Because the books were written in the first person the reader learns very little about him, beyond his mission capability. But soon he finds that she has been kidnapped and Oktober gives a couple of hours to him to give the location of the site; otherwise Inge and him will be killed. In 1966, the book was made into a successful film starring George Segal, Max Von Sydow, Senta Berger, and Alec Guinness. 42 editions. His book. 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. The characters and dialog are well-written and most roles are nicely acted. From that point of view, the film should be seen by social, architectural, and urban landscape historians. Quiller reaches Pol's secret office in Berlin, one of the top floors in the newly built Europa-Center, the tallest building in the city, and gives them the location of the building where he met Oktober. Is there another film with as many sequences of extended, audible footsteps? When they find, Quiller gives the phone number of his base to Inge and investigates the place. Can someone please explain to me the ending in The Quiller Memorandum The first thing to say about this film is that the screenplay is so terrible. It's a bit strange to see such exquisitely Pinter-esque dialogue (the laconic, seemingly innocuous sentences; the profound silences; the syntax that isn't quite how real people actually talk) in a spy movie, but it really works. The Quiller Memorandum's strengths and charms are perhaps a bit too subtle for a spy thriller, but those who like their espionage movies served up with a sheen of intelligence rather than gloss or mockery will embrace Quiller.Still, there's no denying that that intelligence doesn't go as deep as it thinks it does, which can be frustrating. 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). But Quiller is an equal to a James Bond, or a George Smiley. Thought I'd try again and found this one a bit dated and dry - I will persevere with the series, Adam Hall (one of Elleston Trevor' many pseudonyms) wrote many classic spy stories, and this one is considered one of his best. Quiller goes back to the school and confronts Inge in her classroom. The Berlin Memorandum, or The Quiller Memorandum as it is also known, is the first book in the twenty book Quiller series, written by Elleston Trevor under the pen name of Adam Hall. With what little information the British operatives are able to provide him especially in his most recent predecessor, Kenneth Lindsay Jones, working alone without backup against advice, Quiller decides to take a different but potentially more dangerous tact than those predecessors in showing himself at three places Jones was known to be investigating, albeit in coded terms, as the person who has now taken over the mission from Jones in the probability that the Nazis will try to abduct him for questioning to discover what exactly their opponents know or don't know, and to discover in turn their base of operations in West Berlin. Published chrismass61 Aug 21 2013 She states that she "was lucky, they let me go" and claims she then called the phone number but it did not work. ): as a result, they were summarily bumped off with stereotypical German precision. Its excellent entertainment. Harold Pinter's fairly literate screenplay features . He notices the concierge is seated where he can see anyone leaving. closing theme, This page was last edited on 26 January 2023, at 11:13. In typically British mordant fashion, George Sanders and a fellow staffer in Britain are lunching in London on pheasant, more concerned with the quality of their repast than with the loss of their man in the field! A much better example of a spy novel-to-film adaptation would be Our Man in Havana, also starring Alec Guinness. Quiller drives off, managing to shake Hengel, then notices men in another car following him. After being prevented from using a phone, Quiller makes a run for an elevated train, and thinking he has managed to shake off Oktober's men, exits the other side of the elevated station only to run into them again. The Quiller Memorandum (1966) - IMDb 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. Michael Anderson directs with his usual leaden touch. Quiller leaves, startling the headmistress on the way out. 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). After they have sex, she unexpectedly reveals that a friend was formerly involved with neo-Nazis and might know the location of Phoenix's HQ. In fact, he is derisory about agents who insist on being armed. With George Segal, Alec Guinness, Max von Sydow, Senta Berger. "The Quiller Memorandum" is a film with a HUGE strike against it at the outset.they inexplicably cast George Segal as a British spy! A handful of engaging spy thrillers followed before the author paused his novels to focus on journalism, although its also worth noting that he has freelanced. What a difference to the ludicrous James Helm/Matt Bond (or is it the other way round?) If you have seen this movie, and it leaves you very