Michael Anderson directs a classy slice of '60s spy-dom. Quiller tells Inge that they got most, but clearly not all, of the neo-Nazis. Is Quiller going to wind up dead too? Thank God Segal is in it. 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. Also published as "The Berlin Memorandum" (UK title). Really sad. 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. This was a great movie and found Quillers character to be excellent. But how could she put up with the love scenes with the atrocious Segal? before he started doing "genial" and reminds us that his previous part was in the heavyweight "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf". Quiller's assignment is to take over where Jones left off. His dry but quick Yiddish humor shines through on many occasions, providing diversions that masquerade his underlying desire to expose the antagonists' machinations. In this first book in the QUILLER series, undercover agent Quiller is asked to take the place of a fellow spy who has recently been murdered in Berlin, in identifying the headquarters of an underground but powerful Nazi organization, Phnix, twenty years . The book is more focused on thinking as a spy and I found it to be very realistic. Just watched it. An American secret agent called Quiller (George Segal) working for MI6 (whose chief is George Sanders) travels to Berlin to uncover a deadly Neo-Nazi band . He also has to endure some narcotically enhanced interrogation, which is the basis of one of the novel's most thrilling chapters. George Sanders and others back in London play the stock roles of arch SIS mandarins who love putting people down, wearing black tie and being the snobs that they are. Berger is luminous and exceedingly solid in a complicated role. Elleston Trevor (pictured) himself was a prolific, award-winning writer, producing novels under a range of pen names nine in total! The shooting on location in Berlin makes it that much more thrilling. Michael Anderson directs with his usual leaden touch. (UK title). 2023 Variety Media, LLC. I feel this film much more typified real counter espionage in the 60's as opposed to the early Bond flicks (which I love, by the way). The Quiller Memorandum's strengths and charms are perhaps a bit too subtle for a spy thriller, but those who like their espionage movies served up with a sheen of intelligence rather than gloss or mockery will embrace Quiller.Still, there's no denying that that intelligence doesn't go as deep as it thinks it does, which can be frustrating. Want to Read. 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). 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. I probably haven't yet read enough to be fully aware of what the typical Quiller characteristics are, but never mindthe key thing is that it was a pacy, intense and thrilling read. 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. Also the increasing descent into the minutiae of spycraft plays into the reveal, plot-wise as well as psychologically. Hengel gives Quiller the few items found on Jones: a bowling alley ticket, a swimming pool ticket and a newspaper article about a Nazi war criminal found teaching at a school. Quiller leaves, startling the headmistress on the way out. Take a solid, healthy chicken's egg out of the hen house or the fridge Now throw out all the substance, and just keep the eggshell. He steals a taxi, evades a pursuing vehicle and books himself into a squalid hotel. Thanks in advance.
Amazon.com: The Quiller Memorandum eBook : Hall, Adam: Books When they find, Quiller gives the phone number of his base to Inge and investigates the place. A bit too sardonic at times, I think his character wanted to be elsewhere, clashing with KGB agents instead of ferreting out neo-nazis. I enjoyed the book. Guinness appears as Segal's superior and offers a great deal of presence and class. (What with wanting to go to sleep and wanting to scream at the same time, this film does pose certain conflict problems.) This books has excellent prose, unrealistic scenes, and a mediocre plot. He was the author of. 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. Variety wrote that "it relies on a straight narrative storyline, simple but holding, literate dialog and well-drawn characters". But his accent was all wrongtaking the viewer out of the moment. He sounded about as British as Leo Carillo or Cher. Fans of realistic spy fiction will enjoy David McCloskeys debut thriller Damascus Station, newly available in paperback in the UK. You HAVE been watching it carefully. As usual for films which are difficult to pin down . He is shielded behind the building when the bomb explodes. Audiobook. En route he has some edgy adventures. 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! In conclusion, having recently watched "Quiller's" almost exact contemporary "The Ipcress File", I have to say that I preferred the latter's more pointed narrative, down-home grittiness and star acting to the similar fare offered here.
Can someone please explain to me the ending in The Quiller Memorandum They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. , . Composer Barry provides an atmospheric score (though one that is somewhat of a departure from the notes and instruments used in his more famous pieces), but silence is put to good use as well. The casting of George Segal in the lead was a catastrophe, as he is so brash and annoying that one wants to scream. Quiller slips out though a side door to the small garage yard where his car is kept.
