"The Ipcress File" by Len Deighton - BBC Radio 4 adaptation скачать в хорошем качестве

"The Ipcress File" by Len Deighton - BBC Radio 4 adaptation

Classic Old Time Radio, Vintage radio shows, the Golden Age of radio, murder, mystery, drama, comedy, sci-fi, westerns. The BBC Radio adaptation of "The Ipcress File" generally follows the plot of Len Deighton's original novel, diverging somewhat from the well-known Michael Caine film. The story is set in the highly charged atmosphere of the Cold War in the 1960s. The protagonist, a cynical, working-class British Army sergeant and black-marketeer named Harry Palmer (who is unnamed in the book but widely known by the film's moniker), is given a stark choice: an eight-year prison sentence or working for a shadowy British intelligence unit, WOOC(P), headed by Major Dalby. Palmer is conscripted into this unit to investigate the kidnapping of British nuclear scientists, who are returned physically unharmed but mentally incapacitated. His mission takes him from the gritty streets of London to the divided city of Berlin, and further afield. As he delves deeper, Palmer uncovers a sinister plot involving mind control and brainwashing, detailed in a file known as "IPCRESS" (Induction of Psychoneurosis by Conditioned Reflex Under Stress). The investigation becomes increasingly complex and dangerous, with shifting loyalties and betrayals. Palmer finds himself caught between different intelligence agencies, including the CIA, and begins to suspect a traitor within his own ranks. He experiences the very brainwashing techniques used on the scientists, forcing him to use his wit and resilience to overcome the conditioning and expose the true mastermind behind the operation. The BBC Radio adaptation often emphasizes the more grounded, less glamorous side of espionage, reflecting the novel's grittier portrayal of the spy world compared to the James Bond fantasy. It highlights the class tensions and the psychological toll of the work, with Palmer's sardonic wit and anti-establishment attitude providing a unique perspective on the Cold War espionage game.