Thirty years after the film of Len Deighton’s novel The Ipcress File(1965), Michael Caine resurrects his British spy Harry Palmer, first pitched as an off-the-peg rival to the bespoke James Bond.
In this very average made-for-television effort, Palmer has retired from the British Secret Service and is in Russia, working with former KGB agents to prevent North Korea from using a stolen synthesised biological weapon known as Alorax – “The Red Death”.
Michael Gambon plays a Russian magnate and there’s the casting in-joke of Jason Connery as a Russian agent, while Sue Lloyd makes a welcome appearance, reprising her role of Jean from The Ipcress File.
Caine and Connery made a second made-for-TV Palmer movie, Midnight in Saint Petersburg, back-to-back with this one. Sadly, neither film had much success.
Caine later stated that the making of the two telemovies was “my worst professional experience ever” and that he decided to quit acting during the production.
Harry Palmer
Michael Caine Prof. Kulbitsky
Anatoly Kulbitsky Carruthers
Shaughan Seymour Kim
Jason Connery Henrietta
Helena Michell Juliette
Juliette Benson Col. Wilson
Patrick Allen Jean
Sue Lloyd Natasha
Mia Sara Alex
Michael Gambon
