The Quiller Memorandum (1966) - IMDb . First isthe protagonist himself. This was evidently the first of a very long series featuring the spy Quiller. We never find out histrue identity or his history. Pol tells Quiller the fascist underground is far more organized and powerful in Germany than people believe. The films featured secret agent is the very un-British Quiller (George Segal), a slightly depressive American operative on loan to Britains secret services (take that, Bond!). How did I miss this film until just recently? The British Secret Service sends agent Quiller to investigate. As classic as it gets. He brings graceful authority and steely determination to his role. 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). The photo shows a man in Luftwaffe (airforce) uniform. After their first two operatives leading the field mission are assassinated in subsequent order, the British Secret Service recruit Quiller, an American agent, to continue to lead that field operation, namely to discover the base of operations of a new Nazi organization in West Berlin, they whose general members hide in plain sight in blending in with all walks of West German society. 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? My take was, he knows she's one of the bad guys, and same with the headmistress who he passes on the way out. Read our extensive list of rules for more information on other types of posts like fan-art and self-promotion, or message the moderators if you have any questions. Older ; About;
The Neo-Nazis want to know the location of British operations and similarly, the British want to know the location of the Neo-Nazis' headquarters. His virtual army of nearly silent, oddball henchmen add to the flavor of paranoia and nervousness. All Rights Reserved. Widescreen viewing is a must, if possible, if for no other reason than to fully glimpse the extraordinary stadium built by Hitler for the 1936 Olympic games. ): as a result, they were summarily bumped off with stereotypical German precision. This spy novel about neo-Nazis 1960's Berlin seemed dated and a little stilted to me. They are not just sympathisers though. , . [3], In a contemporary review for The New York Times, critic Bosley Crowther wrote: "Clearly, 'The Quiller Memorandum' is claptrap done up in a style and with a musical score by John Barry that might lead you to think it is Art. Director Michael Anderson Writers Trevor Dudley Smith (based on the novel by) Harold Pinter (screenplay) Stars George Segal Alec Guinness Max von Sydow See production, box office & company info I liked that the main character was ornery and tired and smart and still made mistakes and tried to see all possible outcomes at once and fought more against jumping to conclusions and staying alert and clear-headed than he did directly against the villains themselves. It certainly held my interest, partly because it was set in Berlin and even mentioned the street I lived on several times. The film has that beautiful, pristine look that seems to only come about in mid-60's cinema, made even more so by the clean appearance and tailored lines of the clothing on the supporting cast and the extras. With what little information the British operatives are able to provide him especially in his most recent predecessor, Kenneth Lindsay Jones, working alone without backup against advice, Quiller decides to take a different but potentially more dangerous tact than those predecessors in showing himself at three places Jones was known to be investigating, albeit in coded terms, as the person who has now taken over the mission from Jones in the probability that the Nazis will try to abduct him for questioning to discover what exactly their opponents know or don't know, and to discover in turn their base of operations in West Berlin. Without knowing where they have taken him, and even if it is indeed their base of operations, Quiller is playing an even more dangerous game as in the process he met schoolteacher Inge Lindt, who he starts to fall for, and as such may be used as a pawn by the Nazis to get the upper hand on Quiller. Also the increasing descent into the minutiae of spycraft plays into the reveal, plot-wise as well as psychologically. And although Harold Pinters screenwriting for Quiller doesnt strike one as being classically Pinteresque, occasionally his distinct style reveals itself in pockets of suggestive menace where silence is often just as important as whats spoken. At lunch in an exclusive club in London, close to Buckingham Palace, the directors of an unnamed agency, Gibbs and Rushington, decide to send American agent Quiller to continue the assignment, which has now killed two agents. effective, low key, intelligent, spy film, Attractive, thoughtful spy film with an excellent cast. The brawny headmistress points Quiller in the direction of Inge (Senta Berger), who happens to be the only English-speaking teacher at the school. When they find, Quiller gives the phone number of his base to Inge and investigates the place. This is an espionage series that started in the '60's and ran through the '90's. Get help and learn more about the design. Hes lone wolf who lives or dies by his own actions a very clean and principled approach to espionage. Hall is not trying be a Le Carre, hes in a different area, one he really makes his own. I've not put together a suite before so hopefully it works.Barry's short (35mins) if atmospheric score for the Cold War thriller The Quiller Memorandum, 1966. I'll give this horribly dated film a generous **1/2 rating anyway; hell, you don't see a cast as great as this one every day! The friend proves to be Hassler, who is now much more friendly. He finds that a bomb has been strapped underneath and sets it on the bonnet of the car so it will slowly slide and fall off due to vibration from the running engine. With George Segal, Alec Guinness, Max von Sydow, Senta Berger. The casting of George Segal in the lead was a catastrophe, as he is so brash and annoying that one wants to scream. And considering how terrible its one fight scene is, it's certainly a blessing that it doesn't have any more. Your name is Quiller. Quiller, a British agent who works without gun, cover or contacts, takes on a neo-Nazi underground organization and its war criminal leader. The plot revolves around former Nazis and the rise of a Neo-Nazi organisation known as Phonix. Very eerie film score, I believe John Barry did it but, I'm not sure. The Quiller Memorandum is a 1966 British neo noir eurospy film filmed in Deluxe Color and Panavision, adapted from the 1965 spy novel The Berlin Memorandum, by Elleston Trevor under the name "Adam Hall", screenplay by Harold Pinter, directed by Michael Anderson, featuring George Segal, Alec Guinness, Max von Sydow and Senta Berger. 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 film was shot on location in West Berlin and in Pinewood Studios, England. The film ends with Quiller suspecting that Inge is more than an ordinary schoolteacher.
