Billion Dollar Brain (1967) |
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| Director(s) | Ken Russell |
| Producer(s) | André De Toth, Harry Saltzman |
| Top Genres | Adventure, Drama, Film Adaptation, Thriller/Suspense |
| Top Topics | Book-Based, Spies |
Featured Cast of Billion Dollar Brain See More »
Michael Caine
(as Harry Palmer)
Karl Malden
(as Leo Newbigen)
Oscar Homolka
(as Col. Stok)
Gregg Palmer
(as 1st Dutch Businessman)
Donald Sutherland
(as Scientist at Computer)
James Woolf
(as Caller)
Billion Dollar Brain Overview:
Billion Dollar Brain (1967) was a Adventure - Drama Film directed by Ken Russell and produced by Andre De Toth and Harry Saltzman.
Billion Dollar Brain BlogHub Articles:
Michael Caine Meets a Billion Dollar Brain
Michael Caine as Harry Palmer.It was assuredly no easy task to follow in the footsteps of two of the best spy thrillers of the 1960s: The Ipcress File and Funeral in Berlin. So, one must cut a little slack for Billion Dollar Brain (1967), Michael Caine’s third outing as thief-turned-spy Harry ... Read full article
See More Billion Dollar Brain Articles
Billion Dollar Brain Quotes:
Harry Palmer:
OK, Leo, what's the catch?
Leo Newbigen: There's no catch.
Harry Palmer: Then who gets killed?
Leo Newbigen: Nobody gets killed.
Harry Palmer: There's no catch, and nobody gets killed? I'd still like to know more about it, Leo.
Leo Newbigen: There's no catch.
Harry Palmer: Then who gets killed?
Leo Newbigen: Nobody gets killed.
Harry Palmer: There's no catch, and nobody gets killed? I'd still like to know more about it, Leo.
General Midwinter:
Did you know for example, that the air in the East Coast of America is polluted by the reds? Oh, you might look at me, but boy, I tell you and I know that the air in Texas is the only truly wholesome air in this world. That is why I have not been out of Texas in twenty five years. I don't like the air in other places.
Harry Palmer: It's amazing how we all survive, really.
Harry Palmer: It's amazing how we all survive, really.
Harry Palmer:
What exactly have you been saying we do in Latvia?
Leo Newbigen: I told the brain exactly what it wanted to hear.
Harry Palmer: Oh, yes? What would that be, Leo?
Leo Newbigen: I told it we had three hundred agents in Latvia dismantling missile sites and professional saboteurs ready for armed insurrection.
Harry Palmer: Er, or political assassination.
Leo Newbigen: Um, hmn. Mass uprisings...
Harry Palmer: Over throwing governments.
Leo Newbigen: Yeah, over throwing anything at all.
Harry Palmer: Three hundred agents? How much a week?
Leo Newbigen: Thirty thousand dollars.
Harry Palmer: Thirty thousand dollars a week?
Leo Newbegin: Plus expenses and from now on, you're in on half.
Harry Palmer: Oh, thank you, Leo. But I would like to stay alive to spend it. That lunatic is about to invade Soviet territory.
Leo Newbigen: And we're not going to be around when he does.
Harry Palmer: When he gets within five miles of the Latvian border, every alarm in the whole world will blow and four minutes later, nobody is going to be around.
Leo Newbigen: You want your money, don't you?
Leo Newbigen: I told the brain exactly what it wanted to hear.
Harry Palmer: Oh, yes? What would that be, Leo?
Leo Newbigen: I told it we had three hundred agents in Latvia dismantling missile sites and professional saboteurs ready for armed insurrection.
Harry Palmer: Er, or political assassination.
Leo Newbigen: Um, hmn. Mass uprisings...
Harry Palmer: Over throwing governments.
Leo Newbigen: Yeah, over throwing anything at all.
Harry Palmer: Three hundred agents? How much a week?
Leo Newbigen: Thirty thousand dollars.
Harry Palmer: Thirty thousand dollars a week?
Leo Newbegin: Plus expenses and from now on, you're in on half.
Harry Palmer: Oh, thank you, Leo. But I would like to stay alive to spend it. That lunatic is about to invade Soviet territory.
Leo Newbigen: And we're not going to be around when he does.
Harry Palmer: When he gets within five miles of the Latvian border, every alarm in the whole world will blow and four minutes later, nobody is going to be around.
Leo Newbigen: You want your money, don't you?
Col.Stok:
I suppose a young man like you wouldn't know the pleasure of removing a tight collar.
Harry Palmer: I thought Lenin called such comforts 'momentary interest'.
Col.Stok: Don't tell me what Lenin said. I touched Lenin. I stood by him in Ruzheinaya Square in July, nineteen hundred and twenty; the second congress. I touched him. Those are the words he used to describe the comforts and pleasures with which the proletariat are diverted from their more important historic mission. But I am not being diverted. Well, are you going to offer me another drink?
Harry Palmer: In England Colonel, the historic mission of the proletariat consists almost entirely of momentary interest.
Harry Palmer: I thought Lenin called such comforts 'momentary interest'.
Col.Stok: Don't tell me what Lenin said. I touched Lenin. I stood by him in Ruzheinaya Square in July, nineteen hundred and twenty; the second congress. I touched him. Those are the words he used to describe the comforts and pleasures with which the proletariat are diverted from their more important historic mission. But I am not being diverted. Well, are you going to offer me another drink?
Harry Palmer: In England Colonel, the historic mission of the proletariat consists almost entirely of momentary interest.
Harry Palmer:
I suppose I ought to wish you good luck.
Dr. Eiwort: You may do as you please. For me this is not a game of chance. And I am not in it for the money.
Harry Palmer: What is it then, your hobby?
See More Quotes from Billion Dollar BrainDr. Eiwort: You may do as you please. For me this is not a game of chance. And I am not in it for the money.
Harry Palmer: What is it then, your hobby?
Billion Dollar Brain Facts
See More Facts about Billion Dollar Brain >>
The voice of the computer heard over the phone before the titles is Donald Sutherland.
The 'double-diamond' logo for Midwinter's army was clearly derived from the Nazi swastika. If you think of the swastika as being two 'S's crossed in the centre, then the Midwinter logo is created by reversing one 'S' and distorting the shapes slightly to leave a small gap at the ends.
Ken Russell was contractually obligated to direct the film. He did not want to do it, but according to him "it was shoved down my throat".
The movie contains several references to the work of director Sergei M. Eisenstein. Most notably the ice battle scene from Alexander Nevsky, the red flag (seen flying over Riga, Eisenstein's birthplace) and the wounded nurse (the frozen Kaarna) from Battleship Potemkin.
This was the third Harry Palmer film, after The Ipcress File and Funeral in Berlin. Michael Caine had originally signed a five-picture deal, but when he was reluctant to return to the role, producer Harry Saltzman let him out of the contract. Much later, though, he did make two more Harry Palmer films: Bullet to Beijing and Midnight in Saint Petersburg.