Harry Palmer returns

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  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,861
    So he's wearing the raincoat too: going full Palmer! :)
  • edited March 2021 Posts: 17,241
    mtm wrote: »
    So he's wearing the raincoat too: going full Palmer! :)

    The wardrobe looks spot on in the images we've seen so far!
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,861
    Yes, I quite like that they're not shying away from invoking the Caine version- why not have a bit of fun and do it fully?
  • Posts: 17,241
    Indeed. They could easily have stayed away from the Caine version, but it looks like they are going with it – which is great to see, IMO.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited March 2021 Posts: 14,861
    Yes, someone put an old letter up on Twitter today from Brian Clemens where they were asking him what his thoughts were on the failure of the Avengers movie in '98, and one thing he said was that he would have had Steed only pick up a bowler hat at the end of the movie and try it on then. That movie had a lot of problems, but if they hadn't had Steed in a bowler then they would have been a bit mad! :)

    Funnily enough I can't recall Caine's version of Harry wearing the raincoat with a black rollneck as Cole's Harry is here, however one person who did...

    ExgQSncWUAAneAl?format=jpg&name=small
  • edited March 2021 Posts: 17,241
    mtm wrote: »
    Yes, someone put an old letter up on Twitter today from Brian Clemens where they were asking him what his thoughts were on the failure of the Avengers movie in '98, and one thing he said was that he would have had Steed only pick up a bowler hat at the end of the movie and try it on then. That movie had a lot of problems, but if they hadn't had Steed in a bowler then they would have been a bit mad! :)

    Funnily enough I can't recall Caine's version of Harry wearing the raincoat with a black rollneck as Cole's Harry is here, however one person who did...

    ExgQSncWUAAneAl?format=jpg&name=small

    Steed without a bowler would have been really strange! Have yet to see the '98 film, but from what I've read and heard, it's not a must watch.

    I can't remember Palmer wearing a roll-neck in The Ipcress File, but we do see him wearing one in Funeral in Berlin.



    The one in the photos above is a better match with the Paul Whitehouse one though. :-)
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited March 2021 Posts: 14,861
    Ah yes! Aargh that makes me want to watch Funeral now :)

    Yes, don’t rush to see The Avengers :) It has its moments and annoyingly you can sort of imagine a good version as you watch it. Fiennes is certainly a better M than he is Steed though!
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited March 2021 Posts: 17,727
    mtm wrote: »
    Yes, someone put an old letter up on Twitter today from Brian Clemens where they were asking him what his thoughts were on the failure of the Avengers movie in '98, and one thing he said was that he would have had Steed only pick up a bowler hat at the end of the movie and try it on then. That movie had a lot of problems, but if they hadn't had Steed in a bowler then they would have been a bit mad! :)

    Funnily enough I can't recall Caine's version of Harry wearing the raincoat with a black rollneck as Cole's Harry is here, however one person who did...

    ExgQSncWUAAneAl?format=jpg&name=small

    Steed without a bowler would have been really strange! Have yet to see the '98 film, but from what I've read and heard, it's not a must watch.

    I can't remember Palmer wearing a roll-neck in The Ipcress File, but we do see him wearing one in Funeral in Berlin.



    The one in the photos above is a better match with the Paul Whitehouse one though. :-)

    I have to say that I love that scene in Colonel Ross's garden in Funeral in Berlin. There's something quite brilliant about the dialogue in it in particular. I enjoy the contrariness of Colonel Ross liking weeds and Palmer's typically sarcastic answers. I believe it also features in the original novel too though I think Dawlish is his boss there. I have an urge now to dig out my DVD of Funeral in Berlin. I've always liked that film since seeing it on DVD in 2005. In fact it was the first DVD I watched on my first new DVD player that year. It's the most serious espionage story of the three 1960s Harry Palmer films and pretty bleak too in its Cold War Berlin setting with all the duplicity that entails from both sides, even the supposedly allied Israeli side. And of course it was directed by our own Guy Hamilton which is a nice Bond link too. I think it's probably the most faithful to the novel of the three Palmer films. @mtm has alerted me to the fact that the films are now available on Blu-ray so I really must upgrade my DVD copies which includes the Special Edition DVD of The Ipcress File which I bought on the day of its release back in January 2006!

    I'm really looking forward to this new TV adaptation of The Ipcress File as a big Harry Palmer fan. I'm quite encouraged by the pictures we've seen so far. I really hope they do it justice.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,861
    I know what you mean about the dialogue: that little touch his wife says "Mini's had a nervous breakdown"; it's always stuck with me because it actually feels real, if you know what I mean :) I think it's just the way she doesn't use the definite article. Strange to focus on that, I know!
  • edited March 2021 Posts: 17,241
    mtm wrote: »
    Ah yes! Aargh that makes me want to watch Funeral now :)

    Yes, don’t rush to see The Avengers :) It has its moments and annoyingly you can sort of imagine a good version as you watch it. Fiennes is certainly a better M than he is Steed though!

