His romantic interest is Senta Berger, whose understated and laconic dialog provides the perfect counterpoint to Segal's character. 2 decades after the collapse of Nazi Germany, several old guard are planning to (slowly) rebuild. George Segal as Agent Quiller with Inge Lindt (Senta Berger). For my money, the top three cold war spy novelists were Le Carre, Deighton, and Adam Hall. 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 . What is the French language plot outline for The Quiller Memorandum (1966)? When their backs against the wall, its him they turn to. Quiller becomes drowsy from a drug that was injected by the porter at the entrance to the hotel. 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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? Performed by Matt Monro, "Wednesday's Child" was also released as a single. The Quiller Memorandum. 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. The source novel "The Berlin Memorandum" is billed in the credits as being by Adam Hall. He calls Inge and arranges to meet. Quiller awakes in a dilapidated mansion, surrounded by many of the previous incidental characters. Quiller, a British agent who works without gun, cover or contacts, takes on a neo-Nazi underground organization and its war criminal leader. Hassler drives them to meet an old contact he says knows a lot more, who turns out to be Inge's headmistress. American agent Quiller (George Segal) arrives in Berlin and meets with his British handler Pol (Alec Guinness). If your idea of an exciting spy thriller involves boobs, blondes and exploding baguettes, then The Quiller Memorandum is probably not for you. 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). This well-drawn tale of espionage is set in West Berlin, 15 years after the end of WW II. [6], The mainly orchestral atmospheric soundtrack composed by John Barry was released by Columbia in 1966. His job is to locate their headquarters. Watched by Rui Alves de Sousa 04 Jun 2022. Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. Quiller being injected with truth serum by agents of Phoenix. 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. By day, the city is presented so beautifully, it's hard to imagine that such ugly things are going on amidst it. This is a nom de plume for author. The film starred George Segal in the lead role, with Alec Guinness supporting andwas nominated for three BAFTAs. movies. Not terribly audience-friendly, but smart and very, very cool. 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. But don't let it fool you for one minutenor Mr. Segal, nor Senta Berger as the girl. It looks like we don't have any synopsis for this title yet. He recruits Berger to help him infiltrate the Neo-Nazis and discover their base of operations, but, once again, is thwarted. For Quiller, it's a question of staying alive when he's not in possession of all of the facts. Its excellent entertainment. While most realistic spy films of the 60s focused on the Soviet threat, Quiller pits the title character against a group of neo-Nazis. Quiller (played by George Segal) is an American secret agent assigned to work with British MI6 chief Pol ( Alec Guinness) in West Berlin. The protagonist, Quiller, is not a superhuman, like the James Bond types, nor does he have a satchel full of fancy electronic tricks up his sleeve. The casting of George Segal in the lead was a catastrophe, as he is so brash and annoying that one wants to scream. As for the rest of the movie, the plot, acting, and dialog are absolutely atrocious; even the footsteps are dubbed - click, click, click. I wanted to make a list of all the things that are wrong with this film, but I can't - such a list would need much more than a thousand words. The Quiller Memorandum 1966, directed by Michael Anderson | Film review The Quiller Memorandum Film Time Out says The thinking man's spy thriller, in as much as Harold Pinter wrote the script. Adam Hall/Elleston Trevor certainly produces the unexpected. 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.) A few missteps toward the end so that a few of the twists felt thin and not solidly set up, but overall very nicely plotted and written. Hes lone wolf who lives or dies by his own actions a very clean and principled approach to espionage. The British Secret Service sends agent Quiller to investigate. Probably the most famous example of a solid American type playing an Englishman is Clark Gable from Mutiny On The Bounty. 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! 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. [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. 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. Von Sydow (one of the few actors to have recovered from playing Jesus Christ and gone on to a varied and lengthy career) is excellent. I am not saying he was bad in the filmor at least that bad. As usual for films which are difficult to pin down . And considering how terrible its one fight scene is, it's certainly a blessing that it doesn't have any more. The British Secret Service sends agent Quiller to investigate. Omissions? Because the books were written in the first person the reader learns very little about him, beyond his mission capability. 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. 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. There are long stretches of what may have seemed to Pinter like very lively and amusing dialogue (the torture scenes between October and George Segal), but they drag on interminably, and make one want to go to sleep. Analismos este filme no 10. episdio de TRS J COMPANHIA. Quiller's assignment: to discover the location of the neo-Nazi . Want to Read. Dril several holes in it, the size of a pin, one the size of a small coin. Quiller befriends a teacher, Inge Lindt, whose predecessor at the school had been arrested for being a Neo-Nazi. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2021 Crime Fiction Lover. Quiller asks after Jones at the bowling alley without success and the swimming pool manager Hassler tells him spectating is not allowed. 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 Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 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. What will Quiller do? youtu.be/rQ4PA3H6pAw. 