The Quiller Memorandum **** (1966, George Segal, Max von Sydow, Alec Guinness, Senta Berger, George Sanders, Robert Helpmann) – Classic Movie Review 5129

Director Michael Anderson’s excellent, engrossing and exciting 1966 British espionage thriller The Quiller Memorandum stars George Segal as American spy Quiller, who is sent to West Berlin by the British Secret Service to investigate a mysterious Neo-Nazi organisation, led by Oktober (Max Von Sydow), after two British agents are killed.

Harold Pinter writes the distinguished screenplay, based on the 1965 novel The Berlin Memorandum by Elleston Trevor, writing as Adam Hall. He was nominated for an Edgar Award in the Best Motion Picture category, but did not win. Three BAFTA Award nominations (Best Art Direction, Film Editing and Screenplay) did not win either.

The top-line cast, Pinter’s engagingly enigmatic script, Erwin Hillier’s striking photography in Deluxe Color and Panavision, John Barry’s distinctive score and the atmospheric Berlin locations are among the film’s very many virtues that easily outweigh a few small downsides like the feeble heroine Inge Lindt, blandly played by Senta Berger, and Anderson’s rather plodding (though workmanlike) direction.

The Quiller Memorandum (1966, George Segal).

The young Segal is at his sardonic, mocking, cynical best, von Sydow adds gravity (though he understandably hated being typecast as movie Nazis) and Alec Guinness cuts an impressive figure, too, as Pol, the dry spymaster explaining MI5 tactics with the aid of currant cakes!

This first-rate movie perfectly conjures up the mood of its era and is one of the best of the wave of serious Sixties spy thrillers.

Also in the cast are George Sanders, Robert Helpmann, Robert Flemyng, Peter Carsten, Philip Madoc, Edith Schneider, Günther Meisner, Ernst Walder and John Rees.

The Quiller Memorandum premiered on 10 November 1966 at the Odeon Leicester Square, London. It was shot on location in West Berlin and at Pinewood Studios, England.

The main theme ‘Wednesday’s Child’ (lyrics: Mack David) was released as a single, performed by Matt Monro. The soundtrack album composed by John Barry was released by Columbia in 1966. ‘Downtown’ (composed by Tony Hatch) is also on the album.

It was popular, but costly and made a a marginal loss till TV and home video sales moved it into profit.

The cast are George Segal as Quiller, Alec Guinness as Pol, Max von Sydow as Oktober, Senta Berger as Inge Lindt, George Sanders as Gibbs, Robert Helpmann as Weng, Robert Flemyng as Rushington, Peter Carsten as Hengel, Edith Schneider as Headmistress, Günter Meisner as Hassler, Philip Madoc as Oktober’s Man, Ernst Walder and John Rees.

The Quiller Memorandum runs 105 minutes, is made by Ivan Foxwell Productions, and is released by Rank Film Distributors.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5129

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The Quiller Memorandum (1966, Max von Sydow).