Sort by Popularity - Most Popular Movies and TV Shows tagged with keyword "defection"
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1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)
PG-13 | 130 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy
Harry, Ron, and Hermione search for Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes in their effort to destroy the Dark Lord as the final battle rages on at Hogwarts.
Director: David Yates | Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Michael Gambon
Votes: 948,966 | Gross: $381.01M
2. The Hunt for Red October (1990)
PG | 135 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
In November 1984, the Soviet Union's best submarine captain violates orders and heads for the U.S. in a new undetectable sub. The American CIA and military must quickly determine: Is he trying to defect or to start a war?
Director: John McTiernan | Stars: Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Scott Glenn, Sam Neill
Votes: 214,833 | Gross: $122.01M
3. Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)
PG-13 | 94 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
Upon learning that his father has been kidnapped, Austin Powers must travel to 1975 and defeat the aptly named villain Goldmember, who is working with Dr. Evil.
Director: Jay Roach | Stars: Mike Myers, Beyoncé, Seth Green, Michael York
Votes: 222,957 | Gross: $213.31M
4. From Russia with Love (1963)
PG | 115 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
James Bond willingly falls into an assassination plot involving a naive Russian beauty in order to retrieve a Soviet encryption device that was stolen by S.P.E.C.T.R.E.
Director: Terence Young | Stars: Sean Connery, Robert Shaw, Lotte Lenya, Daniela Bianchi
Votes: 145,412 | Gross: $24.80M
5. Moscow on the Hudson (1984)
R | 115 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A Russian saxophonist visiting New York City with a USSR circus troupe suddenly decides to defect in Bloomingdale's.
Director: Paul Mazursky | Stars: Robin Williams, Maria Conchita Alonso, Cleavant Derricks, Alejandro Rey
Votes: 13,118 | Gross: $25.10M
6. The Living Daylights (1987)
PG | 130 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
James Bond is sent to investigate a KGB policy to kill all enemy spies, and uncovers an arms deal that potentially has major global ramifications.
Director: John Glen | Stars: Timothy Dalton, Maryam d'Abo, Jeroen Krabbé, Joe Don Baker
Votes: 105,885 | Gross: $51.19M
7. She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018–2020)
TV-Y7-FV | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
She-Ra, Princess of Power, leads a rebellion to free her land of Etheria from the monstrous invaders the Horde.
Stars: Aimee Carrero, Marcus Scribner, Karen Fukuhara, AJ Michalka
Votes: 19,260
8. New Rose Hotel (1998)
R | 93 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Two businessmen are hired to steal secrets from a rival, and decide to use a beautiful call girl to do so.
Director: Abel Ferrara | Stars: Christopher Walken, Willem Dafoe, Asia Argento, Annabella Sciorra
Votes: 6,247 | Gross: $0.02M
9. One, Two, Three (1961)
Not Rated | 104 min | Comedy
In West Berlin during the Cold War, a Coca-Cola executive is given the task of taking care of his boss' socialite daughter.
Director: Billy Wilder | Stars: James Cagney, Horst Buchholz, Pamela Tiffin, Arlene Francis
Votes: 22,996
10. Cold War (2018)
R | 89 min | Drama, Music, Romance
In the 1950s, a music director falls in love with a singer and tries to persuade her to flee communist Poland for France.
Director: Pawel Pawlikowski | Stars: Joanna Kulig, Tomasz Kot, Borys Szyc, Agata Kulesza
Votes: 61,945 | Gross: $4.57M
11. Spy/Master (2023)
TV-MA | 50 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
Victor Godeanu, Ceausescu's right-hand man, has a secret. He is also a KGB agent and must escape before he is discovered, so he will seize a valuable diplomatic opportunity.
Stars: Alec Secareanu, Parker Sawyers, Ana Ularu, Svenja Jung
Votes: 3,820
12. Balloon (2018)
PG-13 | 125 min | Drama, History, Thriller
East Germany, 1979. After initially failing to flee from the East to the West in a self-built hot-air balloon, two families struggle to make a second attempt, while the East German State Police are chasing them.
Director: Michael Herbig | Stars: Friedrich Mücke, Karoline Schuch, David Kross, Alicia von Rittberg
Votes: 13,334 | Gross: $0.01M
13. The White Crow (2018)
R | 127 min | Biography, Drama
The story of Rudolf Nureyev's defection to the West.
