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      The Quiller Memorandum

      1966 1h 45m Mystery & Thriller List
      57% 14 Reviews Tomatometer 60% 1,000+ Ratings Audience Score 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 investigate. There, he begins an affair with Inge Lindt (Senta Berger), a beautiful young teacher. However, their lives are put in danger after Quiller is kidnapped and taken to Phoenix's headquarters, where he meets Oktober (Max von Sydow), the mysterious leader of the group. Read More Read Less

      Audience Reviews

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      nick s A somewhat scrappy attempt at a spy thriller. It wasn't clear what the character's objectives were and the dialogue didn't sound organic. Segal's acting was rather patchy... his drugged state was interspersed with moments of clarity. Unless you particularly like the actors I didn't see much on offer here. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/05/24 Full Review Steve D The thriller forgot to have thrills. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 07/27/23 Full Review G A Fans of 1960s espionage movies are probably the core audience for "The Quiller Memorandum." It's one of several spy thrillers from that era portraying its hero as an expendable cog in the machine and the hero's overlords as detached bureaucrats who don't want to get their hands dirty or have anything interfere with their afternoon tea. This is a film of contrasts and contradictions. It de-glamorizes the spy business while still including some of the tropes that appeared in nearly all spy movies of the time. Interestingly, the villains here are not Soviet agents, as would be expected in a 1960s espionage movie, but rather a clandestine Nazi organization determined to retake Europe. That may seem like an odd choice now, but the film was released only 21 years after World War II's end, at a time when people did worry about such things. The plot's twists and turns are byzantine but nothing revolutionary. There is a lot of low-level thuggery and mundane spycraft. For the most part, however, there is enough to hold a viewer's interest. (The major exception is a segment in the middle--involving drug-induced torture--that seems a bit tedious. The rest of it moves along nicely.) Overall, the production has a slightly off-balance feel, which is quite appropriate for complicated espionage doings. Alec Guinness, George Sanders, and Max von Sydow are all fine, if somewhat perfunctory in their roles. Senta Berger, playing a schoolteacher with an ambiguous past, is fine also, though she is not given much to do. If you like these actors' work elsewhere, you'll probably like it here, too. The real attraction here is George Segal, who plays Quiller, a spy who is at the center of the action and an observer of it. Segal plays the character in a way that gives him a detached, sardonic edge. (Michael Caine's portrayal of Harry Palmer, the main character in "The Ipcress File" and several other movies, is probably the closest to Segal's Quiller.) The low-key approach to the character may seem a bit sleepy at first, but it works exceptionally well with Harold Pinter's screenplay. "The Quiller Memorandum" is a relatively obscure movie that is possibly not something that will be appreciated by everyone. However, for those who want a break from the usual in a 1960s spy movie, it could be just the thing. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/23/23 Full Review xx x Not bad for a Spy thriller but is not as good as some other movies from the same period... Charade... North by Northwest.. etc Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review paul d The Quiller Memorandum is a fine movie, with a fine screenplay by Harold Pinter. As others have written, it's a thinking man's Cold War spy thriller, and is focused on neo-Nazis rather than Communists. It's done in a refreshing, stylized way, yet shot realistically and very well on location in Berlin. George Seagal's Quiller is an unarmed, laconic, sardonic agent and the only American in a sea of Brits and Germans. He is also a loner, which is very frustrating for his handlers and makes him easy prey for his opponents. There are no gadgets and the few chase scenes are realistic and satisfying. Violence and special effects are also limited. Yet there is plenty of tension, sometimes heightened and sometimes released by Quiller's odd humor and laid-back style. The cast is outstanding, especially George Sanders and Alec Guiness in small but very effective roles, and Max von Sydow as a cold-blooded and well-organized neo-Nazi. Senta Berger deserves special praise, here at the height of her beauty and talent, as a mysterious schoolteacher. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review delysid d not bad film but very dry. hypnotic sleep inducing Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/08/19 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Critics Reviews

      View All (14) Critics Reviews
      Pauline Kael The New Republic Even the actors are too big for their purposes here: their talents are out of scale with their roles. Von Sydow is reduced to cracking his knuckles for “characterization.” Sep 19, 2023 Full Review TIME Magazine A B movie, never mind the big budget and the famous names, is exactly what Memorandum is. The plot is generally aimless, the lines are merely cute. Mar 14, 2015 Full Review Variety Staff Variety It relies on a straight narrative storyline, simple but holding, literate dialog and well-drawn characters. May 5, 2008 Full Review Tony Mastroianni Cleveland Press Segal's characterization is something of a puzzle. It is not consistent, is full of mannerisms and is seldom believable. Apr 3, 2019 Full Review MFB Critics Monthly Film Bulletin Spy thrillers depend on constant action and narrative twists, whereas plots and Pinter simply do not mix. Mar 14, 2015 Full Review Tom Hutchinson Radio Times The menace of Harold Pinter's script is marvellously sustained by director Michael Anderson in this espionage thriller, with George Segal giving one of his finest performances. Rated: 4/5 Mar 14, 2015 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis 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 investigate. There, he begins an affair with Inge Lindt (Senta Berger), a beautiful young teacher. However, their lives are put in danger after Quiller is kidnapped and taken to Phoenix's headquarters, where he meets Oktober (Max von Sydow), the mysterious leader of the group.
      Director
      Michael Anderson
      Screenwriter
      Harold Pinter
      Genre
      Mystery & Thriller
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (DVD)
      Nov 7, 2006
      Runtime
      1h 45m