dissatisfied or with a bunch of bright orange question marks, don't worry ! before he started doing "genial" and reminds us that his previous part was in the heavyweight "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf". First isthe protagonist himself. Mind you, in 1966-67 the Wall was there, East German border guards and a definite (cold war) cloud hanging over the city. The original, primary mission has been completely omitted. They say 'what a pity' with droll indifference as they eat their roast pheasant and take note of which operatives have been killed this week. , . It's not often that one wishes so much for a main character to get killed, especially by NAZI's. The only really interesting thing is the way we're left spoiler: click to read in the end. This was the first book, and I liked it. The film is ludicrous. Other viewers have said it all: it is a good movie and more interestingly it is a different kind of spy movie. Quiller confronts a man who seems to be following him, revealing that he (Quiller) speaks German fluently. Hes lone wolf who lives or dies by his own actions a very clean and principled approach to espionage. Slow-moving Cold War era thriller in the mode of "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold," "The Quiller Memorandum" lacks thrills and fails to match the quality of that Richard Burton classic. The Neo-Nazis want to know the location of British operations and similarly, the British want to know the location of the Neo-Nazis' headquarters. But good enough to hold my interest till the end. A crisply written story that captured my attention from beginning to end. In many ways, it creates mystery through the notion of exploring "mystery" itself. The premise isn't far-fetched, but the details are. The source novel "The Berlin Memorandum" is billed in the credits as being by Adam Hall. Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. It out the quiller? Quiller wakes up beside Berlin's Spree River. 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. Quiller befriends a teacher, Inge Lindt, whose predecessor at the school had been arrested for being a Neo-Nazi. The Quiller Memorandum by Adam Hall | Goodreads In the relationship between Quiller and Inge, Pinter casts just enough ambiguity over the proceedings to allow us plebian moviegoers our small participatory role in the production of meaning. I liked that the main character was ornery and tired and smart and still made mistakes and tried to see all possible outcomes at once and fought more against jumping to conclusions and staying alert and clear-headed than he did directly against the villains themselves. And he sustains the same high level of quality over the course of nineteen books. 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. I also expected just a little more from the interrogation scenes from the man who wrote "The Birthday Party". What will Quiller do? After their first two operatives leading the field mission are assassinated in subsequent order, the British Secret Service recruit Quiller, an American agent, to continue to lead that field operation, namely to discover the base of operations of a new Nazi organization in West Berlin, they whose general members hide in plain sight in blending in with all walks of West German society. CIS: The Quiller Memorandum revisited | Crime Fiction Lover Clumsy thriller. BFI Screenonline: Quiller Memorandum, The (1966) Synopsis The Quiller Memorandum subtitles | 36 subtitles The burning question for Quiller is, how close is too close? This reactionary quake in the spy genre was brief but seismic all the same. He is British secret agent Kenneth Lindsay Jones. Quiller's assignment is to take over where Jones left off. Movie Info After two British Secret Intelligence Service agents are murdered at the hands of a cryptic neo-Nazi group known as Phoenix, the suave agent Quiller (George Segal) is sent to Berlin to. Pol tells Quiller the fascist underground is far more organized and powerful in Germany than people believe. 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. 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. 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). En route he has some edgy adventures. Quiller continues his subtle accusations, and Inge continues her denial of ever meeting Jones. The Quiller Memorandum (1966) - Turner Classic Movies Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. His understated (and at times simply wooden) performance here can be a tough sell when set against the more expressive comedic persona he cultivated in offbeat 1970s comedies like Blume in Love, The Owl and the Pussycat, Wheres Poppa?, California Spilt, and Fun With Dick and Jane. Segal is an unusual actor to be cast as a spy, but his quirky approach and his talent for repartee do assist him in retaining interest (even if its at the expense of the character as originally conceived in the source novels.) The Quiller Memorandum is based on Adam Hall's thriller novel about neo-Nazism in contemporary Germany. 