The Quiller Memorandum by Adam Hall - Goodreads What will Quiller do? George Segal as Agent Quiller with Inge Lindt (Senta Berger). It is credible. The goal of /r/Movies is to provide an inclusive place for discussions and news about films with major releases. As Quiller revolves around a plot that's more monstrously twisted than he imagines it to be . 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. The British Secret Service sends agent Quiller to investigate. Quiller also benefits from some geographically eclectic West Berlin location shooting from master cinematographer and Berlin native Erwin Hillier. 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). Whats more, not even Harold Pinter can inject Segals Quiller with anything like the cutting cynicism and dark humor that made Alec Leamus such a formidably wretched character. Released at a time when the larger-than-life type of spy movie (the James Bond series) was in full swing and splashy, satirical ones (such as "Our Man Flynt" and "The Silencers") were about to take off, this is a quieter, more down-to-earth and realistic effort. From that point of view, the film should be seen by social, architectural, and urban landscape historians. Quiller wakes up beside Berlin's Spree River.
The Quiller Memorandum subtitles | 36 subtitles The film's screenplay (by noted playwright Pinter) reuses to spoon feed the audience, rather requiring that they rely on their instinct and attention span to pick up the threads of the plot. Have read a half dozen or so other "Quiller" books, so when I saw that Hoopla had this first story, I figured I should give it a listen to see how Quiller got started. The novel was titled The Berlin Memorandum and at its centre was the protagonist and faceless spy, Quiller. Quiller manages to outwit his opponent yet again, leading to his arrest. Set in 1950s Finland, during the Cold War, the books tell the story of a young police woman and budding detective who cuts against the grain when, John Fullertons powerful 1996 debut The Monkey House was set in war-torn Sarajevo and was right in the moment. Quiller befriends a teacher, Inge Lindt, whose predecessor at the school had been arrested for being a Neo-Nazi. This isachievedviaQuillers first person perspective.
The Quiller Memorandum (1966) - IMDb Reviews of The Quiller Memorandum Letterboxd When Quiller returns to his hotel, a porter bumps Quiller's leg with a suitcase on the steps. This isn't your average James Bond knockoff spy thriller; the fact that the screenplay is by playwright Harold Pinter is the first clue.
The Quiller Memorandum (1966) - IMDb 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. He is the true faceless spy. In terms of style The Quiller books aretaut and written with narrative pace at the forefront.
The Quiller Memorandum (1966) - Plot Summary - IMDb The Quiller Memorandum - Trailers From Hell The Quiller character is constantly making terrible decisions, and refuses to use a gun, and he's certainly no John Steed. . No doubt Quiller initially seems like a slow-witted stumblebum, but his competence as an agent begins to reveal itself in due course: for instance, we find out he speaks fluent German; in a late scene, he successfully uses a car bomb to fake his own death and fool his adversaries; and along the way he exhibits surprisingly competent hand-to-hand combat skills in beating up a few Nazi bullyboys. 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. This well-drawn tale of espionage is set in West Berlin, 15 years after the end of WW II. The film ends with Quiller suspecting that Inge is more than an ordinary schoolteacher. When their backs against the wall, its him they turn to. 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. It is the first book in the 20-volume Quiller series. 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. 2023's Most Anticipated Sequels, Prequels, and Spin-offs, Dirk Bauer
. They say 'what a pity' with droll indifference as they eat their roast pheasant and take note of which operatives have been killed this week. Hall is not trying be a Le Carre, hes in a different area, one he really makes his own. The Quiller Memorandum 1966, directed by Michael Anderson | Film review Soon Quiller is confronted with Neo-Nazi chief "Oktober" and involved in a dangerous game where each side tries to find out the enemy's headquarters at any price. effective, low key, intelligent, spy film, Attractive, thoughtful spy film with an excellent cast. They are all members of Phoenix, led by the German aristocrat code-named Oktober. The classic tale of espionage that started it all! It was time for kitchen-sink alternatives to the Bond films upper-crust Empire nostalgia, channeled as it was through a tuxedoed, priapic Anglo toff committing state-sponsored murder in service of Her Majestys postcolonial grudges. AKA: Ivan Foxwell's the Quiller Memorandum, Quiller, Quiller Memorandum, Ian Foxwell's The Quiller Memorandum, Ivan Foxwell's Production