Review of Billion Dollar Brain (1967) by Stuart K — 22 Sep 2009
The third and final Harry Palmer film, this one failed to make an impact on the box-office. But, Harry Saltzman found a brilliant director to do this one, Ken Russell!! :D Although it's not as over the top and mad as what Russell's later films were, it's certainly a better film than Funeral In Berlin, and it does feel more like a James Bond film in tone and structure.
The plot is quite eccentric, but it's well made and is visually arresting. Harry Palmer (Michael Caine) is given orders by an automated phone call to take a flask of eggs to Helsinki, Finland. There, he meets an old friend, Leo Newbiggin (Karl Malden) and his squeeze Anya (Françoise Dorléac).
It is there that Palmer learns of a plan to liberate Latvia from Soviet domination by mad Texas oil billionaire General Midwinter (Ed Begley) all with the aid of a huge supercomputer, known as the Billion Dollar Brain.
It's well shot and Russell has fun with the big set pieces within this film, Finland in winter looks lovely, and Caine is on top form again, although the film goes a little bonkers once Midwinter comes into the fold.
But, it makes a good finale to the Palmer films, (save for a couple of TV Movies in the mid 1990's), it's a pity they didn't make any more.
This review of Billion Dollar Brain (1967) was written by Stuart K on 22 Sep 2009.
Billion Dollar Brain has generally received mixed reviews.
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