The Ipcress File (1965)

“The Ipcress File” is a compelling and absorbing thriller with a unique vision of the world of secret agents, double-crossing and conspiracies. Its great performances, captivating narrative and commanding direction make this a must-see for not only fans of the thriller genre, but also for anyone whose interested in seeing a spy flick that puts slow-burning tension over big explosions and shootouts. Although I love films like “Goldfinger” and “You Only Live Twice” for their gripping action and immense entertainment value, that doesn’t mean that I didn’t really enjoy “The Ipcress File.”

The thing I loved the most about “The Ipcress File” is that this is the perfect antithesis to the “007” films. Whereas James Bond is usually introduced to the audience in an exotic location or during a high-octane action set-piece (or wearing a fake bird on his head like in “Goldfinger”), we first meet Michael Caine’s Harry Palmer as he makes his coffee in the morning and reads a newspaper. One of my favourite scenes in “The Ipcress File” is when Palmer has a conversation with a co-worker whilst he’s shopping in a supermarket. You’d never see James Bond buying sweetcorn or loafs of bread!

With films like “The Bourne Identity” being praised for being more realistic depictions of spies, it’s crazy to think that a 60s movie had already shown the more down-to-earth side to espionage 37 years before Jason Bourne arrived on the scene. This anti-Bond film is made all the more noteworthy when it’s put into account that several key figures behind the early “007” pictures (such as producer Harry Saltzman, composer John Barry, editor Peter Hunt and set designer Ken Adam) worked on “The Ipcress File.”

Michael Caine is obviously terrific as Harry Palmer, he’s cool, collected and sarcastic, proving once again that Caine is a master of his craft.

On a production level, “The Ipcress File” is excellent; the direction and cinematography effectively create an eerie and perplexing atmosphere, whilst the set design and costumes give the film a distinct Cold War vibe.

The plot of “The Ipcress File” is a highlight of the film, the intriguing mystery is brilliantly revealed in a suspenseful and satisfying way.

I don’t have many criticisms with “The Ipcress File”, but there are a couple of aspects to it that did let the film down slightly.

Firstly, this is a film from the 60s, so the pacing is a lot slower than what moviegoers are accustomed to now. I didn’t really mind the more methodical pace, as this isn’t an explosive action movie, but there were a few scenes that could probably have benefited from slightly more momentum.

And secondly, although the cinematography throughout “The Ipcress File” is mostly superb, there are a couple of times when the visuals become a little bit too artsy for their own good. There’s one fight scene in particular that takes place on some stone steps that we watch through an open phone box door. This is a creative idea, but half of the screen is obscured by the blurred red frame of the door, which makes it quite hard to follow what’s going on. This wouldn’t have been an issue if this shot had only lasted for a couple of seconds, but it stays on screen for far too long, which caused me to lose interest momentarily in the sequence.

In summary, “The Ipcress File” is a brilliantly constructed and enthralling spy film with a suitably charismatic Michael Caine in the lead. It may lack the car chases and globe-trotting escapades of James Bond, but it’s still an engrossing watch!