Funeral in Berlin - Film Review - Anti Bond

In 1966 the sequel to “The Ipcress File” was released “Funeral in Berlin” and some would say it was better. I am not sure I would go that far both are as good as each other and miles better than the third in the series Billion-Dollar Brain.

In my second Harry Palmer film review, "Funeral in Berlin" (1966), Michael Caine, is back working for as Guy Doleman as Colonel Ross Palmer's obnoxious boss who gives him an assignment Berlin.

Once in Berlin Palmer is aided by an old wartime friend, Johnny Vulkan (Paul Hubschmid) the plan being to smuggle of Col. Stok (Oskar Homolka), the Russian military officer stationed in East Berlin, to defect but Palmer smell’s a rat – something doesn’t sit right. He brings some papers for Col Stok, which everyone seems more interested to get their hands on.

Getting the Col. Stok plotline out the way. He was never going to the defect he was using the British to kill Kreutzman (Günter Meisner) who was the top man to smuggle people from East to West.

The second plotline running through the film involves what we are lead are false papers that are in fact real belonging to a war criminal named Paul Louis Broum who stole millions of pounds of Jewish gold during the Second World War.

Palmer meets a model who calls herself Samantha Steel (Eva Renzi), with whom he spends the night, which makes him a tad suspicious. The following day and arranges for a criminal to burgle her apartment, where several different false passports are discovered. We soon find out Mossad, Israeli Intelligence and so are the men closely shadowing Palmer.

So it is how all about the papers, Vulkan wants them because he his Paul Louis Broum and he needs the documents so he could get access to his money from a Switzerland. Hence, the interested Israelis who want the stole money/goal back and in the middle Harry Palmar Army Intelligence.

In this spy film, you get a checklist of the double-crossing, dirty dealing, and covert ops that fulfil a fan of this genre in spades. The real charm of this movie lies in Michael Caine’s performance as Harry Palmer who doesn’t like his job or his boss Col. Ross.

Funeral in Berlin ultimately plays like a lot of fun, both for the viewer but obviously for the cast and crew as well. The snappy pacing and the dry, snarky delivery Caine make every minute worthwhile and when it come to Palmer or Bond, go Harry.