Taking Sides : James Bond vs Harry Palmer

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Dr. No vs Ipcress File
From Russia with Love vs Funeral in Berlin
Goldfinger vs Billion Dollar Brain
Sean Connery vs Michael Caine
dry Martinis at the casino vs French home cooking

Have at it.

Frühlingsmute (Wintermute), Saturday, 10 May 2003 15:50 (twenty-two years ago)

I thought this was James Bond vs. Harry Potter at first. It should've been.

Maria (Maria), Saturday, 10 May 2003 15:58 (twenty-two years ago)

James Bond wins. Did you see how much sex that guy had? He had a ton of sex. And he was a date rapist. And an oaf. And he had hella awesome cars. Still does (even if everything else abt modern Bond is k-lame). Even vs. Harry Potter I think he wins. They should make a movie about that.

Millar (Millar), Saturday, 10 May 2003 16:08 (twenty-two years ago)

funeral in berlin is great, so palmer wins

gareth (gareth), Saturday, 10 May 2003 16:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Friend Stripey actually had the interesting call that HP is nothing but a preteen-into-teen James Bond, in terms of basic story formula and all...

Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 10 May 2003 19:31 (twenty-two years ago)

The Ipcress File and Funeral in Berlin were great, but Billion Dollar Brane sucked. Still, he's got Bond beat ratio-wise cause there's only about 4 good Bonds altogether, isn't there?

Dan I., Sunday, 11 May 2003 01:46 (twenty-two years ago)

"Harry Palmer"??? Is no one else seeing this?

Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Sunday, 11 May 2003 01:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Maybe everyone but you is choosing not to comment on it, Dan. ha ha.

Dan I., Sunday, 11 May 2003 01:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Well, no shame in that, after all Palmer does get laid less than Bond.

Bond's personality in the novels is pretty close to Muldrow from To the White Sea or Patrick Bateman - always going on about how efficiently he can manipulate his own mind, body, apppearance, etc. Strikes me as rather psychotic.

Palmer is more human, kind of like a grumpy Continental op. And he can cook, which is always a good sign. So character-wise Palmer wins.

Frühlingsmute (Wintermute), Sunday, 11 May 2003 13:23 (twenty-two years ago)

James Bond: I've only seen the films. Harry Palmer: I've only read the books. Based on that, Palmer wins hands-down.

(actually, I don't think Harry Palmer's name is actually mentioned *anywhere* in the books; except in Spy Story, where he's retired and has a new identity, or something. So arguably they're not the Harry Palmer books anyway.)

caitlin (caitlin), Monday, 12 May 2003 11:30 (twenty-two years ago)

six years pass...

watching Funeral in Berlin. It's very amusing to hear Michael Caine speaking german with his distinctive voice/accent

Sex Sexual (kingfish), Friday, 19 March 2010 06:11 (fifteen years ago)

Holy shit! Slugworth is in this movie!

Sex Sexual (kingfish), Friday, 19 March 2010 07:01 (fifteen years ago)

three years pass...

Ipcress File was vg, tho my shit cable box cut off the ending. Not quite tinker tailor but not a million miles away from a fix of it either.

quite racist, don't mind rap (darraghmac), Monday, 16 September 2013 21:58 (twelve years ago)

it has its flaws i think but yeah great movie. the films drift into wacky Alt Bond territory after this, but the books are very worthwhile, Deighton is a better writer than Le Carre or Fleming imo.

i'm not racist, i just dislike rap (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 17 September 2013 14:44 (twelve years ago)

also i have a copy of Deighton's cook book which feels kind of unusable but is a great slice of 60s Palmer anyway

i'm not racist, i just dislike rap (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 17 September 2013 14:45 (twelve years ago)

will keep an eye out for books

....interrupting self to note how that now means i'll download them this evening, lol 21st century.....

thanks

would you recommend moving on the the next film at all then?

quite racist, don't mind rap (darraghmac), Tuesday, 17 September 2013 15:47 (twelve years ago)

i like the first 3 movies but they're an increasingly odd mishmash of Bondery and downbeat Palmer, Billion Dollar Brain is a Ken Russell flick iirc so go figure. haven't seen any of the later ones that seem to have been made

i'm not racist, i just dislike rap (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 17 September 2013 15:53 (twelve years ago)

right i might download funeral in berlin tonight so

quite racist, don't mind rap (darraghmac), Tuesday, 17 September 2013 16:01 (twelve years ago)

Deighton is a better writer than Le Carre or Fleming imo.

Fleming yes, Le Carre no way.

I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Tuesday, 17 September 2013 16:11 (twelve years ago)

funeral in berlin was on netflix, result if the sound worked with chrome

but anyway, yeah that was good was that

quite racist, don't mind rap (darraghmac), Tuesday, 17 September 2013 21:18 (twelve years ago)

also eva renzi

quite racist, don't mind rap (darraghmac), Tuesday, 17 September 2013 21:20 (twelve years ago)

one year passes...

"The Ipcress File" has been on a couple of times in the last couple of weeks, Nigel Green and Guy Doleman steal the picture from right under Caine's nose.

Peas Be Upon Ham (Tom D.), Tuesday, 13 January 2015 17:56 (eleven years ago)

haven't seen Ipcress since ulp the '80s, should rewatch + other two

touch of a love-starved cobra (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 13 January 2015 18:09 (eleven years ago)


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