Spy Who Came in from the Cold (The)
- Director: Martin Ritt
- Writer: John le Carré; Paul Dehn
- Producer: Martin Ritt
CGiii Comment
The total antithesis to James Bond.
Here, the spies are seedy, squalid bastards...little men, drunkards, queers, hen-pecked husbands, civil servants - all playing Cowboys and Indians to brighten up their rotten little lives - no Martinis nor Martins.
This is a chillingly cold and controlled affair - simply stark and difficult.
Ritt displays true mastery - especially with Burton (who was nominated for an Oscar) and it is a must-see for those interested in the genre.
Trailer...
The(ir) Blurb...
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.
Cast & Characters
Richard Burton as Alec Leamas;
Claire Bloom as Nan Perry;
Oskar Werner as Fiedler;
Sam Wanamaker as Peters;
George Voskovec as East German Defense Attorney;
Rupert Davies as George Smiley;
Cyril Cusack as Control;
Peter van Eyck as Hans-Dieter Mundt;
Michael Hordern as Ashe;
Robert Hardy as Dick Carlton;
Bernard Lee as Patmore;
Beatrix Lehmann as Tribunal President;
Esmond Knight as Old Judge;
Tom Stern as CIA Agent;
Niall MacGinnis as German Checkpoint Guard