The Quiller Memorandum (1966)

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.

Director:

Michael Anderson

Writers:

Trevor Dudley Smith (based on the novel by) (as Adam Hall), Harold Pinter (screenplay)

Stars:

George Segal, Alec Guinness, Max von Sydow

Nominated for 3 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview:
George Segal	...	Quiller
Alec Guinness	...	Pol
Max von Sydow	...	Oktober
Senta Berger	...	Inge Lindt
George Sanders	...	Gibbs
Robert Helpmann	...	Weng
Robert Flemyng	...	Rushington
Peter Carsten	...	Hengel
Ernst Walder	...	Grauber
Edith Schneider	...	Headmistress
Philip Madoc	...	Oktober's Man (Man with brown trousers)
Günter Meisner	...	Hassler (as Gunter Meisner)
John Rees	...	Oktober's Man (Man with black-rimmed glasses)

Storyline

Two British agents are murdered by a mysterious Neo-Nazi organization in West Berlin. The British Secret Service sends agent Quiller to investigate. 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.

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Plot Keywords:

espionage | neo nazi | cold war | british intelligence | based on novel | 

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Taglines:

Pursuer or Pursued -- he played the most dangerous game in Europe... and he played it alone.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English German

Release Date:

15 December 1966 (USA)

Also Known As:

Quiller Memorandum

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Rank Organisation,Ivan Foxwell Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System) (uncredited)

Color:

Color (DeLuxe) Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The theme music played throughout this movie was recorded by Matt Monro as "Wednesday's Child". The song is playing on the radio in the reception of Quiller's hotel, and appears on several of Monro's albums.

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Goofs

During the car chase scene, the cars behind Segal's Porsche appear and disappear, and are sometimes alongside his car, on the drivers (left) side..

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Quotes

Pol: Let me put it this way. There are two opposing armies drawn up on the field but there's a heavy fog- they can't see each other. Oh, they want to, of course, very much. You are in the gap between them. You can just see us, you can just see them. Your mission is to get near enough to see them, to signal their position to us so giving us the advantage. But if, in signaling their position to us, you inadvertently signal our position to them it is they who will gain a very considerable advantage. ...

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Connections

Featured in Al Murray's Great British Spy Movies (2014)

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Soundtracks

Theme Song - "WEDNESDAY'S CHILD"
Music by John Barry
Lyric by Mack David
Sung by Matt Monro

User Reviews

A good spy movie

Other viewers have said it all: it is a good movie and more interestingly it is a different kind of spy movie. It is credible. The shooting on location in Berlin makes it that much more thrilling.

Good acting. Fantastic last 30 minutes where I have rarely felt so tense so the suspense was intense: great chase in the streets of Berlin but in a different way from James Bond...

Definitely worth seeing. You won't be disappointed.

Final note: there is no stupid romance to spoil the film. The ending in itself contributes to the film's value (you will see).

My vote: 8 / 10.