Good Spy Movies
07-23-04, 10:35 AM
#1
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Good Spy Movies
I'm looking for recommendations for good spy movies. Especially, some older cold war era movies, however, I'm up for anything that is considered a good spy thiller.
07-23-04, 11:47 AM
#6
DVD Talk Legend
I’ll also recommend Three Days of the Condor, a great film from the early 70s. I read the book after seeing the movie, this is one of those cases where the movie is a lot better than the book.
Also…
The Amateur (1982)
The Third Man (1949)
The Falcon and the Snowman (1985)*
North by Northwest (1960)*
* Not really spy movies per se, but related, and both are good movies.
Edited to add:
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
This isn't your typical spy movie, but it is a great movie nonetheless.
From the review at allmovie: “Chuck Barris is best known to most Americans as the guy who used to host The Gong Show. He was also the creator and producer of The Dating Game, The Newlywed Game, and a handful of other successful game shows in the 1960s and 1970s. But was he also a hired killer working with the CIA? That's the take-it-or-leave-it premise of Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, based on the memoir of the same name by Chuck Barris…”
Also…
The Amateur (1982)
The Third Man (1949)
The Falcon and the Snowman (1985)*
North by Northwest (1960)*
* Not really spy movies per se, but related, and both are good movies.
Edited to add:
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
This isn't your typical spy movie, but it is a great movie nonetheless.
From the review at allmovie: “Chuck Barris is best known to most Americans as the guy who used to host The Gong Show. He was also the creator and producer of The Dating Game, The Newlywed Game, and a handful of other successful game shows in the 1960s and 1970s. But was he also a hired killer working with the CIA? That's the take-it-or-leave-it premise of Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, based on the memoir of the same name by Chuck Barris…”
Last edited by Heat; 07-23-04 at 12:14 PM.
07-23-04, 12:48 PM
#7
DVD Talk Gold Edition
two of my favorites are
The Russia House
and
The Counterfeit Traitor
both deal with ordinary businessmen getting recruited into the world of espionage.
i would second the recc. that you avoid a lot of recent material (save for The Bourne Identity), and go for things like Three Days Of The Condor, Spy Who Came In From The Cold.
some others i haven't seen, but have heard
very good things about:
Day of The Jackel
Furneral In Berlin
The Ipcress File
also the Alfred Hitcock film Nortorious deals with a woman being recruited to spy on a Nazi in SA- great film.
another one of my favorites would be a 1980 comedy called Hopscotch with Walter Matheau as a pissed off CIA man who threatens to write a tell all book about the agency.
not entirely believable (although going by recent events maybe it wasn't that far off the mark), but quite a lot of fun
The Russia House
and
The Counterfeit Traitor
both deal with ordinary businessmen getting recruited into the world of espionage.
i would second the recc. that you avoid a lot of recent material (save for The Bourne Identity), and go for things like Three Days Of The Condor, Spy Who Came In From The Cold.
some others i haven't seen, but have heard
very good things about:
Day of The Jackel
Furneral In Berlin
The Ipcress File
also the Alfred Hitcock film Nortorious deals with a woman being recruited to spy on a Nazi in SA- great film.
another one of my favorites would be a 1980 comedy called Hopscotch with Walter Matheau as a pissed off CIA man who threatens to write a tell all book about the agency.
not entirely believable (although going by recent events maybe it wasn't that far off the mark), but quite a lot of fun
Last edited by ckolchak; 07-23-04 at 12:50 PM.
07-23-04, 12:48 PM
#8
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Three Days of the Condor (very good)
The Third Man (classic movie)
Hunt for Red October (best of the Jack Ryan movies)
Bourne Idenity (I'm a Ludlum fan and enjoyed the movie)
Gorky Park
The Third Man (classic movie)
Hunt for Red October (best of the Jack Ryan movies)
Bourne Idenity (I'm a Ludlum fan and enjoyed the movie)
Gorky Park
07-23-04, 01:17 PM
#10
DVD Talk Legend
Speaking of Ludlum, there is also:
The Osterman Weekend (1983)
It's OK, worth a watch if you don't find anything else. From this movie the scene I remember most is when
The Osterman Weekend (1983)
It's OK, worth a watch if you don't find anything else. From this movie the scene I remember most is when
Spoiler:
07-23-04, 03:21 PM
#12
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Originally posted by IndyFrank
Can't remember if the character is actually a spy, but check out
The Saint
with Val Kilmer
Can't remember if the character is actually a spy, but check out
The Saint
with Val Kilmer
07-23-04, 03:25 PM
#14
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Agree with many of the suggestions already including any Bond film, The Jackal, and Firefox.
No Way Out would be my suggestion. One of my all-time favorite movies.
No Way Out would be my suggestion. One of my all-time favorite movies.
07-23-04, 03:42 PM
#15
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Originally posted by B.A.
Richard Burton's THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD.
Richard Burton's THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD.
07-24-04, 10:53 PM
#16
DVD Talk Legend
Day of the Jackal may be the premiere "spy" movie. Also good (off the top of my head) is The Deadly Affair, directed by Sidney Lumet and starring James Mason.
07-25-04, 02:23 AM
#18
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Spy Game with Brad Pitt and Robert Redford wasn't bad.
Spartan with Val Kilmer is really good.
Spartan with Val Kilmer is really good.
07-25-04, 02:25 AM
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Originally posted by Red Dog
No Way Out would be my suggestion. One of my all-time favorite movies.
No Way Out would be my suggestion. One of my all-time favorite movies.
07-25-04, 09:51 AM
#21
DVD Talk Limited Edition
The Bourne Identity is great, and of course I'll mention all the Bond films.
Check out the great Richard Burton/Clint Eastwsood film "Where Eagles Dare". Great WWII spy thriller.
Check out the great Richard Burton/Clint Eastwsood film "Where Eagles Dare". Great WWII spy thriller.
07-25-04, 08:04 PM
#24
DVD Talk Legend
Originally posted by bhk
Spoiler:
07-25-04, 08:27 PM
#25
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Originally posted by tommyp007
Check out the great Richard Burton/Clint Eastwsood film "Where Eagles Dare". Great WWII spy thriller.
Check out the great Richard Burton/Clint Eastwsood film "Where Eagles Dare". Great WWII spy thriller.
And everyone has already mentioned both Bourne films. The original Bourne miniseries w/ Richard Chamberlain was good, too - much more faithful to the book.