Director: Ralph Fiennes | Stars: Oleg Ivenko, Ralph Fiennes, Louis Hofmann, Adèle Exarchopoulos
Votes: 7,029 | Gross: $1.83M
14. Escape from East Berlin (1962)
Approved | 94 min | Drama, History, Thriller
In 1962, a group of East Berliners escapes to West Berlin through a tunnel dug from the basement of a house located near the Berlin Wall.
Director: Robert Siodmak | Stars: Don Murray, Christine Kaufmann, Werner Klemperer, Ingrid van Bergen
Votes: 723
15. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965)
Approved | 112 min | Drama, Thriller
Instead of coming in from the Cold War, British agent Alec Leamas chooses to face another mission.
Director: Martin Ritt | Stars: Richard Burton, Oskar Werner, Claire Bloom, Sam Wanamaker
Votes: 18,827
16. She-Ra: Princess of Power (1985–1987)
TV-Y7 | 22 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Princess Adora raises her magic sword and becomes She-Ra, the most powerful woman in the universe, to aid her friends in defeating the Evil Horde so their planet Etheria can be free.
Stars: Melendy Britt, George DiCenzo, John Erwin, Linda Gary
Votes: 6,725
17. Torn Curtain (1966)
PG | 128 min | Drama, Romance, Thriller
An American scientist publicly defects to East Germany as part of a cloak and dagger mission to find the solution for a formula resin before planning an escape back to the West.
Director: Alfred Hitchcock | Stars: Paul Newman, Julie Andrews, Lila Kedrova, Hansjörg Felmy
Votes: 29,269
18. Topaz (1969)
M/PG | 143 min | Drama, Thriller
A French Intelligence Agent becomes embroiled in the Cold War politics first with uncovering the events leading up to the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, and then back to France to break up an international Russian spy ring.
Director: Alfred Hitchcock | Stars: Frederick Stafford, Dany Robin, John Vernon, Karin Dor
Votes: 19,562 | Gross: $8.37M
19. Despite the Falling Snow (2016)
PG-13 | 93 min | Drama, Mystery, Romance
In Cold War Moscow, a female spy steals secrets from an idealistic politician - and falls in love with him.
Director: Shamim Sarif | Stars: Rebecca Ferguson, Charles Dance, Anthony Head, Amy Nuttall
Votes: 3,541
20. The Experts (1989)
PG-13 | 94 min | Comedy
Two NYC guys get jobs starting a nightclub in Smalltown, USA. They don't know it's a spy training model town in USSR .
Director: Dave Thomas | Stars: John Travolta, Arye Gross, Kelly Preston, Deborah Foreman
Votes: 2,727 | Gross: $0.17M
21. Scorpio (1973)
PG | 114 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
During the Cold War, the CIA orders free-lance operative Scorpio to assassinate his former CIA mentor Cross and a deadly cat-and-mouse game ensues.
Director: Michael Winner | Stars: Burt Lancaster, Alain Delon, Paul Scofield, John Colicos
Votes: 5,210
22. Attack Force Z (1981)
Not Rated | 84 min | Action, Drama, History
A group of Australian commandos launch a secret mission against Japanese forces in World War II.
Director: Tim Burstall | Stars: John Phillip Law, Mel Gibson, Sam Neill, Chris Haywood
Votes: 2,722
23. Killing Kennedy (2013 TV Movie)
PG-13 | 87 min | Biography, Drama, History
Based on Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard's best seller comes this shocking thriller starring Rob Lowe and Ginnifer Goodwin. As John F. Kennedy (Lowe) rises to become U.S. president, a ... See full summary »
Director: Nelson McCormick | Stars: Rob Lowe, Will Rothhaar, Jack Noseworthy, Casey Siemaszko
Votes: 3,732
24. The Jigsaw Man (1983)
PG | 94 min | Thriller
An MI6 defector has his appearance altered by the K.G.B. and is sent back to Britain to retrieve top-secret documents.
Director: Terence Young | Stars: Michael Caine, Laurence Olivier, Susan George, Robert Powell
Votes: 2,030
25. The Berlin File (2013)
PG-13 | 120 min | Action, Thriller
Jong-seong, a North Korean ghost agent, interrupts an illegal arms sale in Berlin. A notorious North Korean agent tests the loyalties of everyone involved as Jong-Seong prepares to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Director: Ryu Seung-wan | Stars: Ha Jung-woo, Han Suk-kyu, Ryu Seung-beom, Jun Ji-hyun
Votes: 7,632 | Gross: $0.67M
26. Avalanche Express (1979)
PG | 88 min | Action, Thriller
Soviet KGB General Marenkov defects to the Americans and together with his CIA handler Harry Wargrave they plan an operation meant to reveal the KGB agents in Europe.
