Fifty years ago today the film of Len Deighton's The Ipcress File was premiered in Leicester Square. To celebrate, Deighton's biographer - and friend of the Deighton Dossier - Edward Milward-Oliver has, together with designer Brillo, created a lovely movie infographic about the film including some new insights never before shared.Check out the moviegraphic here and share your thoughts on Twitter using the #ipcress50 hashtag.
Brillo's also produced some little postcards which can be shared on Twitter and are reproduced below.
Tell us - why does The Ipcress File stand the test of time?
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ReplyDeleteI had to remove the previous post to do a few additions and corrections. Apologies.
ReplyDeleteSimon
The strain in the relationship between Sidney Furie and Harry Saltzman was very regrettable. This highlights the confrontational side of Saltzman which had the effect of robbing the film of the due accolade. John Barry said that the iconic “ Diamonds are Forever” title song would have been removed had Saltzman his way and had Albert Broccoli not intervened. Albert Broccoli was not also blameless as he wanted another “famous person “to sing the “Live and Let die” song, recorded by Paul McCartney even though George Martin , the music director said to him that there was no other famous person then better than the Beatle, Paul McCartney!
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to see how the right directors were available to direct “The Ipcress File” and “Dr No” who were able to make the leading men-Michael Caine and Sean Connery, the relatively not well known at that time in different ways, the quintessential screen icons, and ensured that the first films of the two authors’ novels became a thumping success. Sidney Furie was to “The Ipcress File”, what Terence Young was to “Dr NO”. Sidney Furie knew that Michael Caine should be an antithesis of James Bond-a commoner, who every film goer could relate to. Whilst Terence Young, prepared Sean Connery,dressing him in Seville Row suits, teaching him how an upper class navy officer should talk and behave. The contrast very well reflected the contrast between Deighton, who was an ordinary Londoner, and Fleming who was an upper class gentleman. It also highlighted the contrast between how the two respective heroes were perceived in the two novels It was fortuitous that these two excellent directors were available at that time.
If today any one mentions the films of Deighton’s or Fleming’s novels, these two actors come to mind instantly, and the nostalgia takes over. The happy 50th birthdays of “ The Ipcress File” film this year, and of “Dr NO” in 2012, have had the effect of taking me back to those wonderful days in 1960s. There were no DVDs then and hence we had to go to the theatre to watch the films; they were excellent social occasions which were etched in our memories.
Also, as some one who has been working with computers in a professional capacity since early 1960s, nothing gave me greater pleasure than of book smell and the intimacy of holding the book in hand, reading the page many times over ,and turning the page very slowly over. The fact that there was no other medium but the physical book, doubled the pleasure of handling the books. The 50th anniversaries of the two films made from the novels, which I read from the physical books assume singular importance.
Simon
Lingering irritations:
ReplyDeleteThe Ipcress File
Why would the American military invite any low-level British spies to witness a US nuclear test in The Pacific, let alone a suspected double-agent and his secretary/ girlfriend?
Funeral In Berlin
It is impossible to kill a man by firing a skyrocket at him, even if he is holding a bottle of rum.