S3E19: The Quiller Memorandum
In a rare turn of events, we encounter an actually good movie—not just a good Eurospy movie, but just a flat-out banger of a movie—very late in the season and after we've become expert witnesses on just how bad and formulaic pretty much every Eurospy movie is. That's right, we're reviewing the 1966 film THE QUILLER MEMORANDUM featuring some cast you might have heard of, such as: Alec Guiness, Max von Sydow, George Segal, with a screenplay by... Harold Pinter? And it's good. It's great! What the hell is going on?
-----
FREE PALESTINE
Hey, Devon here. Give money to people crowdfunding for passage out of Rafah first and foremost, then purchase ESIMs, then donate to this link if you feel you need a big name attached to the fund to trust it.
Please don't only donate money. You have to do other things now.
https://www.map.org.uk/donate/donate
-----
A New place to listen!
Our entire backlog has been ported over to youtube, and can be found here!
------
WEB DESIGN ALERT
Tom Allen is a friend of the show (and the designer behind our website). If you need web design help, reach out to him here: https://www.tomallen.media/
Kill James Bond is hosted by November Kelly, Abigail Thorn, and Devon. You can find us at https://killjamesbond.com
Comments (24)
can’t believe there was no mention of “the pool guy” being Günter Meisner, of Slugworth fame 😭 watched the film before listening to the episode and when he appeared on the screen I was jumping up & down and pointing
When November mentioned requiring a more precise test to determine if someone is a Nazi, my head went to Quiller taking out a briefcase with a bunch of gizmos inside and explaining what The Mein Kampf Test is
When you were saying "a teacher got arrested for being a huge Nazi" I thought that you were riffing about one of AfD leaders (who was a history teacher before) getting fined for using a Nazi slogan. Then I found out that the episode was published 5 days before that happened lol. The more things change
IPCRESS FILE WHEN. Also, if you want to do a classism, try Bullshot. Except no one has heard of it.
The “LOHNDAN” drop will never not get me cackling and clapping my hands like a trained seal
Poor Devon, they've been doing this so long, you can't help but sound like Connery when you say "A woman?! With depth!"
Also I love the (Aesop's?) fable of the wind and the sun competing to get the man to take off his coat. It's super relevant to so many conversations. Sick reference
M: "You better not be a cunty sultana when I get back."
Was waiting for November to mention Mountain Goats re "Guys on every corner"
November herself pointed out to my dumb ass on a Kill James Bond Highlights comment section that that literally was her making a Mountain Goats reference and I just missed it.
I'm glad November points out how the Western powers really half-assed de-Nazification and encouraged the German Right.
Seen this anti-Bond years ago and loved it then so wanted to rewatch it before listening to the podcast ep. Still great! Some great acting performences, lots of nuance in the dialogues and a very futile, nihilistically bleak outcome. Also, Alec Guinness giving the absolutely cuntiest performance ever, especially in the muffins scene. Can't wait for The Ipcress File and (hopefully) Funeral in Berlin ❤️
Very much an 'airport literature Robert Ludlum novel' title for this movie lol
& the only not-nazi is still looking for his charge.
“Getting whisked by the Lindt Mistress Chocolatier” absolutely sent me
Yes they were all Nazis. But they were two competing groups of Nazis, both convinced that they were doing Nazi stuff correctly and the other group was doing it wrong. The girls had the chance to destroy the other faction, without putting themselves in danger. And did it. Bet you did nazi that coming.
The movie IS the memorandum! These are the dramatized contents of Quilla's report. That's why it doesn't contain a memorandum.
Nova: "We'll get to The Ipcress File" Me: "YAYYYYYY!"
I'll have to see this movie, I do like Alec Guniess in things. And therefore Palestine must be free from the river to the sea.
Great episode! I think you might also enjoy Infernal Affairs, the 2002 Hong Kong film The Departed is based on.
That opening definitely had the ‘ooooh, this is a good one!’ Feel :D
This was the first time I watched a film specifically for an episode of KJB and I would definitely second (or fourth?) the recommendation
Same here. For anyone curious, you can find easily find the film online. Internet Archive and YouTube streams the film.
Abigail: "Pheasant fingers?" Everyone: (scrambling to claim Pheasant Fingers as their screen name on GRINDR/GROWLR/Christian Mingle/etc)