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 Quiller Memorandum" is a film with a HUGE strike against it at the outset.they inexplicably cast George Segal as a British spy! The film is ludicrous. Alec Guinness gets to play a Smiley prototype but brings too much Noel Coward to the table. 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. This is an espionage series that started in the '60's and ran through the '90's. Submissions should be for the purpose of informing or initiating a discussion, not just to entertain readers. The Quiller Memorandum book. A spy thriller for chess players. Audiobook. Cue the imposing Max Von Sydow as Nazi head honcho Oktober, whose Swedish accent is inflected with an Elmer Fudd-like speech impedimentthus achieving something like a serviceable German accent. Sort of a mixed effect clouds this novel. Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. And will the world see a return of Nazi power? Hall alsopeppered the text with authentic espionage jargon and as you read you get to live the part of Quiller. Or was she simply a lonely Samaritan who altruistically beds the socially awkward American spy to help prevent a Fourth Reich? Following the few leads his predecessor Jones had accumulated, Quiller finds himself nosing around for clues in the sort of unglamorous places in which Bond would never deign to set footbowling alleys and public swimming pools, especially. Another isQuillers refusal to carry a weapon hebelieves it lends the operative an over-confidence and cangive the opposition an opportunity to turn your firearm against you. His dry but quick Yiddish humor shines through on many occasions, providing diversions that masquerade his underlying desire to expose the antagonists' machinations. 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. I can't NOT begin by saying, "This Is A MUST Read For Every Fan Of The Espionage Genre". It out the quiller? The whole thing, including these two actors, is as hollow as a shell. The movie wants to be more Le Carre than Fleming (the nods to the latter fall flat with a couple of fairly underpowered car-chases and a very unconvincing fight scene when Segal first tries to escape his captors) but fails to make up in suspense what it obviously lacks in thrills. The third to try is Quiller, an unassuming man, who knows he's being put into a deadly game. (UK title). 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). 1966. Segal plays a secret agent assigned to ferret out the headquarters of a Neo-Nazi movement in Berlin. 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. 1966's The Quiller Memorandum is a low-key gem, a pared-down existential spy caper that keeps the exoticism to a minimum. Our hero delivers a running dialogue with his own unconscious mind, assessing the threats, his potential responses, his plans. It relies. Quiller slips out though a side door to the small garage yard where his car is kept. The novels are esoteric thrillers, very cerebral and highly recommended. It is the first book in the 20-volume Quiller series. The friend proves to be Hassler, who is now much more friendly. Quiller, however, escapes, and with Inges help, he discovers the location of Phoenixs headquarters. 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. He steals a taxi, evades a pursuing vehicle and books himself into a squalid hotel. Having just read the novel, it's impossible to watch this without its influence and I found the screen version incredibly disappointing. ): as a result, they were summarily bumped off with stereotypical German precision. His book. 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. Nimble, sharp-toothed and sometimes they have to bite and claw their way out of a dark hole. 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. 1966's The Quiller Memorandum is a low-key gem, a pared-down, existential spy caper that keeps the exoticism to a minimum. This was a great movie and found Quillers character to be excellent. He notices the concierge is seated where he can see anyone leaving. 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. Sadly the Quiller novels have fallen out of favour with the apparentend of the Cold War. The name of the intelligence agency that Quiller ( George Segal) worked for was MI6. Quiller: At the end of our conversation, he ordered them to kill me. Your name is Quiller. Quiller, an agent working for British Intelligence, is sent to Berlin to meet with Pol, another operative. 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. 15 years after the end of WW II. Oktober demands Quiller reveal the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) base by dawn or Inge will be killed. With a screenplay by Harold Pinter and careful direction by Michael Anderson, the movie is more a violent-edged tale of probable, cynical betrayal by everyone we meet, with the main character, Quiller (George Segal), squeezed by those he works for, those he works against and even by the delectable German teacher, Inge Lendt (Senta Berger) he meets. 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). I was really surprised, because I don't usually like books written during the 50s or 60s. The nation remained the home of the best spies. He walks down the same street where Jones was shot, but finds he is followed by Oktober's men. This one makes no exception. Harold Pinter was nominated for an Edgar Award in the Best Motion Picture category, but also didn't win. But admittedly its a tricky business second-guessing his dramatic instincts here. 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. The novel was titled The Berlin Memorandum and at its centre was the protagonist and faceless spy, Quiller. His investigations (and baiting) lead him to a pretty schoolteacher (Berger) who he immediately takes a liking to and who may be of assistance to him in his quest. Hall's truncated writing style contributes to this effect. The story, in the early days of, This week sees the release of Trouble, the third book in the Hella Mauzer series by Katja Ivar. You HAVE been watching it carefully. He is British secret agent Kenneth Lindsay Jones. 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.