BFI Screenonline: Quiller Memorandum, The (1966) Synopsis Kindle Edition. He published over 50 novels as Elleston Trevor alone. He does this in a lone-wolf way, refusing to be hampered by bodyguards. 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). Michael Sandlin is a writer and academic based in Houston, Texas. Scriptwriter Harold Pinter, already with two of the best adapted screenplays of the 1960s British New Wave under his belt (The Servant and The Pumpkin Eater), adapted his screenplay for Quiller from Adam Halls 1965 novel, The Berlin Memorandum. People tend to like it because "it's not like the Bond movies"; well, it's not - it's like "The Ipcress File", except that "The Ipcress File" was a genuinely smart and atmospheric movie, while "The Quiller Memorandum" is a clumsy, dated spy thriller full of pseudo-hip dialogue and plot holes. This was the first book, and I liked it. Agent Quiller is relaxing in a Berlin theater the night before returning to London and rest after a difficult assignment when he is accosted by Pol, another British agent, with a new, very important assignment. Much quieter and understated than most spy flicks.
The Quiller Memorandum subtitles | 36 subtitles Although competing against a whole slew of other titles in the spies-on-every-corner vein, the novel, "The Quiller Memorandum" was amazingly successful in book stores.
The Quiller Memorandum - Movie Reviews and Movie Ratings - TV Guide Reviews of The Quiller Memorandum Letterboxd And he sustains the same high level of quality over the course of nineteen books. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Quiller's assignment is to take over where Jones left off. I know several spy fiction fans who rate Quiller highly; I'd read a couple and thought they were only OK, plus seen and enjoyed the film (which fans of the novel tend to dislike). I enjoyed this novel just as much (if not more) as the previous books that I have read, and I will certainly be purchasing any further Quiller novels that I come across in my exploration of second-hand bookshops. When Quiller returns to his hotel, a porter bumps Quiller's leg with a suitcase on the steps. 2023's Most Anticipated Sequels, Prequels, and Spin-offs, Dirk Bauer
. The Quiller Memorandum Cineaste Magazine In the West Berlin of the 1960s, two British agents are killed by a Nazi group, prompting British Intelligence to dispatch agent Quiller to investigate. No one really cared that Gable did not even attempt an English accent the film was that good. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The mission in Berlin is a mess, two of the Bureaus spies have been murdered already by the shadowy Phoenix. Having just read the novel, it's impossible to watch this without its influence and I found the screen version incredibly disappointing. Quiller (played by George Segal) is an American secret agent assigned to work with British MI6 chief Pol (Alec Guinness) in West Berlin. Languid, some might say ponderous mid-60's British-made cold-war drama (it could scarcely be called a thriller, more "The Spy Who Came In From The Cold" than, say "Thunderball") that for all its longueurs, does have some redeeming features. Quiller tells Inge that they got most, but clearly not all, of the neo-Nazis. Their aim is to bring back the Third Reich. The Wall Street Journal said it was one of the best espionage/spy series of all time. Quiller slips out though a side door to the small garage yard where his car is kept. It looks like we don't have any synopsis for this title yet. After a pair of their agents are murdered in West Berlin, the British Secret Service for some unknown reason send in an American to investigate and find the location of a neo-Nazi group's headquarters. Sort of a mixed effect clouds this novel. 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. Blu-ray, color, 105 min., 1966. It out the quiller? Studios: The Rank Organisation and Ivan Foxwell Productions, https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Quiller-Memorandum, BFI Screenonline - The Quiller Memorandum (1966), Britmovie.co.uk - "The Quiller Memorandum", The Quiller Memorandum - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). George Segal, plays the edgy American-abroad new CI5 recruit (looking unnervingly at times like a young George W Bush!) Thought I'd try again and found this one a bit dated and dry - I will persevere with the series, Adam Hall (one of Elleston Trevor' many pseudonyms) wrote many classic spy stories, and this one is considered one of his best. Pol tells Quiller that Kenneth Lindsay Jones, a fellow agent and friend of Quiller's, was killed two days earlier by a neo-Nazi cell operating out of Berlin. 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 . CIS: The Quiller Memorandum revisited | Crime Fiction Lover 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. The whole thing, including these two actors, is as hollow as a shell. On the surface, we get at least some satisfying closure to the case of the clandestine neo-Nazi gang. Once Quiller becomes extra-friendly with Ingewhich happens preternaturally quicklyits clear someone on the other side is getting nervous. Thank God Segal is in it. The film was shot on location in West Berlin and in Pinewood . Nimble, sharp-toothed and sometimes they have to bite and claw their way out of a dark hole. 2 decades after the collapse of Nazi Germany, several old guard are planning to (slowly) rebuild. By day, the city is presented so beautifully, it's hard to imagine that such ugly things are going on amidst it. The Quiller Memorandum | Popular Culture Wiki | Fandom He believes this is explained early years like a priest, ending in this page numbers were both the end, bibi andersson and actor. His book. Fresh off an Oscar nomination for the mental anguish he suffered at the hands of Richard Burton and Liz Taylor in Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf (also 1966), George Segal seems, in hindsight, a dubious choice to play the offbeat Quiller. Keating. The burning question for Quiller is, how close is too close?