    Same here, haha! It's right up there with Ipcress, IMO. The only thing missing, is Sidney J. Furie's stylish direction (not that there's anything wrong with Guy Hamilton's effort, mind!)

    The Avengers seems like a film I will eventually watch, but I'll keep my expectations low :-)

    Dragonpol wrote: »
    mtm wrote: »
    Yes, someone put an old letter up on Twitter today from Brian Clemens where they were asking him what his thoughts were on the failure of the Avengers movie in '98, and one thing he said was that he would have had Steed only pick up a bowler hat at the end of the movie and try it on then. That movie had a lot of problems, but if they hadn't had Steed in a bowler then they would have been a bit mad! :)

    Funnily enough I can't recall Caine's version of Harry wearing the raincoat with a black rollneck as Cole's Harry is here, however one person who did...

    ExgQSncWUAAneAl?format=jpg&name=small

    Steed without a bowler would have been really strange! Have yet to see the '98 film, but from what I've read and heard, it's not a must watch.

    I can't remember Palmer wearing a roll-neck in The Ipcress File, but we do see him wearing one in Funeral in Berlin.



    The one in the photos above is a better match with the Paul Whitehouse one though. :-)

    I have to say that I love that scene in Colonel Ross's garden in Funeral in Berlin. There's something quite brilliant about the dialogue in it in particular. I enjoy the contrariness of Colonel Ross liking weeds and Palmer's typically sarcastic answers. I believe it also features in the original novel too though I think Dawlish is his boss there. I have an urge now to dig out my DVD of Funeral in Berlin. I've always liked that film since seeing it on DVD in 2005. In fact it was the first DVD I watched on my first new DVD player that year. It's the most serious espionage story of the three 1960s Harry Palmer films and pretty bleak too in its Cold War Berlin setting with all the duplicity that entails from both sides, even the supposedly allied Israeli side. And of course it was directed by our own Guy Hamilton which is a nice Bond link too. I think it's probably the most faithful to the novel of the three Palmer films. @mtm has alerted me to the fact that the films are now available on Blu-ray so I really must upgrade my DVD copies which includes the Special Edition DVD of The Ipcress File which I bought on the day of its release back in January 2006!

    I'm really looking forward to this new TV adaptation of The Ipcress File as a big Harry Palmer fan. I'm quite encouraged by the pictures we've seen so far. I really hope they do it justice.

    Yes, it's a great little scene between the two (all of them are really), and as far as I remember, it's also features in the novel. The film does stick closer to the novel than Ipcress does, and it does it well, IMO.

    I've yet to upgrade my DVDs as well. I watch all three films once a year, which is a good enough reason to make the upgrade to Blu-ray. The BR release of Funeral in Berlin looks quite recent; it's a shame we haven't had a release sooner!

    ____

    More recent photos:






  • GadgetManGadgetMan Lagos, Nigeria
    edited March 2021 Posts: 4,247
    I don't know, maybe I would be surprised. The reason I haven't commented about the film itself is, maybe I'm wrong, but I find Joe Cole's casting a bit unconventional. Not that it's terrible casting. It's just that you can't immediately point at Joe Cole in a room and say that's Harry Palmer, like you would point at Benedict Cumberbatch and say 'Yeah! that's Palmer'. I don't know if anyone feels the same.
  • Posts: 1,545
    Apologies -- I don't know how to insert an image, but suggest you check either online or on Instagram for the iconic Iris Apfel, who has has kept the dark-framed glasses look alive...albeit somewhat differently...all these years. Perhaps they should have lined her up to portray Harry's mom.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,861
    GadgetMan wrote: »
    I don't know, maybe I would be surprised. The reason I haven't commented about the film itself is, maybe I'm wrong, but I find Joe Cole's casting a bit unconventional. Not that it's terrible casting. It's just that you can't immediately point at Joe Cole in a room and say that's Harry Palmer, like you would point at Benedict Cumberbatch and say 'Yeah! that's Palmer'. I don't know if anyone feels the same.

    Cumberbatch? I can’t see that at all to be honest: for one thing he’s posh, which Harry mustn’t be.
  • GadgetManGadgetMan Lagos, Nigeria
    edited March 2021 Posts: 4,247
    mtm wrote: »
    GadgetMan wrote: »
    I don't know, maybe I would be surprised. The reason I haven't commented about the film itself is, maybe I'm wrong, but I find Joe Cole's casting a bit unconventional. Not that it's terrible casting. It's just that you can't immediately point at Joe Cole in a room and say that's Harry Palmer, like you would point at Benedict Cumberbatch and say 'Yeah! that's Palmer'. I don't know if anyone feels the same.

    Cumberbatch? I can’t see that at all to be honest: for one thing he’s posh, which Harry mustn’t be.

    Oh, yeah, True...he's posh, much like Tom Hiddleston and Yeah, Palmer is more of a frugal guy. But I just meant looking at an actor of that ilk, like presence I mean. Not necessarily Cumberbatch though.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,861
    Yes, that's fair enough. I think Cole is a pretty strong choice though, a star on the rise.
  • GadgetManGadgetMan Lagos, Nigeria
    Posts: 4,247
    mtm wrote: »
    Yes, that's fair enough. I think Cole is a pretty strong choice though, a star on the rise.

