The Ipcress File - TV

[Paul Alan Bardell]

Any one watch this last night?

 

Just caught up with it and thought it quite good -  has the feel of the M Caine film, but offers more details in the back story than either the film and the book (from memory)

 

Hope it doesn't wander too far from the book.

 

Looking forward to the next episode.

 

B R

 

 

 

[Whofan]

Paul,

 

I watched it too, and found it very good. Forewarned about it not necessarily following the book, which I haven't read for probably 40 years, I acepted it as what it is - a tv drama. Some nice spiky performances and as you say a fleshed out back story to Harry.

 

I am looking forward to the remaining programmes.

[Coors54]

I too thought it was very good and captured that Cold War atmosphere from the mid sixties. I'm not too concerned if it deviates from the book, as a TV drama it's working so far.

I liked the nod at the beginning to Michael Caines glasses from the film and so far Joe Cole is comparing pretty well, younger viewers won't be as familiar with Harry's working class chippyness against the posh establishment boys and Cole is doing a good job with the verbal fencing against Tom Hollanders Old Etonian.

And let's be honest, Lucy Boynton is running Grace Kelly a close second for cool, intelligent blonde heroine, she's Sixties chic personified.

As long as the script doesn't get the usual ITV simplification (I'm looking at you Trigger Point) this promises to be a good one.

 

Dave

[franky boy]

I watched it too and enjoyed it very much. 

 

As said above it captures that kind of Cold War vibe very well. 
 

James

[Steve 1602]

I really enjoyed it as well. I think I tuned in with a bit of a ‘nothing else on, so I’ll take a look’ and was drawn in pretty quickly. 
 

Steve

[Aeronut22]

Totally ruined by the BEA marked Boeing 727. Totally unwatchable. 🤣  (well this is Britmodeller after all)

[Paul Alan Bardell]

 

 

I also caught sight of the BEA plane landing and thought the colour scheme/ Aircraft used  suspect, I wonder why they did not use a clip from the 60's like they used in those old ITC programmes (The Saint, Dept S etc)  which would have been a nice period touch.

 

B R

 

 

 

[Pigpen]

1 hour ago, Aeronut22 said:

Totally ruined by the BEA marked Boeing 727. Totally unwatchable. 🤣  (well this is Britmodeller after all)

Due to my lack of knowledge I've missed the BEA thing but when they were watching the "footage" of the Soviet 50Mt weapon drop the I'm sure the aircraft involved was a B36 Peacemaker! I stormed out and sat in the shed for the rest of the programme, and this morning I've taken the TV to the tip and burnt our copy of the radio times.

 

It's a pity really because I was quite enjoying the slow atmospheric nature of it up until then. 

[Whofan]

47 minutes ago, Pigpen said:

Due to my lack of knowledge I've missed the BEA thing but when they were watching the "footage" of the Soviet 50Mt weapon drop the I'm sure the aircraft involved was a B36 Peacemaker! I stormed out and sat in the shed for the rest of the programme, and this morning I've taken the TV to the tip and burnt our copy of the radio times.

 

 

I seriously can't tell if you're really being angry or just "avin' a giraffe"!!I

 

Either way, you made me smile.

 

 

 

 

[Whofan]

3 hours ago, Coors54 said:

And let's be honest, Lucy Boynton is running Grace Kelly a close second for cool, intelligent blonde heroine, she's Sixties chic personified

 

I can only second and third that thought. 

[Duncan B]

Apart from the B-36 dropping the Czar bomb, the BEA 737 and the Aeroflot Viscount (yes I am nit picking with tongue in cheek) I really enjoyed it. I'm a big fan of the Michael Caine 'arry Palmer films so was worried beforehand but have to say that it really caught the vibe without being too false or over the top. Roll on next week (I was forbidden from watching the rest on catch up so Mrs b must have enjoyed it too).

 

Duncan B

[Swamp Donkey]

I’m with the above. Really enjoyed this but that BEA 727 was just wrong. Looked smart though, a WIF opportunity  for somebody into civvie airliners?

 

SD

[Coors54]

Got to admit I missed the BEA 727, must be getting old, my pendant mode wasn't working!

[825]

I thought it was a BEA Trident. So now feeling disappointed. Did spot the B36 though. Had a good feel and very watchable. 

[Coors54]

I succumbed and watched ep.2 on ITV Hub last night, still excellent. By which episode will Harry have unfrozen the gorgeous Jean's sang froid?

I also had to chuckle at the armaments man getting signatures for a couple of Sterling sub machine guns in the back of the Austin Cambridge.

No more spoilers!!

Dave

[Pigpen]

I watched the first episode again last night and was struck by just how much the backstory had been fleshed out, to the extent really that I really didn't recognise anything. So I went and got my copy, which I read only once, about ten years ago, of the Odessa File!

 

Turns out I've never read the Ipcress File. And I've somehow confused the protagonist of a British squaddie with a German journalist.

 

Doh. A real Homer moment. Everyone feel free to point and laugh. 😁

 

(From what I recall the Odessa File is worth reading)

[fatfingers]

Thought it was ok... But would the East German Stasi be using Sten guns and the East German NVA MP40's??? 🤔😁 I also had a chuckle at the B36ski dropping the Tsar Bomba 😀

 

Regards,

 

Steve

[Tijuana Taxi]

I also wnjoyed it, sucker for anything cold war related.

Carrying on the inaccuracies pretty sure the Routemaster Bus had LRT on the side. Surely it should have just been London Transport back in 1963.

[GrahamS]

It got a thumbs up from me.

 

Watched the first episode on the Sunday and downloaded the remainder from ITV hub on Monday and watched the lot.

 

I was knackered at work on Tuesday….

 

Graham

[Mark Harmsworth]

Just started watching and am enjoying it a lot.  I think the main characters are all done really well and it keeps my attention from start to end - always something I notice.

 

Trying very hard to only watch one episode a week (well, this is the 1960's)

Mark

[Graham T]

I watched & enjoyed it too (especially the blond!).  What ruined it for me (actually, the writer of a letter to the Telegraph!) was the anachronistic ticket machine carried by the bus conductor in one scene!  I kid you not!😁

[Pete in Lincs]

I'm a long term Harry Palmer fan too. Love the films. I'm up to episode three now and enjoying it.

The settings are very well done and I'm enjoying all the old vehicles, all in showroom condition!

Lucy Boynton reminds me of a young Joanna Lumley. I wonder if that is intentional?

Looking forward to more. 

[Whofan]

I have enjoyed every episode so far. I will get the book and re-read it after the series has ended, and while I don't want to give a spoiler, in ep. 4 last night, was the US helicopter in one scene an anachonism?

 

I'm not up to speed at all on US helicopters but it did not look like a 1963 helicopter to me.

Edited March 28, 2022 by Whofan

[825]

2 hours ago, Whofan said:

I have enjoyed every episode so far. I will get the book and re-read it after the series has ended, and while I don't want to give a spoiler, in ep. 4 last night, was the US helicopter in one scene an anachonism?

 

I'm not up to speed at all on US helicopters but it did not look like a 1963 helicopter to me.

It was a Navy Sea King, which introduced into service in June 1961. So probably OK. 

[Whofan]

29 minutes ago, 825 said:

It was a Navy Sea King, which introduced into service in June 1961. So probably OK. 

I suppose it makes up for the B-36 delivering the Tsar Bomba!

 

Many thanks.