R.I.P. Len Deighton

[Killjoy]

Len Deighton, spy novelist and author of The Ipcress File, dies aged 97

Len Deighton, the British author whose subversive spy novels helped redefine the genre in the 1960s, has died aged 97.

Recently purchased The Ipcress File and Funeral In Berlin for pennies at a used book sale. Ipcress File was thoroughly entertaining.
There are supposedly 2 more works in the "Harry Palmer" series which I'm going to look for.

Also read
Fighter: The True Story of the Battle of Britain, an interesting account.
SS-GB, fictional work in which Nazi Germany has invaded and conquered the UK. Plot centers around the investigation of a murder which draws a Scotland Yard inspector into webs of intrigue involving everything from secret nuclear research data both the resistance & nazis seek to get their hands on to a plot to smuggle the captive King of England out of Britain.
Declarations of War, 13 short stories spanning the years from WW1 to the Vietnam War.

 

[exchemist]

Len Deighton, spy novelist and author of The Ipcress File, dies aged 97



Recently purchased The Ipcress File and Funeral In Berlin for pennies at a used book sale. Ipcress File was thoroughly entertaining.
There are supposedly 2 more works in the "Harry Palmer" series which I'm going to look for.

Also read
Fighter: The True Story of the Battle of Britain, an interesting account.
SS-GB, fictional work in which Nazi Germany has invaded and conquered the UK. Plot centers around the investigation of a murder which draws a Scotland Yard inspector into webs of intrigue involving everything from secret nuclear research data both the resistance & nazis seek to get their hands on to a plot to smuggle the captive King of England out of Britain.
Declarations of War, 13 short stories spanning the years from WW1 to the Vietnam War.

The Ipcress File is one of the favourite films of my son and myself, leading to a number of family catchphrases: “Close the door Palmer”, “Very good tea”, “yours is the blue Zodiac”, etc. Any bald guy with a thick neck is likely to be dubbed “Housemartin”. And so on. There’s a wonderful downbeat, postwar British vibe to the film. Though actually the hyper-British, bowler-hatted Colonel Ross is played by a NZ actor, Guy Doleman.

 

[exchemist]

There is a very good 20min interview here with Michael Caine about the making of The Ipcress File.

Caine is obviously a highly intelligent and articulate person and an engagingly modest man. He conveys a lot of interesting information about how the film was made, the characters involved and what it did for him. There's also an acute observation about how important music is in film (Ipcress File had the brilliant John Barry, who also wrote the James Bond theme) and a rather penetrating insight about how the culture of the 1960s represented an emancipation of working class Britain. I think it's well worth a watch if you like the film and can spare 20mins.

 

[Sarkus]

"Now, listen to me. Listen to me."

Read a couple of his books. Can't really recall them, but probably more 'cos they're not my usual fare rather than any other reason. The Ipcress File is a cracking film, though. I quite often watch it when it's doing the rounds and I need some noise in the background.

Not fussed about the other Palmer movies, though.

 

[exchemist]

"Now, listen to me. Listen to me."

Read a couple of his books. Can't really recall them, but probably more 'cos they're not my usual fare rather than any other reason. The Ipcress File is a cracking film, though. I quite often watch it when it's doing the rounds and I need some noise in the background.

Not fussed about the other Palmer movies, though.

Yes, "Listen to me" is another catchphrase.

Funeral in Berlin is quite good, but Billion Dollar Brain is not at the same level. Though the General Midwinter character, thinking he is doing the work of Almighdy GAAHD, is proving to to be alarmingly accurate(!) and the final scene on the ice, taken from Eisenstein's Alexander Nevsky, is also a great idea.

Anyway I agree: Ipcress File is the one I never tire of watching. Caine makes a fascinating observation about the cinematography. A great deal of the camera work is done as if the viewer is observing - in effect spying on - the actors, which adds to the atmosphere.