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DVD The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
John le Carre's classic spy yarn gets a suitably brisk, unromanticized telling in this quintessential Cold War movie. A British agent (Richard Burton) sets up an elaborate cover story for being lured into defecting to the Communists, but he hardly needs to manufacture his disgust and cynicism over spying. The grim business of point-counterpoint espionage has rarely been depicted with less glamour; Burton's great climactic speech on the subject is the definitive take on sinking to the level of the enemy. Claire Bloom is an offbeat love interest, and a bearded Oskar Werner is an East German investigator on Burton's case (the pecking order in the Communist spy hierarchy is a source of black humor). Director Martin Ritt extends his unvarnished approach to the movie's stripped-down look, which means that Richard Burton is constantly in a harsh, unflattering light. He looks terrible, but it's in the service of a fine performance. --Robert Horton
Richard Burton is perfect as Alec Leamas, the aging veteran of the Cold War sent out by Control on one last mission. The book was perhaps the best-written of all John LeCarre's novels, and this movie is a fine dramatization of it. Those who are familiar with LeCarre's "Call for the Dead" will remember the character of Mundt, who becomes the target in this account of Leamsas's final operation. Burton's characterization of the cynical and world-weary Leamas is perhaps one of his finest roles, and with its taut plot and stellar supporting case, this is one of the best spy stories you'll ever see.
chill factor
this is a movie which you have to see to experience it. One of the most memorable movie which you will never forget.The image of richard burton crossing back to east berlin border"AGAIN" just to save someone, that image is still in my mind.I dont want to give any thing AWAY about the plot.It is a Thriller which who loves the old history ,specially chilling crossing between east berlin and west and Richard Burton will live in our memories for ever as long as we live,you can imagine what a actor he was that no words can discribe , specially in this movie.I am waiting to get my hands on a DVD.
Tight story , Burton at his best , but very bleak & depressing
I am a Richard Burton fan - a fan of his acting before it went downhill and he stopped being offered scripts like this .
He himself had something to do with that , of course .
In this film , you see what the life of a spy might really have been like . It is a job where the person's real feelings are always hidden and other people are looked at according to their uses . However , Burton has been a spy for too long and we are there to witness his downward slide .
The black and white picture helps to portray the slowness of his existence .
It seems sad to say it , but watch this for a realisation of the wonderful talent Richard Burton had . There were only a few more good roles for him after this .
The replay value may not be high , however , as this is not a film one thinks of as 'entertaining' . I refer to the subject matter . Go back in time and watch this film to see how they used to make 'em .
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy stars Alec Guinness as George Smiley, John le Carré's familiar, aging British Intelligence agent, called out of retirement to discover the identity of the high-ranking Russian mole who has burrowed deep into "the Circus"--codename for the British secret service. This slow-burning, complicated, and ultimately rewarding BBC adaptation, dramatized by Arthur Hopcroft and directed by John Irvin, perfectly captures Le Carré's own insight into the shady underworld of spies and the political climate during the cold war.
Le Carré's style is the antithesis of his contemporary Ian Fleming's--far from the glamorous lifestyle of James Bond, with his fast cars and faster women, these agents ride around in Skodas, and Beryl Reid is the closest... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): John Le Carre DVD Release Date: Released the 23 March 2004 Usually ships in 24 hours
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The second of the BBC's well-regarded serializations of John Le Carré's espionage bestsellers, Smiley's People is slightly less compulsively watchable than Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy if only because Tinker, Tailor had a much stronger plot premise (who is the mole in British Intelligence?) than Smiley's People, which takes a very long time to come into focus. Retired spymaster George Smiley (Alec Guinness) wanders around Europe and visits a succession of desperate or eccentric characters as he plays a game which finally leads to another confrontation with and a possible victory over his Moriarty-like Soviet arch-nemesis Karla (an expressive but silent Patrick Stewart).
Directed by Simon Langton and coscripted by John Hopkins and Le Carré... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Alec Guinness DVD Release Date: Released the 10 August 2004 Usually ships in 24 hours
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No need to rehash the story -- the other reviews here do that quite nicely. The film is powerful in an understated way, made particularly compelling thanks to excellent location work in many of the real locations, and of course, the suspenseful subject matter. Everything is well crafted, with lots of fascinating detail. My only minus was that I felt it was a bit heavy on narration. Nevertheless, the film will keep you riveted for 140 minutes, which can't be said for many current films. Sadly, the DVD contains no bonus features, which is why I couldn't give the product 5 stars. It would have been great to have a commentary about the real events, or even a little 10 minute featurette. Regardless, it's a worthy addition to your DVD library. More Info about this DVD Actor(s): William Holden - Lilli Palmer Director(s): George Seaton DVD Release Date: Released the 13 July 2004 Usually ships in 24 hours
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With its high-intensity plot about an attempt to assassinate French President Charles de Gaulle, the bestselling novel by Frederick Forsyth was a prime candidate for screen adaptation. Director Fred Zinnemann brought his veteran skills to bear on what has become a timeless classic of screen suspense. Not to be confused with the later remake The Jackal starring Bruce Willis (which shamelessly embraced all the bombast that Zinnemann so wisely avoided), this 1973 thriller opts for lethal elegance and low-key tenacity in the form of the Jackal, the suave assassin played with consummate British coolness by Edward Fox. He's a killer of the highest order, a master of disguise and international elusiveness, and this riveting film follows his path to de Gaulle with an intense,... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Edward Fox Director(s): Fred Zinnemann DVD Release Date: Released the 28 April 1998 Usually ships in 24 hours
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