Michael Caine plays the British secret agent Harry Palmer for the third time in as many years in “Billion Dollar Brain.” Director Ken Russell (“Women in Love” 1969) keeps a tight ship in this story of a retired Palmer being drawn back into the espionage business with more dangers than ever. John McGrath penned an excellent screenplay, adapted from Len Deighton’s 1966 spy novel of the same name.
The supporting cast includes Karl Malden, Ed Begley, Oskar Homolka, Guy Doleman, and Francoise Dorleac in her final film appearance. This elder sister of Catherine Deneuve was on the brink of stardom when she died in an auto accident in June of 1967, six months before the release of this film in which she played the female lead to Michael Caine.
The watchable “Billion Dollar Brain,” drawing its name from a super computer depicted in the book and in the film, did not do well at the box office or with critics. However, this United Artists release produced by Harry Saltzman, who put together the first nine James Bond movies with Albert Broccoli, is a fun view on DVD today.
Billion Dollar Brain (1967)
cinema
My Review
Michael Caine plays the British secret agent Harry Palmer for the third time in as many years in “Billion Dollar Brain.” Director Ken Russell (“Women in Love” 1969) keeps a tight ship in this story of a retired Palmer being drawn back into the espionage business with more dangers than ever. John McGrath penned an excellent screenplay, adapted from Len Deighton’s 1966 spy novel of the same name.
The supporting cast includes Karl Malden, Ed Begley, Oskar Homolka, Guy Doleman, and Francoise Dorleac in her final film appearance. This elder sister of Catherine Deneuve was on the brink of stardom when she died in an auto accident in June of 1967, six months before the release of this film in which she played the female lead to Michael Caine.
The watchable “Billion Dollar Brain,” drawing its name from a super computer depicted in the book and in the film, did not do well at the box office or with critics. However, this United Artists release produced by Harry Saltzman, who put together the first nine James Bond movies with Albert Broccoli, is a fun view on DVD today.