Rent Funeral in Berlin (1966)

Spy Sequel. - Funeral in Berlin review by Steve

Sombre sequel to the 1965 spy caper The Ipcress File which moves the action from London to Berlin with a major style makeover. Gone is the pop art photography and the froideur of the John Barry soundtrack. It's only a year on but sadly Michael Caine's iconic suits are not quite as stylish. Though he still has the glasses.

It's one of many Berlin set spy films of the sixties, and this one is pitched somewhere between John le Carré and Alfie. Whitehall sends Harry Palmer to assist a Soviet general to defect to the west. Then the sprawling plot reaches way back to Nazi war crimes and acquires the interests of the Israeli secret service.

It's the nerdy cool of Caine's reprisal as the impassive but provocative British agent which provides most of the entertainment. It remains his signature role. And he has many excellent, insolent ripostes to deliver. Eva Renzi is a remarkably sexy counteragent and Oscar Homolka is engaging as the would be defector. But who can you trust?

There is no politics. There's nothing at stake. It's just a convoluted spy story. Instead we get the cold war atmospherics of the divided city, including some cabaret drag, checkpoint charlie and the bombed out buildings either side of the wall. It's not as good as The Ipcress File, but far better than its own sequel, Billion Dollar Brain.