    Yeah. He's a star on the rise. He could still pull it off though.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited March 2021 Posts: 14,861
    There's one part I do have Cumberbatch down for though: Lord Brett Sinclair :)

    lord-brett-sinclair-radio-vl.jpg
  • GadgetManGadgetMan Lagos, Nigeria
    edited March 2021 Posts: 4,247
    mtm wrote: »
    There's one part I do have Cumberbatch down for though: Lord Brett Sinclair :)

    lord-brett-sinclair-radio-vl.jpg

    Oh, Yeah. That would suit him very much. I wonder if there are plans to resurrect The Persuaders!...It was a fun show.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,861
    I think Steve Coogan bought the rights years ago and has been trying to get a version off the ground but it never seems to happen. Hopefully one day, I think it could be fun.
  • GadgetManGadgetMan Lagos, Nigeria
    Posts: 4,247
    Oh, that's nice. Yeah, hopefully, one day.
  • edited March 2021 Posts: 440
    The Persuaders always struck me as being one of the more obvious spy shows to turn into a big-budget American movie.

    Probably because it was produced by a company that created shows pretty directly aimed at the US market.

    Hire a good action director with solid comic timing, and cast Benedict Cumberbatch as Lord Sinclair and Leonardo DiCaprio as Danny Wilde; instant box office smash.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited March 2021 Posts: 14,861
    Plus it's not as if there's a story you really have to be hugely faithful to: as long as you have the two of them doing a bit of lighthearted buddy cop stuff there's pretty much anywhere you could go with it. That it would be about two super-rich guys maybe makes it a bit dated, but I guess that's what the Marvel or Bond films are still doing so it's not impossible.

    Danny is a tricky one. Downey Jr would have been perfect (and even works with Cumberbatch well) but it would basically just be Tony Stark 2 so not really something he'd be likely to do. I might go... Jamie Foxx? Will Smith would be good but maybe knocking on a bit to be a playboy.
  • edited March 2021 Posts: 17,241
    I think that a modern take on The Persuaders! might feel a little bit dated, having two super-rich playboys doing buddy cop stuff (like @mtm mentions above) – unless they find a clever way of doing/writing it. A period piece in the same style as U.N.C.L.E on the other hand, that could work, IMO.
  • Posts: 1,545
    People are rather likely to avoid the style and EVERYTHING ELSE about the recent film of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. It was a FLOP at the box office. Great cast ! and yet...boom, right on its face. I'd not be surprised were that alone quite enough reason that Henry Cavill would not get cast as Bond. The script, etc. were not his responsibility, sure, but he already was cast as and portrayed a British spy created by Ian Fleming, set right there in the 1960s, and people stayed away in droves.
  • edited March 2021 Posts: 17,241
    Good points @Since62, but I don't think a lighthearted period film in the style of U.N.C.L.E would necessarily be a flop even if that film didn't deliver though, especially if it's a title made for streaming (a Netflix Original for example) rather than cinema.

    It will be interesting to see what buzz Ipcress gets once it's released. I hope it does well enough to make other Deighton adaptations a possibility.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited March 2021 Posts: 14,861
    I do kind of tend to agree that a change in period does probably put people off a little. I think in UNCLE's case it probably is negligible because it's not a massive shift in time, and it's something which varies case-to-case. I think Ritchie's previous Sherlock Holmes films could do it because they had Downey Jr in (plus a very engaging performance from Jude Law) which the audience at large had engaged with and liked watching: they were really good in it and the audience liked watching them. I think if UNCLE had had a couple of really established stars it may have worked better: but I wonder if 'relative unknowns' plus 'period' meant it failed to spark folks' interest.

    So yeah: I wouldn't go period with The Persuaders!- and unless you're doing a pastiche of the show itself in a Starsky & Hutch way (which you probably shouldn't because the majority won't have even heard of it) it doesn't need to be, because we still have rich people who go to the South of France and drive expensive cars. You're also just adding cost to the budget which you don't need to. UNCLE at least had to be set in the Cold War, because if you don't there's no contrast between Solo and Kurayakin.
  • Apparently, the Croatian leg of the shoot started a few days ago and will continue until mid-June.

    They are currently doubling the capital city of Zagreb for Berlin.

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    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-9501877/Tom-Hollander-looks-dapper-transforms-Major-Dalby-Ipcress-File-filming-Croatia.html

    https://www.croatiaweek.com/british-tv-series-the-ipcress-file-begins-filming-in-croatia/
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited April 2021 Posts: 14,861
    Gosh, wrong time of year to be shooting in Croatia if you want an icy Cold War Berlin feel!
  • zebrafishzebrafish <°)))< in Octopussy's garden in the shade
    Posts: 4,311
    Even cold wars were fought in summer ;)
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