1967 - BILLION DOLLAR BRAIN, third in the Harry Palmer spy series

 The third and last of the Harry Palmer series.  Michael Caine sort of plays the anti James Bond, Harry Palmer.  Palmer wears glasses and is basically a civil servant working for British Intelligence.  The first two films attempted to steer way from the elaborate James Bond type story lines of crazed rich madmen attempting to destroy the world for the most part.

But  Billion Dollar Brain is actually more in line with a James Bond movie fantasy.  The plot concerns a rich American played by Ed Begley in a scenery chewing performance,  attempting to start a revolution that will overthrow Communism.

 The film has a very good cast.  Besides Caine the always reliable Karl Malden plays a sneaky ex CIA agent, Oscar Homolka is Colonel Stok back from the previous Harry Palmer film Funeral In Berlin and the stunning Francoise Dorleac is the sort of love interest.  This was Dorleac's final film, she died in a car accident five weeks later.

 The film was directed by Ken Russell who wasn't particularly interested in the story.  However Russell did a very good job taking what by this time had become a bunch of spy movie cliches and putting a new spin on them.  

 

The photography in Finland is at times stunning and filming in the snow was probably no one's idea of a good time. This is an enjoyable espionage film.

Written by John McGrath running time 111 minutes.