The Ipcress Fileʼs Harry Palmer is back...and the Cold War is heating up again! The Cold War is over and illustrious British agent Harry Palmer finds himself surplus to requirements and no longer in Her Majesties Secret Service. On his arrival in ʻnewʼ Russia heʼs promptly approached by a Russian tycoon, Alex (Gambon). In St. Petersburg Alex tells Harry of his plan for Russiaʼs future, which is threatened because a deadly biochemical weapon called the Red Death has been stolen from him. Heʼll pay Harry and his young accomplice Nick (Connery) handsomely to retrieve it before it falls in the hands of North Korea. An ex-spy friend tips Harry off that itʼs being sent to Beijing by train, aboard which we begin to learn whose side everyoneʼs really on.