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. This was a great movie and found Quillers character to be excellent. In the mid-Sixties, the subgenre of the James Bond backlash film was becoming a crowded market. The Quiller Memorandum. I've not put together a suite before so hopefully it works.Barry's short (35mins) if atmospheric score for the Cold War thriller The Quiller Memorandum, 1966. After two British agents are killed while investigating Phoenix, a neo-Nazi group, Quiller is tasked with finding the organizations leader. Can someone explain it to me? I enjoyed the book. 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. Sort of a mixed effect clouds this novel. Quiller meets his controller for this mission, Pol, at Berlin's Olympia Stadium, and learns that he must find the headquarters of Phoenix, a neo-Nazi organization. His two predecessors were killed off in their attempts, but he nevertheless proceeds with headstrong (perhaps even bullheaded) confidence without the aid of cover or even a firearm! It was nominated for three BAFTA Awards,[2] while Pinter was nominated for an Edgar Award for the script. (What with wanting to go to sleep and wanting to scream at the same time, this film does pose certain conflict problems.) I can't NOT begin by saying, "This Is A MUST Read For Every Fan Of The Espionage Genre". A bit too sardonic at times, I think his character wanted to be elsewhere, clashing with KGB agents instead of ferreting out neo-nazis. The Quiller Memorandum is a film adaptation of the 1965 spy novel The Berlin Memorandum, by Trevor Dudley-Smith, screenplay by Harold Pinter, directed by Michael Anderson, featuring George Segal, Max von Sydow, Senta Berger and Alec Guinness.The film was shot on location in West Berlin and in Pinewood Studios, England.The film was nominated for 3 BAFTA Awards, while Pinter was nominated for an . 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. As for the rest of the movie, the plot, acting, and dialog are absolutely atrocious; even the footsteps are dubbed - click, click, click. 15 years after the end of WW II. Soon after his amorous encounter with Inge, Quiller is drugged on the street by a crafty hypodermic-wielding operative and wakes up in a seedy basement full of stern-looking Nazis in business attire. The Quiller Memorandum (1966) - Plot Summary - IMDb Agent Quiller is relaxing in a Berlin theater the night before returning to London and rest after a difficult assignment when he is accosted by Pol, another British agent, with a new, very important assignment. Updates? You are a secret agent working for the British in Berlin. The novel was titledThe Berlin Memorandum and at its centre was the protagonist and faceless spy, Quiller. - BH. I can see where some might find it more exhausting than anything else, though--he does get tired :). Newer. The setting is Cold War-divided Berlin where Quiller tackles a threat from a group of neo-Nazis who call themselves Phoenix. Oktober informs Quiller that if he does not disclose secret information this time, both he and Inge will be killed. Quiller is surprised to learn that no women were found. Inge tells him she loves him, and he tells her a phone number to call if he is not back in 20 minutes. The Wall Street Journal said it was one of the best espionage/spy series of all time. His Oktober does, however, serve as a one-man master class in hyperironic cordiality: Ah, Quiller! And considering how terrible its one fight scene is, it's certainly a blessing that it doesn't have any more. At lunch in an exclusive club in London, close to Buckingham Palace, the directors of an unnamed agency, Gibbs and Rushington, decide to send American agent Quiller to continue the assignment, which has now killed two agents. 1966. Performed by Matt Monro, "Wednesday's Child" was also released as a single. Quiller, however, escapes, and with Inges help, he discovers the location of Phoenixs headquarters. No one really cared that Gable did not even attempt an English accent the film was that good. Like Harry Palmer, Quiller is a stubborn individualist who has some rather inflated ideas of being his own man and is contemptuous of his controlling stuffed-shirt overlords. People tend to like it because "it's not like the Bond movies"; well, it's not - it's like "The Ipcress File", except that "The Ipcress File" was a genuinely smart and atmospheric movie, while "The Quiller Memorandum" is a clumsy, dated spy thriller full of pseudo-hip dialogue and plot holes. 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. Composer Barry provides an atmospheric score (though one that is somewhat of a departure from the notes and instruments used in his more famous pieces), but silence is put to good use as well. THE SITE FOR DIE HARD CRIME & THRILLER FANS. