Billion Dollar Brain
A skeptical ex-spy’s routine delivery plunges him into a flamboyant Cold War conspiracy financed by a Texan billionaire.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Dense
- Violence
- Mild
- paranoid
- sardonic
- psychedelic
- classic spy film night
- cold war movie marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film visually striking but overplotted, confusing, and less entertaining than the earlier Harry Palmer films, despite some later praise for its ambition and style.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Harry Palmer distrusts both official intelligence structures and the billionaire's anti-communist project.
Palmer's delivery of the suspicious Thermos flask initiates the international conspiracy.
Ken Russell's highly stylized imagery and unusual presentation make the Cold War conspiracy visually extravagant.
The story connects British espionage, Finnish intrigue, Texas wealth, anti-communism, and a planned invasion.
Films like Billion Dollar Brain, and why
The Ipcress File
shared cold war espionage, cynical intelligence work, and stylish 1960s spy-film atmosphere
Funeral in Berlin
shared harry palmer character, british espionage setting, and morally ambiguous thriller plotting
Our Man in Havana
shared satirical cold war politics, eccentric visual style, and ideological conflict
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
shared anti-communist intrigue, international espionage, and paranoia-driven suspense
Movie Details
- Director
- Ken Russell
- Release Date
- 1967-11-16
- Runtime
- 111 min
- Rating
- 5.6 / 10 (129)
Cast
- Michael Caine
- Karl Malden
- Ed Begley
- Oskar Homolka
- Françoise Dorléac
- Guy Doleman
- Vladek Sheybal
- Milo Sperber
- Janos Kurutz
- Alexei Jawdokimov
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus, FlixFling, IndieFlix, IndieFlix Shorts Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Fandango At Home, FlixFling
- Buy
- Fandango At Home, FlixFling
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Billion Dollar Brain about?
- A skeptical ex-spy’s routine delivery plunges him into a flamboyant Cold War conspiracy financed by a Texan billionaire.
- What is Billion Dollar Brain like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Billion Dollar Brain as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as dense.
- Is Billion Dollar Brain violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Billion Dollar Brain as mild.
- What did critics think of Billion Dollar Brain?
- Critics broadly found the film visually striking but overplotted, confusing, and less entertaining than the earlier Harry Palmer films, despite some later praise for its ambition and style.
- Which films are like Billion Dollar Brain?
- Films with a similar feel include The Ipcress File, Funeral in Berlin, Our Man in Havana, and The Spy Who Came in from the Cold.
- How long is Billion Dollar Brain?
- Billion Dollar Brain runs 111 minutes.
- Where can I watch Billion Dollar Brain?
- In United States, Billion Dollar Brain streams on fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus, FlixFling, IndieFlix, IndieFlix Shorts Amazon Channel.
