THE IPCRESS FILE (1965)

Top British scientists are being kidnapped and held for ransom by some untitled but nefarious organization. When the intelligence services ransom them, they find that the scientists have been brainwashed and are no longer useful. Rival officers from two competing spy officers use Harry Palmer (Michael Caine), a clever, insubordinate cockney Army sergeant released from jail for racketeering, as their bird dog in catching the mastermind. Palmer finds him, but gets captured and is brainwashed, too, though he manages to resist giving in totally. The movie is slow at times, but is well acted by Nigel Green and Guy Doleman, the two spy rivals dish each other in that delightfully British upper-class way. But the move belongs to Caine, who gets many great lines from this exceptionally witty, well-written script. "Ipcress" made Caine, and led to two more Harry Palmer movies based on Len Deighton novels. Intelligent, twisty movie--best of the trio.