
The Spy Who Came in From the Cold
1966, Drama/Mystery and thriller, 1h 52m
15 Reviews 5,000+ RatingsYou might also like
Where to watch
The Spy Who Came in From the Cold Photos
Movie Info
Cast & Crew
Alec Leamas
Nan Perry
Fiedler
Hans-Dieter Mundt
East German Defense Attorney
Peters
Critic Reviews for The Spy Who Came in From the Cold
All Critics (15) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (13) | Rotten (2)
-
Self-consciously dour where the James Bond movies were insouciantly callous.
November 25, 2008 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review… -
An excellent contemporary espionage drama of the Cold War which achieves solid impact via emphasis on human values, total absence of mechanical spy gimmickry, and perfectly controlled underplaying.
December 26, 2007 | Full Review… -
What finally impresses, however, is the sheer seediness of so much of the film, with characters, buildings, and landscapes lent convincingly grubby life by Oswald Morris' excellent monochrome camera-work.
February 9, 2006 | Full Review… -
The film makes you believe it could have happened. And that's the remarkable thing.
May 9, 2005 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review… -
Grim, monotonous, and rather facile, though Richard Burton's aging agent has some honest poignancy.
January 1, 2000 | Full Review… -
A brilliant screenplay crisp, muted, funny, never pushing its points, and acting of the unobtrusively perfect sort you aren't asked to notice. Goes a long way towards bolstering this excitement.
July 20, 2018 | Full Review…
Audience Reviews for The Spy Who Came in From the Cold
-
Apr 02, 2014In comparison to many films made about the Cold War after the Cold War, this stands out as a wonderful spy film at the height of the tension. Richard Burton is fantastic in the lead.John B Super Reviewer
-
Jan 17, 2013Being a John le Carre adaptation, you can expect that "The Spy Who Came in From the Cold" will be two things: grim and unexciting. There's no doubting that events like this did happen during the Cold War, but that doesn't make it any more of a compelling watch. The pace is unrelenting in its slowness, the plot doesn't take any interesting turns, and it's just not involving or likable. Richard Burton's understated acting, Oswald Morris' gloomy black-and-white photography and a morally ambiguous tone are really all that the film has going for it.Stephen E Super Reviewer
-
Sep 06, 2012This film's entire existence is merely as an real world answer to the James Bond craze prevalent in its day and then simply to say: "that's not true." Well what is the truth then? Sad little men sulking in shadows, lying to everyone, especially themselves. Burton is really good as one of the men, a guy who hates himself playing a guy who hates himself playing a guy who hates himself. Its really grim but good.Kevin M. W Super Reviewer
-
Jul 04, 2012Although the build up (first 30 minutes) is a bit slow, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold quickly becomes a trhilling adventure. The plot is original and exciting and the acting was beyond my expectations. Altogether, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is a daring thriller. Favorite Scene: The end when he decides not to climb the wallAnthony L Super Reviewer
The Spy Who Came In from the Cold Quotes
Guard: | Can you dig it? |
Movie & TV guides
About Tomatometer
The percentage of Approved Tomatometer Critics who have given this movie a positive review
About Audience Score
The percentage of users who rated this 3.5 stars or higher.
Verified