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Also the increasing descent into the minutiae of spycraft plays into the reveal, plot-wise as well as psychologically. Quiller becomes drowsy from a drug that was injected by the porter at the entrance to the hotel. I listened to the audio version narrated by Andrew B Wehrlen and found it an utterly engaging tale. As explained by his condescending boss Pol (Alec Guinness), Quillers two unfortunate predecessors were getting too close to exposing the subterranean neo-Nazi cell known as Phoenix (get it? Segals laconic, stoop-shouldered Quiller is a Yank agent on loan to the British government to replace the latest cashiered Anglo operative in West Berlin. It is credible. Conveniently for Quiller, shes also the only teacher there whos single and looks like a Bond girl. Dril several holes in it, the size of a pin, one the size of a small coin. Twist piles upon twist , as a British agent becomes involved in a fiendishly complicated operation to get a dangerous ringleader and his menacing hoodlums . All of that, and today the novels are largely forgotten. 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.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.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. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 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? . Very eerie film score, I believe John Barry did it but, I'm not sure. This time he's a spy trying to get the location of a neo-Nazi organization. The Quiller Memorandum (1966) - IMDb As such, it was deemed to be in the mode of The Ipcress File (1965) and The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965). I enjoyed this novel just as much (if not more) as the previous books that I have read, and I will certainly be purchasing any further Quiller novels that I come across in my exploration of second-hand bookshops. The British Secret Service sends agent Quiller to investigate. Don't start thinking you missed something: it's the screenplay who did ! Alec Guinness plays spymaster Pol, Quillers minder. Writing in The Guardian, playwright David Hare described Pinters strengths as a dramatist perfectly: In the spare, complicated screenwriting of Pinter, yes, no and maybe become words which do a hundred jobs. Unfortunately, when it comes to the use of language in Quiller, less does not always function as more. When their backs against the wall, its him they turn to. A highly unusual and stimulating approach that draws us into the story. I read a few of these many years ago when they first came out. The photo shows a man in Luftwaffe (airforce) uniform. Alec Guinness is excellent as a spy chief, and he gives a faint whiff of verisimilitude to this hopeless film. ago Just watched it. Read 134 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. The shooting on location in Berlin makes it that much more thrilling. Write by: The Quiller Memorandum is a 1966 British neo noir eurospy film filmed in Deluxe Color and Panavision, adapted from the 1965 spy novel The Berlin Memorandum, by Elleston Trevor under the name "Adam Hall", screenplay by Harold Pinter, directed by Michael Anderson, featuring George Segal, Alec Guinness, Max von Sydow and Senta Berger. See for instance DANDY IN ASPIC too, sooo complex and fascinating in the same time. The latter reveals a local teacher has been unmasked as a Nazi. This books has excellent prose, unrealistic scenes, and a mediocre plot. He also works alone and without contacts. I found it an interesting and pleasant change of pace from the usual spy film, sort of in the realm of The Spy Who Came in From the Cold (but not quite as good). The Quiller Memorandum Cineaste Magazine A satisfyingly cynical spy thriller with George Segal, Alec Guinness and Max Von Sydow; and a script by Harold Pinter, Decent and interesting spy thriller with great cast and impressive musical score by John Barry in his usual style. Set largely on location in West Berlin, it has George Segal brought back from vacation to replace a British agent who has come to a sticky end at the hands of a new infiltrating group of Nazis. Quiller avoids answering Oktober's questions about Quiller's agency, until a doctor injects him with a truth serum, after which he reveals a few minor clues. Sadly, Von Sydows formidable acting chops are never seriously challenged here, and his lines are limited to fairly standard B-movie Euro-villain speak. As usual for films which are difficult to pin down . Alec Guiness and George Sanders have brief roles as Segal's Control and Home Office head, respectively, and both rather coldly and matter-of-factly pooh-pooh over the grisly death of Segal's agent predecessor. As a consequence I was left in some never-never land and always felt I was watching actors in a movie and never got involved. Really sad. He begins openly asking question about Neo-Nazis and is soon kidnapped by a man known only as "Oktober". Quiller slips out though a side door to the small garage yard where his car is kept. When drug-induced questioning fails to produce results, Segal is booted to the river, but he isn't quite ready to give in yet. They have lots of information about the film, but inexplicably take ten minutes to explain how the Cold War conflict between Communism and Capitalism relates to . I too read the Quiller novels years ago and found them thrilling and a great middle ground between the super-spy Bond stories and the realism of Le Carre. He brings graceful authority and steely determination to his role. