OT: Best Spy / Cold War Films

[ŽižkovClaret]

Find myself going back to Tinker Tailor several times, not least for the score and the ridiculous cast. Which others would you recommend? I don't mind black and white

Was chuffed to find the TTSS score on spotify and have been known to drift along on the tram listening to it and imagining i'm sometime back in the cold war (no, you're a bit of a sad git.....!).

[piston broke]

Spy Game.
Funeral in Berlin.

[Vintage Claret]

Bridge of Spies
Ice Station Zebra

[Stalbansclaret]

I love Spy fiction but it's a genre which I think is under-represented in film, perhaps because it lacks overt "action" and centres around quiet betrayals, secrets and lies. TTSS is the one that stands out a mile I think.

Le Carre is (obviously) also the master of spy fiction and has brilliantly adapted to the post Cold War order of things too. I can also strongly recommend Charles Cumming whose books I have read and really enjoyed. Just getting into Mick Herron's books too though only read Slow Horses so far and thought it a 7/10.

If you like spy fiction I would also recommend Homeland, the TV series. Season 5 in particular, set in Berlin, has a lot of espionage-type content and whilst the war-on-terror/jihadis theme still runs through it this programme has morphed a lot from it's original "is he a jihadi or isn't he" plot.

Finally, going back to film, The Manchurian Candidate (original version preferably) is good fun, whilst being pretty bonkers.

[CharlieinNewMexico]

great thread subject!

love this genre but either a) can't find anything that doesn't have Matt Damon and a 1000 explosions or b) don't want to commit myself to a 2 and a half hour film to find out out half way through it's shoite.

[Chester Perry]

Finally, going back to film, The Manchurian Candidate (original version preferably) is good fun, whilst being pretty bonkers.

Original Manchurian is great as is the mentioned elsewhere Funeral in Berlin, then there is Ipcress file and the spy who came in from the cold

If you like Tinker Tailor, try the original TV series with Alec Guinness brilliant (as is Smiley's people) - If you want to go further back try The Stanger with Edward G Robinson - pure class

[Chester Perry]

For more recent stuff - Channel 4 showed Deutschland 83 and BBC 4 showed Rubicon in the last few years loved them both

[dermotdermot]

If the OP doesn't really mind black and white (gulp), he'd be pushed to find anything better than The Third Man.

[ŽižkovClaret]

If the OP doesn't really black and white (gulp), he'd be pushed to find anything better than The Third Man.

I said i don't mind black and white? It was a tongue in cheek comment as i remember watching Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon at Burnley cinema and people kicked off saying "i dont come t'cinema to read"

[Chester Perry]

Staying modern - not quite cold war but not bad is The International with Clive Owen (Killer Elite is a bit more action - including Statham) - but not bad).

Another interesting one is Michael Clayton with George Clooney again not cold war but a decent thriller in the espionage type vain

Finally for modern try the Debt - with Helen Mirren

[Chester Perry]

Watching an interesting one at the moment on Freeview channel 81 - Defence of the Realm

[ElectroClaret]

Another vote for Bridge of Spies.

[ŽižkovClaret]

Another vote for Bridge of Spies.

Would it help?

[ecc]

"Finally, going back to film, The Manchurian Candidate (original version preferably) is good fun, whilst being pretty bonkers."

I don't know about being bonkers but it's a superb film. It's worth pointing out that the book it was based on was published in 1959 and the film released in 1962, in other words, before Kennedy was assassinated by a man who had spent time living in the Soviet Union.

[ElectroClaret]

Would it help?

Would what help?

[Colburn_Claret]

I loved the TTSS series with Alec Guinness, every character was just as you imagined in the book.

I love Le Carre but the Gary Oldfield film was a massive disappointment.

I also loved the TV versions of A Perfect Spy and Smileys People, The Honourable Schoolboy, and I was gripped by The Spy Who Came In From Cold, the twist at the end wad a kick n the gonads.

[CombatClaret]

Found Bridge of Spies to be rather lackluster as have been most of Speilbergs later films, the trick is they are really well produced so if you are interested in the period you will watch it and enjoy. War Horse, Bridge of Spies, Lincoln. The latter being my favourite of his recent historical attempts.

Munich - While not a cold war film is a fantastic spy thriller. Full of field craft and tension. A+
Thirteen Days - Though according to McNamara some liberties wer taken quite a good historical procedural based around the Cuban Missile Crisis, Kevin Costner adds star power.
Hunt for Red October - Ticks the submarine film box too! Classic cold war cheese.

The Americans - TV, Not gone beyond season one but I enjoyed it.

[Chester Perry]

Connery's next film after Red October was The Russia House which definitely falls into this category and is rather good as is Gorky Park with William Hurt and Lee Marvin

[Eddiebfc]

3 days of the Condor is very good.

[Chester Perry]

Bill Nighy was in a good one with Rachel Weisz - Page Eight - and Eddie is right, 3 days of the Condor is very good.

[wooooosh]

The Lives of Others won an Oscar for best foreign language film about 10 years ago. Set in East Germany in the early 80's. Thought it was a cracker. Much more realistic than Deutschland 83. Worth a watch.

[1968claret]

The Eagle Has Landed

And Where Eagles Dare

This is broadsword calling Danny Boy....

[Hipper]

Don't know if this counts but it gives a good impression of what life must have been like in East Germany:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2178941/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Of course there is this comedy about East Germany:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0301357/?ref_=nv_sr_1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Sidney1st]

Can't believe no one has mentioned FireFox yet ..

[Sidney1st]

Oh and Atomic Blonde.

Ticks the " see Charlize Theron naked and lezzing out " box.

[Chester Perry]

Oh and Atomic Blonde.

Ticks the " see Charlize Theron naked and lezzing out " box.

saw this over Christmas - not at all bad

[CharlieinNewMexico]

Bill Nighy was in a good one with Rachel Weisz - Page Eight - and Eddie is right, 3 days of the Condor is very good.

liked the first two Johnny Worricker's. The third one with Walken was crap.

[ŽižkovClaret]

Would what help?

Been a while since you watched it then? haha

[Cheshire Exile]

What, no mention for "The Ipcress File"?

In the Len Deighton novel, the first in the series which includes "Funeral In Berlin", the hero remains anonymous and is a cynical and insubordinate former NCO from- wait for it- Burnley.

"Harry Palmer" was invented for the cinema.

[Chester Perry]

Cheshire see post #6

[Lancasterclaret]

No Way Out with Kevin Costner is very good with a good twist.

[HatfieldClaret]

Excellent thread.

I love the intrigue of films like Nikita (French with subtitles).

Hollywood re-made it as the Assassin, shoite relying on special effects and totally missed the point.

[tjgh25]

The Lives Of Others is favourite. About the Stasi in East Germany. Its in German so if you can put up with subtitles i would strongly recommend it.

[TractorFace]

I watch the original TTSP at least one a year, usually on dull and wet Sunday afternoon in Jan/Feb. Brilliant scriptwriting and sublime acting throughout.

[bob-the-scutter]

Definitely one of the best cold war films was Threads (1984) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090163/?ref_=nv_sr_1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
At the time it was rather terrifying.