Clearly intended to be an update to the Harry Palmer successes of the 60's right down to the character's stiff upper lip/questionable ethics superior, love of jazz, reluctant spy scenario, and same first name. Obviously, copyright required a change to last name, otherwise, this is a Harry Palmer movie.
Far from the quality of Ipcress File and Funeral in Berlin, but superior story and plot compared to the subsequent Russian/Quebec produced "official Palmer movies".
Caine turns in another solid performance, but potential of film limited to script gaps. Highlights would be scenes between Caine and Hoskins that are far superior to rest of film. Sean Young hopelessly miscast, so what else is new, and there is no chemistry between her and Caine.
