Funeral in Berlin Reviews
Pierluigi P
Super Reviewer
June 29, 2012
A fair spy thriller with a laidback, more morose Caine as Harry Palmer, in an even bleaker plot than the first one, It has some interesting twists. but the tension is not consistent, Director Guy Hamilton can't quite reproduce Sidney J. Furie's style, the one thing that made the first film so appealing.
deano
Super Reviewer
June 19, 2007
This second in Michael Caine's series of three "Harry Palmer" films is very good spy movie. Caine can do no wrong; his brittle performance and the authentic footage of the Berlin Wall add considerably to the film's bleak tone.
kenscheck
April 25, 2012
Michael Caine's Harry Palmer returns, this time directed by Goldfinger (and several other a Bond film) director Guy Hamilton. The film stays true to it's less flashy and less gadgety and more antithesis to Bond style. The plot has Palmer dealing with a Russian who is a potential defector. It is as solid as the first film, and if you watched and enjoyed "The IPCRESS File" then you will most likely enjoy this installment as well. Well made spy thriller.
emmylou120
August 31, 2011
I liked this more than the first in the Harry Palmer series. Slow at times, the endings are definitely worth watching these.
sosinsk1
August 30, 2011
Always witty and suave, Harry Palmer takes it all in stride.
Thoroughly entertaining. Interesting look into Communist Germany and the relations between the divided country. In the 2nd movie of the series, Harry Palmer is assigned the task of smuggling the Russian out of East Germany, as he is defecting to the British, as a secret agent. Of course nothing goes according to plan and there are double crosses galore.
Always witty and suave, Harry Palmer takes it all in stride.
flynnparadox
November 9, 2006
Unjustly maligned sequel to The Ipcriss File, Funeral in Berlin is almost as good as the original film with another wonderful Caine performance. Check it out if you can (and good luck finding the out-of-print DVD for anything less than $40 or $50.)
October 7, 2012
The Ipcress File is a masterpiece of British cinema, with excellent characters, a strong plot, and some truly original directing - WTH happened to Sidney J. Furie?
Funeral in Berlin, by comparison, is a terribly dull affair.
Out go the interesting angles and original shots, and in come the television friendly, training wheels, point and shoot perspectives. Goodbye charismatic, unpredictable Harry Palmer, and hello blokey stereotype of both men and spies alike.
The film underperforms in all areas, but it did have some very large shoes to fill. As such, it isn't so much a failure as it is a disappointment. Caine is always watchable, even when he's fighting sharks with inflatable helicopters to pay the bills, and the film's basic premise of criss-cross double cross could have been very intriguing.
All in all not a lost cause and good Sunday afternoon fodder. Anything beats a bit of Bully.
So-so sequel to the superb Ipcress File.
The Ipcress File is a masterpiece of British cinema, with excellent characters, a strong plot, and some truly original directing - WTH happened to Sidney J. Furie?
Funeral in Berlin, by comparison, is a terribly dull affair.
Out go the interesting angles and original shots, and in come the television friendly, training wheels, point and shoot perspectives. Goodbye charismatic, unpredictable Harry Palmer, and hello blokey stereotype of both men and spies alike.
The film underperforms in all areas, but it did have some very large shoes to fill. As such, it isn't so much a failure as it is a disappointment. Caine is always watchable, even when he's fighting sharks with inflatable helicopters to pay the bills, and the film's basic premise of criss-cross double cross could have been very intriguing.
All in all not a lost cause and good Sunday afternoon fodder. Anything beats a bit of Bully.
Jon-James H.
October 7, 2012
The Ipcress File is a masterpiece of British cinema, with excellent characters, a strong plot, and some truly original directing - WTH happened to Sidney J. Furie?
Funeral in Berlin, by comparison, is a terribly dull affair.
Out go the interesting angles and original shots, and in come the television friendly, training wheels, point and shoot perspectives. Goodbye charismatic, unpredictable Harry Palmer, and hello blokey stereotype of both men and spies alike.
The film underperforms in all areas, but it did have some very large shoes to fill. As such, it isn't so much a failure as it is a disappointment. Caine is always watchable, even when he's fighting sharks with inflatable helicopters to pay the bills, and the film's basic premise of criss-cross double cross could have been very intriguing.
All in all not a lost cause and good Sunday afternoon fodder. Anything beats a bit of Bully.
So-so sequel to the superb Ipcress File.
The Ipcress File is a masterpiece of British cinema, with excellent characters, a strong plot, and some truly original directing - WTH happened to Sidney J. Furie?
Funeral in Berlin, by comparison, is a terribly dull affair.
Out go the interesting angles and original shots, and in come the television friendly, training wheels, point and shoot perspectives. Goodbye charismatic, unpredictable Harry Palmer, and hello blokey stereotype of both men and spies alike.
The film underperforms in all areas, but it did have some very large shoes to fill. As such, it isn't so much a failure as it is a disappointment. Caine is always watchable, even when he's fighting sharks with inflatable helicopters to pay the bills, and the film's basic premise of criss-cross double cross could have been very intriguing.
All in all not a lost cause and good Sunday afternoon fodder. Anything beats a bit of Bully.
Dave J
August 24, 2011
(1966) Funeral in Berlin
THRILLER
Second film using the Harry Palmer character created by author Len Deighton with the first "The IPCRESS File"- this time has Michael Caine in the lead role helping some Russian General escape through some walls somewhere in Berlin! Double crossings and intrigue but lacks alot of suspense which made the first version work so well! Theirs some good dialogue but does not contain not much else!
2.5 out of 4
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
(1966) Funeral in Berlin
THRILLER
Second film using the Harry Palmer character created by author Len Deighton with the first "The IPCRESS File"- this time has Michael Caine in the lead role helping some Russian General escape through some walls somewhere in Berlin! Double crossings and intrigue but lacks alot of suspense which made the first version work so well! Theirs some good dialogue but does not contain not much else!
2.5 out of 4
Andrew G.
June 6, 2010
Funeral in Berlin is a decent film, but besides a fantastic performance by Michael Caine as Harry Palmer, the film is just mediocre. The plot is nothing special, though it's ok, and the characters aren't too interesting. It's a tough film to review, because I don't have any direct complaints; all I can say is that it's ok.
