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The Spy Who Came In from the Cold
- What is "The Spy Who Came In from the Cold" film about?
- Who directed the movie and when was it released?
- Who is the main character in the film and what is his job?
- What challenges does the main character face as a spy during the Cold War?
- How does the film show the dangers and moral dilemmas of espionage?
- Why is this film considered an important example of Cold War spy movies?
The Spy Who Came In from the Cold, British spyfilm, released in 1965, that is anadaptation ofJohn le Carré’s 1963best seller, featuringRichard Burton in one of his finest performances.
British agent Alec Leamas (played by Burton) has growncynical about theespionage game. His boss atMI6, known only as Control (Cyril Cusack), gives Leamas a chance to restore his reputation in the agency by participating in a complex plot to bring down Hans-Dieter Mundt (Peter van Eyck), the head of East German intelligence operations and the man who has overseen the assassinations of several of Leamas’s colleagues. Briefed by Control and fellow agentGeorge Smiley (Rupert Davies), Leamas is told that the plan involves framing Mundt as a double agent so that he will be executed by his own side. As part of the scheme, Leamas feigns being an alcoholic, and MI6 pretends to fire him. Leamas then spends time in prison for a violent assault on a store clerk. After being released, he gets a job at a library, where he meets and begins dating Nan Perry (Claire Bloom), a young woman with communist leanings.
As expected, Leamas is eventually contacted by East German agents, who use his presumed resentment of MI6 as a lure to make him defect. Leamas is taken toEast Germany, where he isdebriefed by Fiedler (Oskar Werner), who works for, but despises, Mundt. Leamas hints to Fiedler that Mundt might have been a double agent who accepted bribes from MI6. Mundt is arrested by East German security forces and put on trial. Fiedler presents evidence against the spymaster, but Perry is unexpectedly brought in as a witness. The confused woman unwittingly admits to being Leamas’s girlfriend and says she has met with Smiley, who apparently arranged to pay the rent on her London flat. Mundt makes the case that Leamas and Fiedler are part of an MI6 scheme to discredit him and have him executed. Both Leamas and Fiedler are arrested, along with Perry. Shortly thereafter Leamas is freed by Mundt, who actually is a double agent for the British. Leamas realizes that he and Perry have been used as pawns by MI6 and that Fiedler was the intended target of the plot all along. Leamas and Perry are taken to theBerlin Wall and told to climb over it near ablind spot. However, a sniper fatally shoots Perry. On the western side of the wall, Smiley shouts for Leamas to jump to safety. Leamas, disillusioned and betrayed, instead climbs back down to Perry’s body and is shot dead.
As with most le Carréadaptations,The Spy Who Came In from the Cold requires careful attention by the viewer, but the twists and turns prove to be ingenious. The film was a critical success, with directorMartin Ritt and cinematographer Oswald Morris earning particular praise. However, the bleak film attracted little interest among moviegoers, who were possibly more interested in the glamorous espionage world popularized by theJames Bond series. Interestingly,Bernard Lee, who portrayed “M” in a number of 007 films, had a small role as a shopkeeper.
Production notes and credits
- Studio: Salem Films Limited
- Director and producer: Martin Ritt
- Writers: Paul Dehn and Guy Trosper
- Music: Sol Kaplan
- Running time: 112 minutes
Cast
- Richard Burton (Alec Leamas)
- Claire Bloom (Nan Perry)
- Oskar Werner (Fiedler)
- Sam Wannamaker (Peters)
Academy Award nominations
- Lead actor (Richard Burton)
- Art direction (black and white)