumped off with stereotypical German precision. I can see where some might find it more exhausting than anything else, though--he does get tired :). A highly unusual and stimulating approach that draws us into the story. Slow-moving Cold War era thriller in the mode of "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold," "The Quiller Memorandum" lacks thrills and fails to match the quality of that Richard Burton classic. As usual for films which are difficult to pin down . Blu-ray, color, 105 min., 1966. This movie belongs to the long list of the spy features of the sixties, and not even James Bond like movies, rather John Le Carr oriented ones, in the line of IPCRESS or ODESSA FILE, very interesting films for movie buffs in search of a kind of nostalgia and also for those who try to understand this period. Quiller wakes up beside Berlin's Spree River. His two predecessors were killed off in their attempts, but he nevertheless proceeds with headstrong (perhaps even bullheaded) confidence without the aid of cover or even a firearm! Slow-moving Cold War era thriller in the mode of "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold," "The Quiller Memorandum" lacks thrills and fails to match the quality of that Richard Burton classic. Visually, the film was rather stunning, but the magical soft focus that appears every time Inga is in the frame is silly. The classic tale of espionage that started it all! Conveniently for Quiller, shes also the only teacher there whos single and looks like a Bond girl. Your email address will not be published. After being prevented from using a phone, Quiller makes a run for an elevated train, and thinking he has managed to shake off Oktober's men, exits the other side of the elevated station only to run into them again. The Quiller Memorandum is the third Quiller novel that I have read, and it firmly establishes my opinion that Quiller is one of the finest series of espionage novels to have ever been written. He calls Inge and arranges to meet. When Quiller arrives inthe cityhis handler gives him three items found on a dead agent: tickets to a swimming pool and a bowling alley along with a newspaper cutting. These include another superior soundtrack by John Barry, if perhaps a little too much son-of "The Ipcress File", some fine real-life (West) Berlin exteriors, particularly of the Olympic Stadium with its evocation of 1936 and all that and Harold Pinter's typically rhythmic, if at times inscrutable screenplay. The premise isn't far-fetched, but the details are. The Quiller Memorandum was based on a novel by Elleston Trevor (under the name Adam Hall). It's not often that one wishes so much for a main character to get killed, especially by NAZI's. The only really interesting thing is the way we're left spoiler: click to read in the end. Two British agents are murdered by a mysterious Neo-Nazi organization in West Berlin. Defiant undercover spy Quiller carries out a nervy , stealthy , prowling around Berlin in which he becomes involved into a risked cat and mouse game , being chased and hunted , by a strange and sinister leader , known only as Oktober (Max Von Sidow) . A bit too sardonic at times, I think his character wanted to be elsewhere, clashing with KGB agents instead of ferreting out neo-nazis. . Journeyman director Michael Andersons The Quiller Memorandum, which was as defiantly anti-Bond as you could get in 1966, has just been rescued from DVD mediocrity by the retro connoisseurs at Twilight Time and given a twenty-first-century Blu-ray upgrade. And, the final scene (with her and Segal) is done extremely well (won't spoil it for those who still wish to see itit fully sums up the film, the tension filled times and cold war-era Germany). The casting of George Segal in the lead was a catastrophe, as he is so brash and annoying that one wants to scream. He is British secret agent Kenneth Lindsay Jones. Phoenix boss Oktober (Max von Sydow) with George Segal, seated. The former was a bracingly pessimistic Cold War alternative to freewheeling Bondian optimism that featured burnout boozer actor Richard Burton in an all-too-convincing performance as burnout boozer spy Alec Leamus. Oktober also wants to know the location of the British base in Germany and uses drugs in Quiller to get the information but the skilled agent resists. Not terribly audience-friendly, but smart and very, very cool. Whats left most open to interpretation is Inges role in all this: was she a Janus-faced Nazi mole who used sex as a weapon to lead Quiller into a trap? Quiller has a love affair with Inge and they seek out the location of Oktober. This isn't your standard spy film with lots of gunplay, outrageous villains, and explosions. 1 hr 45 mins. The Quiller Memorandum by Adam Hall - Goodreads A crisply written story that captured my attention from beginning to end. While the Harry Palmer films from 1965 to 1967 (Ipcress File, Funeral in Berlin, and Billion Dollar Brain) saw cockney Everyman Michael Caine nail the part of Palmer, who was the slum-dwelling, bespectacled antithesis to Sean Connerys martini-sipping sybarite. Quiller, a British agent who works without gun, cover or contacts, takes on a neo-Nazi underground organization and its war criminal leader. Special guests Sanders and Helpmann bring their special brand of haughty authority to their roles as members of British Intelligence. The goal of /r/Movies is to provide an inclusive place for discussions and news about films with major releases. My take was, he knows she's one of the bad guys, and same with the headmistress who he passes on the way out. The novel was titledThe Berlin Memorandum and at its centre was the protagonist and faceless spy, Quiller. Berger is luminous and exceedingly solid in a complicated role. Guinness appears as Segal's superior and offers a great deal of presence and class. What will Quiller do? As explained by his condescending boss Pol (Alec Guinness), Quillers two unfortunate predecessors were getting too close to exposing the subterranean neo-Nazi cell known as Phoenix (get it? The Quiller Memorandum came near the peak of the craze for spy movies in the Sixties, but its dry, oddly sardonic tone sets it apart from both the James Bond-type sex-and-gadget thrillers and the more somber, "adult" spy dramas such as Martin Ritt's The Spy Who Came In from the Cold (1965).
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