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The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
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The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.7/10   3,177 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 17% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Martin Ritt
Writers:
John le Carré (novel)
Paul Dehn (screenplay) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Spy Who Came in from the Cold on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
16 December 1965 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | Thriller more
Tagline:
BRACE YOURSELF FOR GREATNESS more
Plot:
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. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 8 wins & 3 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(3 articles)
Claire Bloom to star in 'Doctor Who?'
 (From digitalspy. 29 April 2009, 8:14 AM, PDT)

The Night Manager Has A Plan B
 (From EmpireOnline. 16 March 2009, 11:05 PM, PDT)

User Comments:
Grim, just as it should be more

Cast

  (in credits order) (complete, awaiting verification)

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
Scott Finch ... German Guide (as Scot Finch)
Anne Blake ... Miss Crail
George Mikell ... German Checkpoint Guard
Richard Marner ... Vopo Captain
Warren Mitchell ... Mr. Zanfrello
Steve Plytas ... East German Judge
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Caldicot ... Mr. Pitt
Michael Ripper ... Lofthouse
David Bauer ... Young Judge (uncredited)
Marianne Deeming ... Frau Floerdke (uncredited)
Walter Gotell ... Holten (uncredited)
Edward Harvey ... Man in the Shop (uncredited)
Katherine Keeton ... Stripper at the Pussywillow club (uncredited)
Philip Madoc ... Young German Officer (uncredited)
Henk Molenberg ... Dutch customs officer (uncredited)
Nancy Nevinson ... Mrs. Zanfrello (uncredited)
Michael Rittermann ... Security Officer (uncredited)
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Directed by
Martin Ritt 
 
Writing credits
John le Carré (novel "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold")

Paul Dehn (screenplay) and
Guy Trosper (screenplay)

Produced by
Martin Ritt .... producer
 
Original Music by
Sol Kaplan 
 
Cinematography by
Oswald Morris (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
Anthony Harvey 
 
Production Design by
Tambi Larsen 
Hal Pereira 
 
Art Direction by
Ted Marshall  (as Edward Marshall)
 
Set Decoration by
Josie MacAvin (uncredited)
 
Costume Design by
Sophie Devine  (as Motley)
 
Makeup Department
Eric Allwright .... makeup artist
George Frost .... makeup supervisor
Joan Smallwood .... hair stylist
 
Production Management
James H. Ware .... production supervisor (as James Ware)
Wim Lindner .... production manager: Netherlands (uncredited)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Colin M. Brewer .... assistant director (as Colin Brewer)
 
Art Department
Stan Gale .... construction manager
Josie MacAvin .... set dresser
Peter Melrose .... scenic artist
 
Sound Department
John Cox .... sound recordist
Gordon Daniel .... dubbing editor
John W. Mitchell .... sound recordist
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Maurice Gillett .... supervising electrician
Brian West .... camera operator
Bob Penn .... still photographer (uncredited)
 
Casting Department
Sally Nicholl .... casting supervisor
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sophie Devine .... costumes (as Motley)
Barbara Gillett .... wardrober
 
Editorial Department
Denis Whitehouse .... assistant editor
 
Music Department
Sol Kaplan .... conductor
 
Transportation Department
Arthur Dunne .... transportation captain
 
Other crew
Angela Martelli .... continuity
Richard McWhorter .... assistant to producer
 

Production CompaniesDistributors
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Additional Details

Runtime:
112 min
Country:
UK
Language:
English
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)
Certification:
UK:A (original rating) | Australia:M | Norway:16 | Netherlands:12 | West Germany:12 (f) (cut version) | West Germany:16 (f) (original rating) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | Canada:PG | UK:PG | USA:Unrated

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
When Richard Burton became a superstar, he insisted on casting his friends from his days at the Old Vic and West End (London's equivalent of Broadway). That is why Claire Bloom, who is clearly too old to be a teenager, was cast as Nan Perry. Other friends of Burton's cast in the film included the great stage actor Sir Michael Hordern and Robert Hardy. more
Quotes:
Nan Perry: Well, they returned you to me. I'm so grateful. So grateful! I cut tonight's party meeting.
Alec Leamas: Oh, well, well! Thank you for putting me above history.
more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
42 out of 57 people found the following comment useful:-
Grim, just as it should be, 7 September 2004
Author: glennser from north hollywood nee Dublin Ireland

I read the book about three years ago and was prepared to be disappointed with the feature as it's a grim book and I thought they'd soften it a little, the movie is excellent though, they made a couple of changes but all for the best, anyone who thinks spying was/is a glamorous occupation should check the film out, LeCarre actually worked as a spy too which adds weight to his dark and realistic (in my opinion)view of this filthy job. My favourite feature of the film is the contempt with which each of the communist spies treats his inferiors as the chain of command is followed, it's a beautiful touch which I don't remember from the book, and by the time Leamass starts laughing at it I was right there with him. I loved this film and can't recommend it enough, Burton is brilliant, some of his cold stares as things start going bad are magnificent, and of course he plays a great drunk... it's a nice script too.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Can't follow the story... Euan1234
laCarre's interview on Criterion disc buddy4000
Leamas and Nan olds1999
Nan/Liz zingzangspillip
LeCarre's opinion of the film shuzare
Poor image quality on DVD fahyr
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