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2021 Crime Fiction Lover. Have read a half dozen or so other "Quiller" books, so when I saw that Hoopla had this first story, I figured I should give it a listen to see how Quiller got started. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. AKA: Ivan Foxwell's the Quiller Memorandum, Quiller, Quiller Memorandum, Ian Foxwell's The Quiller Memorandum, Ivan Foxwell's Production The Quiller Memorandum. The Quiller Memorandum, British-American spy film, released in 1966, that was especially noted for the deliberately paced but engrossing script by playwright Harold Pinter. They don't know how to play it, it's neither enjoyable make-believe like the James Bond movies, nor is it played for real like "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold." A spy thriller for chess players. That makes the story much more believable, and Adam Hall's writing style kept me engaged. In the process, he discovers a complex and malevolent plot, more dangerous to the world than any crime committed during the war. Don't bother watching it, except to see the many scenes shot on location in West Berlin at that time, with its deserted streets and subdued mood. Kindle Edition. Harold Pinter was nominated for an Edgar Award in the Best Motion Picture category, but also didn't win. George Segal is a fine and always engaging actor, but the way his character is written here, he doesn't really come across as "a spy who gets along by his brains and not by his brawn"; he seems interested almost exclusively in the girl he meets, not in the case he's investigating, and (at least until the end) he seems to survive as a result of a combination of his good luck and the stupidity of the villains. Hall is not trying be a Le Carre, hes in a different area, one he really makes his own. He is shot dead by an unseen gunman. These include another superior soundtrack by John Barry, if perhaps a little too much son-of "The Ipcress File", some fine real-life (West) Berlin exteriors, particularly of the Olympic Stadium with its evocation of 1936 and all that and Harold Pinter's typically rhythmic, if at times inscrutable screenplay. Older ; About; Having just read the novel, it's impossible to watch this without its influence and I found the screen version incredibly disappointing. [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. Fresh off an Oscar nomination for the mental anguish he suffered at the hands of Richard Burton and Liz Taylor in Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf (also 1966), George Segal seems, in hindsight, a dubious choice to play the offbeat Quiller. What is the French language plot outline for The Quiller Memorandum (1966)? He steals a taxi, evades a pursuing vehicle and books himself into a squalid hotel. Drama. Read more 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. The film was shot on location in West Berlin and in Pinewood Studios, England. Quiller, a British agent who works without gun, cover or contacts, takes on a neo-Nazi underground organization and its war criminal leader. Max von Sydow as a senior post-War Nazi conspirator over-acts and is way out of control, Anderson being so hopeless and just a bystander who can have done no directing at all. It looks like we don't have any synopsis for this title yet. The film is a spy-thriller set in 1960s West Berlin, where agent Quiller is sent to investigate a neo-Nazi organisation. Hassler drives them to meet an old contact he says knows a lot more, who turns out to be Inge's headmistress. Although competing against a whole slew of other titles in the spies-on-every-corner vein, the novel, "The Quiller Memorandum" was amazingly successful in book stores. Quiller then returns to his hotel, followed by the men who remain outside. Theres a humanity to Quiller that is unique in this type of action spy thriller. The Quiller Memorandum was based on a novel by Elleston Trevor (under the name Adam Hall). Adam Hall's 1966 Edgar Winner: The Quiller Memorandum - Criminal Element Oktober reveals they are moving base the next day and that they have captured Inge. The Quiller Memorandum: Directed by Michael Anderson. The Quiller Memorandum 1966, directed by Michael Anderson | Film review The Chief of the Secret Service Pol (Alec Guinness) summons the efficient agent Quiller (George Segal) to investigate the location of organization's headquarter. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Quiller enters the mansion and is confronted by Phoenix thugs. This is a nom de plume for author. His virtual army of nearly silent, oddball henchmen add to the flavor of paranoia and nervousness.