The Quiller Memorandum. When a spy film is made in the James Bond vein then close analysis is superfluous, but when the movie has a pretense of seriousness then it'd better make sense. On the other hand, the female lead is played by the charming Senta Berger, then aged 25, who does very well, and manages to be enigmatic, and gets just the right tone for the story. I can see where some might find it more exhausting than anything else, though--he does get tired :). Press J to jump to the feed. In 1965, writing under the pseudonym of Adam Hall, Elleston Trevor published athriller which, like Ian Flemings Casino Royale before it, was to herald a change in the world of spy thrillers. The screenwriter, Harold Pinter, no less, received an Edgar nomination. The Quiller Memorandum | film by Anderson [1966] | Britannica In addition to Pinters screenplay, the film was noted for its plot twists and the portrayal of Quiller as refreshingly vulnerable and occasionally inept. CIS: The Quiller Memorandum revisited | Crime Fiction Lover Oktober informs Quiller that if he does not disclose secret information this time, both he and Inge will be killed. Having just read the novel, it's impossible to watch this without its influence and I found the screen version incredibly disappointing. Quiller continues his subtle accusations, and Inge continues her denial of ever meeting Jones. I also expected just a little more from the interrogation scenes from the man who wrote "The Birthday Party". But George Segal just doesn't cut it as a British secret agent in The Quiller Memorandum. The plot holes are many. The source novel "The Berlin Memorandum" is billed in the credits as being by Adam Hall. 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. Quiller would have also competed with the deluge of popular spy spoofs and their misfit mock-heroes: namely, Dean Martins drinking-and-driving playboy agent Matt Helm (The Silencers, Wrecking Crew) and James Coburns parody of Bondian suavity, Derek Flint, in the trippy spy fantasias Our Man Flint (1966) and In Like Flint (1967). Book 4 stars, narration by Simon Prebble 4 stars. This time he's a spy trying to get the location of a neo-Nazi organization. There was also a TV series in 1975. Its excellent entertainment. 1966's The Quiller Memorandum is a low-key gem, a pared-down existential spy caper that keeps the exoticism to a minimum. He quickly becomes involved with numerous people of suspicious motives and backgrounds, including Inge (Senta Berger), a teacher at a school where a former Nazi war criminal committed suicide. George Segal, plays the edgy American-abroad new CI5 recruit (looking unnervingly at times like a young George W Bush!) It's hard to believe this book won the Edgar for Best Novel, against books by Mary Stewart, Len Deighton, Ross MacDonald, Dorothy Salisbury Davis, and H.R.F. Quiller Memorandum, The - DVD Talk I loved seeing and feeling the night shots in this film and, as it was shot on location, the sense of reality was heightened for me. Movie Info After two British Secret Intelligence Service agents are murdered at the hands of a cryptic neo-Nazi group known as Phoenix, the suave agent Quiller (George Segal) is sent to Berlin to. Commenting on Quiller in 1966, The New York Timessomewhat unfairlywrote off Segals performance as an unmitigated bust: If youve got any spying to do in Berlin, dont send George Segal to do the job. The reviewer then refers to Quiller as a pudding-headed fellow (a descriptive phrase that sounds more 1866 than 1966). DVD Savant Review: The Quiller Memorandum - DVD Talk 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. In the mid-Sixties, the subgenre of the James Bond backlash film was becoming a crowded market. I havent watched too many movies from the 1960s in my lifetime, but the ones I have watched have been excellent (Von Ryans Express, Tony Rome, To Kill A Mockingbird, The Hustler, The Great Escape, etc, including this one.) And whats more, Quillers espionage tale is free of the silly gimmicks and gadgetry that define the escapist Bond franchise. Two British agents are murdered by a mysterious Neonazi organization in West Berlin. The headmistress introduces him to a teacher who speaks English, Inge Lindt. BFI Screenonline: Quiller Memorandum, The (1966) Synopsis 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. Very eerie film score, I believe John Barry did it but, I'm not sure. Michael Anderson directs a classy slice of '60s spy-dom. Don't start thinking you missed something: it's the screenplay who did ! aka: The Quiller Memorandum the first in a series of 19 Quiller books. In typically British mordant fashion, George Sanders and a fellow staffer in Britain are lunching in London on pheasant, more concerned with the quality of their repast than with the loss of their man in the field! She claims she turned in the teacher from the article, and points out the dilapidated Phoenix mansion. 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).