1965
Directed By Martin Ritt
Starring Richard Burton, Oskar Werner and Claire Bloom
Most films dealing with espionage are steeped in jingoism
and rarely approach characterization with a natural style. The characters are
mostly one dimensional super humans possessing abnormally well-developed strength
or intelligence, depending on the film. Martin Ritts film is based on the John
Le Carre novel by the same name. Le Carre was renowned for his brutally
realistic look at the world of counter intelligence.
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold follows Alec Leamas (Richard
Burton) a British counter intelligence officer who is sent to East Germany to
frame a German spy. He is tasked with spreading false information about the
German officer by appearing to confess during interrogation. The plot is fairly
straight forward but this is not one that you can be distracted while watching.
Put away your iPad and make sure the kid is in bed before you start this film.
For a film from 1965 I was surprised to see a communist and
drunk atheist as our pseudo-sympathetic leads. While the characters may have
felt like honest portraits in 1965 now they feel just a bit off. I never
believed in the “love” story at the center of the film. What did she see in
him? Why would she try to make out with him after he laughed at her political
beliefs? Why would she show up to pick him up from jail after one date? Why did
he go back to her after he knew she was being watched? If he cared about her
safety why didn’t he break up with her? Both actors give fine performances but
the writing is just…. weird. For a movie that attempts to be grounded in
reality, the central romance of the picture is utterly false.
This film is at its best when dealing with the boys. Oddly
enough the exposition scenes are some of the more interesting in the film. When
the plot and characters are being propelled forward the filmmaker’s confidence is
stepped up and the film begins to shine. The camera work on display here is
nothing short of remarkable. Photographed in lush black and white with innovative
transitions and fluid movement the camera is truly one of the stars of this
film.
Parts of this film I really loved and other parts I really
wanted to love but I was always on this films side. I never felt insulted or
talked down to by the picture. The filmmakers never take the time to explain
the Berlin wall or the Russian involvement in East Germany. The cold war is
never distilled down to a digestible little speech for you. A
certain level of pre-existing knowledge is expected of the viewer. It’s always
nice to see a movie that was intended for adult audiences, something that is
sadly lacking from the mulitiplexes these days.
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is streaming on Amazon and
is free for Prime members
