The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965)

British agent Alec Leamas refuses to come in from the cold war during the 1960s, choosing to face another mission, which may prove to be his final one.

Director:

Martin Ritt

Writers:

John le Carré (novel), Paul Dehn (screenplay),

Stars:

Richard Burton, Claire Bloom, Oskar Werner

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Burton	...	Alec Leamas
Claire Bloom	...	Nan Perry
Oskar Werner	...	Fiedler
Sam Wanamaker	...	Peters
George Voskovec	...	East German Defense Attorney
Rupert Davies	...	George Smiley
Cyril Cusack	...	Control
Peter van Eyck	...	Hans-Dieter Mundt (as Peter Van Eyck)
Michael Hordern	...	Ashe
Robert Hardy	...	Dick Carlton
Bernard Lee	...	Patmore
Beatrix Lehmann	...	Tribunal President
Esmond Knight	...	Old Judge
Tom Stern	...	CIA Agent
Niall MacGinnis	...	German Checkpoint Guard

Storyline

Alec Leamas, a British spy is sent to East Germany supposedly to defect, but in fact to sow disinformation. As more plot turns appear, Leamas becomes more convinced that his own people see him as just a cog. His struggle back from dehumanization becomes the final focus of the story.

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Plot Keywords:

cold war | spy | atheist | counter espionage | double cross | 

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Taglines:

It plunges you knife-deep into actual Espionage. It gives you the dirt as well as the dazzle. Here is excitement sheer and naked and unforgettable. [UK Theatrical]

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 December 1965 (USA)

Also Known As:

L'espion qui venait du froid

Filming Locations:

Noordwijk, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands

Company Credits

Production Co:

Salem Films Limited

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The phrase "Number 11 bus", which is heard a few times, is British slang for walking; your two legs look like the number 11.

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Quotes

Control: A shark can smell blood a mile off when he's hungry, and Mundt is hungry for our blood.

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Connections

Followed by Smiley's People (1982)

User Reviews

Ladies and gentlemen, the greatest spy film ever made.

You can check my voting history to see how rarely I give out perfect 10s. But this film truly deserves the honor.

I hesitate to call it a spy movie because it's nothing like any spy movie I've ever seen. There are no hi tech gadgets, shoe phones and sexy Russian agents. There are no fantastic plots to recover microfilm hidden in the crown jewels. The hero doesn't even carry a gun. Instead the battle is fought with pure intelligence, political manipulation and trickery. This is what true espionage is about, the way WWII history books tell us. In the same way Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey" broke the rules of the scifi stereotype, this film did the same with the spy genre.

I won't say anything about the plot except that it requires your full attention. Things are not spelled out for us, and it requires a bit of work to piece it together, but that makes the payoff all the more stunning. This movie reads as if it were a book (which may be good or bad depending on how you like your movies). But I assure you it's not boring. I found myself whispering after every scene "This is so freaking cool! How much cooler can it get?" The answer: much.

The acting is flawless. Richard Burton is perfect as the cynical, faithless enigma who hides his mission so well even we can't guess what he's up to. Claire Bloom is equally convincing as the clueless but intelligent bystander. Oskar Werner, in the greatest role I've seen him play, is both chilling and magnetic as the interrogator. Even the minor roles were expertly played.

The script is so clever I highly recommend watching the film with subtitles so that you don't miss any of the great lines and wit. It may also help you keep up with the plot which, as I said, can be tricky.

Sol Kaplan's musical score is sparse but very effective in maintaining the heavy mood. The piano pieces really make you feel the weight of the dreary, cold war era. And the lack of music during tense scenes is equally powerful.

And that brings me to my favourite part of the film: the amazing camera work, cinematography and lighting. This is one of those films that makes you realize that black&white isn't just a choice of film; it's an entire art form unto itself. Darkness and light, sharpness and haze, shadows and contrast are used to the fullest. But it's not obnoxiously done like a 2nd year film student might do. No, everything flows naturally so a layperson can enjoy the scenery just as much as a cinema geek.

And there you have it; nothing but praise from me. The only problem is that it has ruined all the other spy films and political thrillers for me.