In THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD (1965), British agent, Alec Leamas (Richard Burton) takes on another mission, instead of a desk job. Along the way, he meets a beautiful woman (Claire Bloom) and various operatives. Pay close attention as this one has some great twists.
This is one of the classic spy movies that any spy movie fan must watch. It is is dark, and probably a bit more realistic in terms of a spy’s life, than anything James Bond does. There are no Aston Martins here, no tuxedos, no glamorous venues – nothing that could make you smile or feel relaxed much. The decision to film it in black and white was brilliant and adds to the overall feeling of despair.
All we can say is this: If you haven’t seen this THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD (1965), watch it. If you have seen it, watch it again.
This movie was nominated for 2 Academy Award (Best Actor and Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White) as well as 6 BAFTA nominations (with 4 wins).
Podcast Episode
THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD – Decoded!
Dan and Tom, decode the 1965 classic spy movie, THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD. This movie is dark but one of the best spy movies ever.
THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD is often considered one of the best spy movies of all time. We couldn’t agree more. In this episode, Dan and Tom decode this classic.
As far as spy movies go, THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD is dark, and probably a bit more realistic in terms of a spy’s life, than anything James Bond does. There are no Aston Martins here, no tuxedos, no glamorous venues – nothing that could make you smile or feel relaxed much. The decision to film it in black and white was brilliant and adds to the overall feeling of despair.
The story is fairly complex, and you must pay attention.
Dan and Tom will help guide you through some of the complexities, although they disagree on the ending.
They also discuss how this movie fits into the time of the Cold War and real-world double-agents.
The cast, led by Richard Burton, Claire Bloom, and Oskar Werner, is top shelf. Burton earned a BAFTA Best British Actor win and an Academy Award Nomination for his role as Alec Leamas. The movie picked up seven BAFTA nominations, winning four of them. It also earned an Academy Award Nomination for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black and White, among other industry awards. Oskar Werner picked up a BAFTA nomination for Best Foreign Actor as well.
So, have a listen and you’ll “Be in the Know.” This should be a must-see for any spy movie fan. Learn more about it as we decode THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD.
You can check out all of our podcast episodes on your favorite podcast app or our website. Our channel name is CRACKING THE CODE OF SPY MOVIES.