Directors: Mark Robson, Monte Hellman | Stars: Lee Marvin, Robert Shaw, Linda Evans, Maximilian Schell
Votes: 1,717
27. The Human Factor (1979)
R | 115 min | Drama, Romance, Thriller
When a leak of information in the African section of British Intelligence is discovered, security man Daintry is brought in to investigate.
Director: Otto Preminger | Stars: Richard Attenborough, Nicol Williamson, Derek Jacobi, Joop Doderer
Votes: 1,578
28. East/West (1999)
PG-13 | 121 min | Adventure, Drama, History
In June 1946, Stalin invites the Russian exiled from the 1917 Revolution to return home. When the ships comes ashore in Odessa, the passengers are divided in two groups and one of them is ... See full summary »
Director: Régis Wargnier | Stars: Oleg Menshikov, Sandrine Bonnaire, Catherine Deneuve, Sergey Bodrov
Votes: 5,145 | Gross: $2.78M
29. The Secret of the Sword (1985)
G | 100 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Prince Adam is sent to the world of Etheria to find his long abducted sister, Adora, and awaken her to her own destiny.
Directors: Ed Friedman, Lou Kachivas, Marsh Lamore, Bill Reed, Gwen Wetzler | Stars: John Erwin, Melendy Britt, Alan Oppenheimer, Linda Gary
Votes: 3,293 | Gross: $7.66M
30. A Different Loyalty (2004)
R | 96 min | Drama, Romance, Thriller
British war reporter Leo and American journalist Sally meet on assignment in Beirut. When Leo disappears, Sally begins to uncover his secret life, which leads her behind the Iron Curtain and into the clutches of the KGB. In HD.
Director: Marek Kanievska | Stars: Sharon Stone, Rupert Everett, Julian Wadham, Michael Cochrane
Votes: 1,528
31. The Executioner (1970)
GP | 107 min | Drama, Thriller
A British Intelligence Agent must track down a fellow spy suspected of being a double agent.
Director: Sam Wanamaker | Stars: George Peppard, Joan Collins, Judy Geeson, Oscar Homolka
Votes: 470
32. The Serpent (1973)
PG | 113 min | Drama, Thriller
A Soviet diplomat hatches a complicated plan to enable him to defect to the West.
Director: Henri Verneuil | Stars: Yul Brynner, Henry Fonda, Dirk Bogarde, Philippe Noiret
Votes: 1,205
33. Debris Documentar (2012 Video)
75 min | Horror
A man unknowingly leads a double life.
Director: Marian Dora | Stars: Marian Dora, Martina Adora, Katja Bienert, Alexandra Dumas
Votes: 169
34. The Russian Five (2018)
Not Rated | 102 min | Documentary, Sport
In the late 1980s, the Detroit Red Wings worked to finally break their decades long Stanley Cup drought by extracting players from the Soviet Union, and in the process, changed the way North American hockey is played.
Director: Joshua Riehl | Stars: Scotty Bowman, Don Cherry, Michael Chovich, Jeff Daniels
Votes: 1,423 | Gross: $0.49M
35. Company Man (2000)
PG-13 | 86 min | Comedy
A high-school teacher in the 1960s becomes an international spy and becomes involved in a plot to overthrow Fidel Castro.
Directors: Peter Askin, Douglas McGrath | Stars: Douglas McGrath, Sigourney Weaver, Paul Guilfoyle, Jeffrey Jones
Votes: 2,178 | Gross: $0.15M
36. Nutcracker (1982)
R | 101 min | Drama, Music
A Russian ballet dancer defects from the U.S.S.R., emigrates to England, and joins a ballet company run by a powerful, wealthy lady (Dame Joan Collins).
Director: Anwar Kawadri | Stars: Joan Collins, Carol White, Paul Nicholas, Finola Hughes
Votes: 130
37. El Presidente (2012)
162 min | Action, Biography, Drama
The life story of the first Philippine President. The story of the man who led the Filipino people to victory against its Spanish conquerors.
Director: Mark Meily | Stars: Jorge Estregan, Nora Aunor, Christopher De Leon, Cristine Reyes
Votes: 139
38. Chakravyuh (2012)
Not Rated | 152 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
On the request of his friend Kabir, SP Adil Sends him to the Naxal group as an informer. When Kabir finds the truth he becomes one of their gang leader.
