In the mid-60s and early 70s, as an alternative to Bond in world cinema, an increase in the popularity of spy cinema was indicated. This is a series of films about Bond rival Harry Palmer, “Kremlin Letter” by D. Houston, “Case of Suicide” by S. Lumet, “Spy Who Came from the Cold” by M. Ritt and, of course, “Qwilleran Memorandum” (1966) directed by Michael Anderson.
Plot
The story of the Qwilleran Memorandum tape begins with an episode in which a stranger slowly wanders through a nightly West Berlin, lighting a cigarette, and he enters a payphone. A shot sounds right there, they kill him. The victim is the agent of the British intelligence Jones, who is looking for the founders of a neo-Nazi organization operating in the city. His predecessor colleague was also eliminated. A new operative is leaving London for Germany - the American Qwilleran (George Seagal).
Having learned from the laconic resident (Alec Guinness) about Jones' recent actions, Qwilleran decides to take drastic measures. He begins his search for a secret organization by asking people in public places to attract attention. During the investigation, Qwilleran meets an attractive teacher (Zenta Berger), after talking with the girl, the agent faints, and comes to her senses in the villa, where the tall blond October will conduct the interrogation (Max von Syudov).
The rarest specimen
The Qwilleran Memorandum is the rarest spy thriller of the 60s in which the Cold War of the USSR and the USA did not appear in any way. Therefore, the picture was even in the Soviet box office, George Seagal voiced by A. Demyanenko. The feature film is based on the novel by the British writer Elleston Trevor (pseudonym Adam Hall), “The Berlin Memorandum”. He became the first novel in a series of books about Agent Qwilleran. In the original, the spy was an Englishman, why in the movie he became an American in the service of the British government, is unknown.
The future Nobel laureate G. Pinter worked on the script for the Qwilleran Memorandum. His verified dialogues are still considered the height of professionalism. They set the rhythm of the story, affect the atmosphere no less than the musical accompaniment of John Barry. The repetition of remarks, alternating with pauses hanging in the air, the ongoing verbal fights are delightful. Something similar will later be repeated in his manuscripts by Pulitzer Prize winner David Alan Mamet.
Rituals and interests
In the film "Qwilleran Memorandum" there are practically no action scenes in the usual sense for a modern viewer. Qwilleran does not carry weapons, does not use sophisticated spy gadgets. For the author, the main thing is rituals. The leadership of the British intelligence services is constantly drinking tea, when meeting with liaisons or residents there is a code exchange of cigarettes, even if these people do not smoke. Antagonists differ from protagonists only in accent. The Nazis are an absolute evil, Max von Sjudov crunches disgustingly even with his knuckles. But at the same time, the creators are positioning themselves as a worthy adversary, a sort of "German gentleman", an almost mirror copy of Qwilleran. The ominous neo-Nazis do not shout about the millennial Reich and do not raise their hands in a fit. They stare blankly at the throwings of the protagonist. Organization agents are like zombies. Then Qwilleran thinks about the scale of the conspiracy: either he is not at all, or his participants are everywhere.
The thriller “Qwilleran Memorandum” can be safely recommended for viewing to fans of high-quality thoughtful spy movies.