The Ipcress File (1965)

100% of critics liked it
(23 reviews)
83% of users liked it
(5,820 ratings)

Michael Caine made his first appearance as novelist Len Deighton's bespectacled British-spy Harry Palmer in The Ipcress File. Palmer has no real love of espionage, but he doesn't really know any other life. With studied insolence, he takes on the case of locating missing doctor Radcliffe (Aubrey… More Michael Caine made his first appearance as novelist Len Deighton's bespectacled British-spy Harry Palmer in The Ipcress File. Palmer has no real love of espionage, but he doesn't really know any other life. With studied insolence, he takes on the case of locating missing doctor Radcliffe (Aubrey Richards), who has in his possession a valuable file that would prove injurious to the Free World should it fall in the wrong hands. The government also fears that Radcliffe will be brainwashed by the enemy, as has happened to two previous British scientists. While Palmer is off doing everyone else's dirty work, his superior, Nigel Green, is making a deal with duplicitous information "broker" Frank Gatliff to win Radcliffe's release. The price for this would seem to be Palmer, who is captured by the enemy and subjected to a grueling brainwashing session. Palmer escapes, whereupon he confronts a traitor in his midst in the climactic exchange of gunfire. Advertised as "The Thinking Man's Goldfinger, The Ipcress File offered a far more realistic view of the morally ambivalent world of espionage than did the like-vintage James Bond films. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 48 min.
Directed By: Sidney J. Furie
Written By: Bill Canaway, Len Deighton
Genres: Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense, Classics

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1965 Limited
Studio: Universal Pictures

Critic Reviews

, TIME Magazine
Ipcress proves again that one of the primal pleasures of moviegoing is a tingling, no-nonsense suspense yarn enlivened by honest good humor.
Variety Staff, Variety
Caine skillfully resists any temptation he may have had to pep up the proceedings. In fact, his consistent underplaying adds considerably to the pull of the picture.
Bosley Crowther, New York Times
The Ipcress File is as classy a spy film as you could ask to see.
, Film4
Check out the scene where Caine and Green discuss the merits of button mushrooms and you'll appreciate that, as the actors have an excellent grasp of character, so the screenwriters have a superb eye for detail.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
The best part of the film is Caine's characterization.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Embora inferior a Funeral em Berlim, que contaria com um roteiro melhor, o primeiro filme da série ainda funciona graças à direção de Furie, à atuação irônica de Caine e à forma curiosamente monótona com que o cotidiano da espionagem é retratado.
Carol Cling, Las Vegas Review-Journal
Caine's the coolest anti-007 ever ...
Angie Errigo, Empire Magazine
Caine, Zulu under his belt and Alfie ahead, is the cheeky working class but aspirational bright spark hero par excellence, captured at the exact moment he became a star.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Deighton's plot is a mild headache of deceit and double-dealing that glides stylishly and with much wit around Caine's Sergeant Palmer, a cocky London bachelor and middle-ranking scion of the MoD's counter-espionage department.
Lori Hoffman, Atlantic City Weekly
The coolest secret agent of them all
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]
Caine's star-quality and absolute ease in front of the camera are fully formed.
Matthew Leyland, BBC
Caine in his bespectacled prime...
Dan Lybarger, Nitrate Online
A vintage performance from Caine as anti-Bond Harry Palmer keeps this from becoming a period relic.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Offers a far more authentic view of the morally ambivalent world of espionage than most spy thrillers.

Read all 14 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Mister C

Before Jason Bourne and..... Before Harry Callahan and Popeye Doyle..there was Harry Palmer. Michael Caine made his first appearance as novelist Len Deighton's bespectacled British-spy Harry Palmer in the first of three movies based on this character,and "The Ipcress… More
Before Jason Bourne and..... Before Harry Callahan and Popeye Doyle..there was Harry Palmer. Michael Caine made his first appearance as novelist Len Deighton's bespectacled British-spy Harry Palmer in the first of three movies based on this character,and "The Ipcress File" released in 1965 gave moviegoers an alternative to James Bond in director Sidney J, Furie brilliant espionage thriller that was one of the best of the "spy" genres that dominated the era. Caine unravels a sinister plot to brainwash British scientists in which his own insubordinate nature is his best weapon But the plots themselves are the reason why this film was at the top it's genre and it was an alternative to the James Bond films and other espionage thrillers of the 1960's. Shot and cut in brash,claustrophobic style,this thriller has a dash of 1940's hardboiled noir,while allowing Caine to flash enough suave to make the ladies squirm in their seats. Advertised as the thinking man's "Goldfinger","The Ipcress File" is regarded as a darker version with more violent and harsher overtones.
Pierluigi P

At the rise of the 007 mania, and the effervescence of the swingin' sixties and the new wave, square secret service agent Harry Palmer was born. Most of the same people who gave life to Fleming's spy; including John Barry, Ken Adam and many more; had their hands in this, his… More
At the rise of the 007 mania, and the effervescence of the swingin' sixties and the new wave, square secret service agent Harry Palmer was born. Most of the same people who gave life to Fleming's spy; including John Barry, Ken Adam and many more; had their hands in this, his antithesis. A myopic, expert cook who has to deal with uninteresting tasks of surveillance and piles of paper to fill; thick cockney accents; rigid bureaucratic bosses; and some other dirty businesses going on behind his back. Director Sidney J. Furie injects angular, lavish and noirish camera work; and the old chap Michael Cain is always efficient.
xGary X

Intelligent and perfectly cast 60s spy thriller that's a little too self conciously gimmicky for it's own good, but Caine's on top form, and the brainwashing scene is highly memorable.
Sarah G

Quite an amazing british-spy thriller. Much more realistic than the James Bond franchise,mainly because everything in this film is totallt shot on location in England. And of course Michael Caine as Harry Palmer is excellent. Highly recomended
Barry L

Caine was born to play these roles....Superb