Director: Prakash Jha | Stars: Manoj Bajpayee, Kabir Bedi, Arjun Rampal, Om Puri
Votes: 3,424
39. Pentathlon (1994)
R | 101 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
An Olympic gold medalist escapes to freedom in the US, only to be tracked down by his sadistic ex-coach.
Director: Bruce Malmuth | Stars: Dolph Lundgren, David Soul, Renée Coleman, Roger E. Mosley
Votes: 2,015
40. Judgment in Berlin (1988)
PG | 96 min | Drama
American judge in Germany must decide if the hijacking of an East German plane into West Berlin was justified.
Director: Leo Penn | Stars: Martin Sheen, Sam Wanamaker, Max Gail, Jürgen Heinrich
Votes: 884 | Gross: $0.23M
41. Singing the Blues in Red (1986)
Not Rated | 110 min | Drama, Music
A singer swaps the political intimidation of working in East Germany for the equally controlling capitalist music industry in the West.
Director: Ken Loach | Stars: Gerulf Pannach, Fabienne Babe, Sigfrit Steiner, Cristine Rose
Votes: 569
42. Csinibaba (1997)
100 min | Comedy, Musical, Romance
In 1962, while Gagarin flew around the Earth and others prepared for World War III, no event has happened in Hungary since a certain year, and it looked like nothing will for at least 30 ... See full summary »
Director: Péter Tímár | Stars: János Gálvölgyi, Sándor Almási, Anita Tóth, Gábor Reviczky
Votes: 2,284
43. Plennyy (2008)
Not Rated | 80 min | Action, Drama
The story of a young Chechen and his Russian captor during their civil war.
Director: Aleksey Uchitel | Stars: Vyacheslav Krikunov, Pyotr Logachev, Irakli Mskhalaia, Yuliya Peresild
Votes: 392
44. The Defenders (2023)
90 min | Documentary, Biography, Sport
The gripping true story of how a former Australian football captain and a ragtag team of social media warriors, challenged two monarchies, a military junta and the world's richest and most ... See full summary »
Director: Matthew Bate | Stars: Hakeem Al-Araibi, Craig Foster, Ming-Zhu Hii, Mark Saturno
Votes: 45
45. Star Wars: Rogue Squadron (1998 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Luke Skywalker leads the Rebel Alliance's elite starfighter unit, Rogue Squadron, into battle against the Empire.
Director: Julian Eggebrecht | Stars: Bob Bergen, Robert M. Foster, Olivia Hussey, Neil Ross
Votes: 913
46. Kimjongilia (2009)
Not Rated | 75 min | Documentary, Drama
North Korean defectors tell their stories of repression, escape and hope.
Director: N.C. Heikin | Stars: Young Hun Choi, Chol-Hwan Kang, Lee Shin
Votes: 933 | Gross: $0.00M
47. Guns in the Heather (1969)
144 min | Adventure, Family
Walt Disney's 3-part made-for-TV feature, The Secret of Boyne Castle (1969), originally shown on "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color" (the new title for "Disneyland"), re-edited into feature film form for European theatrical release.
Director: Robert Butler | Stars: Glenn Corbett, Alfred Burke, Kurt Russell, Patrick Barr
Votes: 130
48. American Adobo (2001)
R | 104 min | Comedy, Romance
A humorous and heartwarming slice-of-life story about family and friends, dealing with the everyday struggles of people trying to bridge two cultures, as well as their attempt to find happiness and security in their new homeland.
Director: Laurice Guillen | Stars: Traci Ann Wolfe, Christopher De Leon, Dina Bonnevie, Ricky Davao
Votes: 201 | Gross: $0.34M
49. Ivan the Terrible (2014 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 52 min | Documentary, Biography, Drama
Orphaned in his childhood and treated abusively by higher-ranking Boyars, Tzar Ivan was a mercurial ruler who committed his first murder at the age of 13 and was feared for his random acts ... See full summary »
Director: Peter Moers | Stars: Erik Schäffler, Axel Petermann, Heidi Kastner, Andreas Kappeler
Votes: 290
50. Mieletön elokuu (2013)
103 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
August Fools is a romantic comedy set against the political background of the Cold War. Elsa (Kati Outinen), a middle-aged hat maker and part-time clairvoyant, is apparently in total ... See full summary »
Director: Taru Mäkelä | Stars: Kati Outinen, Miroslav Etzler, Elena Leeve, Krystof Hádek
Votes: 295