This gruelling spy drama captured the imagination of the public to such a degree that Michael Caine went on to star in four further (weaker) films featuring author Len Deighton's racketeering Army sergeant turned secret agent, Harry Palmer. Caine's anti-hero Palmer is a delightful creation, complete with thick spectacles, even thicker London accent, and a taste for Mozart and good food. His guts and cheerful cockney wisecracks, in the face of his own fears and vulnerability, give him endearing characteristics that his super-groomed rival James Bond lacked. The film was a huge international success for director Sidney J Furie, who demonstrated for the first time his penchant for seeking out the strangest camera angles, including shooting through a telephone kiosk, a pair of glasses and the top of a parking meter.