Frosty reception assured. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is directed by Martin Ritt and adapted to screenplay by Paul Dehn and Guy Trosper from the novel of the same name written by John le Carré. It stars Richard Burton, Claire Bloom, Oskar Werner, Peter van Eyck, Sam Wanamaker, Rupert Davies and Cyril Cusack. Music is by Sol Kaplan and cinematography by Oswald Morris. Disillusioned spy Alex Leamas (Burton) returns from Berlin and is required to "come in from the cold" and work in a stable everyday job environment. But this is just a small piece of a much bigger jigsaw… From start to finish this is a deliberate downer of a movie, the complete flipside to the spy adventures served up in other high energy filmic quarters. Filmed in coarse monochrome to set the mood, picture is often depressing, overtly talky and complex in its characterisations and narrative bent. However, those things are not hindrances, for this is undeniably adult stuff, oozing with intelligence and intricacies for the mature film fan, a clinically spun web of pawns, manipulations and distrustful men. The Cold War backdrop is marked as deathly cold, where the grey weather is only matched by the colourless complexion of Burton's depressed spy. As the twists rack up and the tension noose is tightened, Ritt and his cast of excellent performers are only interested in keeping it real, right up to, and including, the devastating finale. Not one to turn to when in need of a pick-me-up, or in fact a film you want to watch perennially, but certainly it's a piece of work that serves to remind us that intense well written and performed cinema is always available to view when the mood fits. 8/10
**_Talky, brooding B&W spy drama during the Cold War with Richard Burton_** In the early ’60s, an alcoholic British intelligence agent (Richard Burton) is sent behind the Iron Curtain to East Germany disguised as a defector, but intending to spread disinformation. Based on the 1963 novel by John le Carré, "The Spy Who Came in From the Cold" (1965) is a realistic spy drama and NOT an action thriller in the mold of James Bond. It’s similar to another flick based on a le Carré book, “The Russian House” (1990), which ironically starred Sean Connery. Both movies are dialogue-driven and their depiction of intelligence work is decidedly mundane, static and cynical, which isn’t to say they’re not worth checking out for those interested. The tone is similar to “36 Hours” with James Garner from the year prior. Burton locked horns a bit with the director and the tense atmosphere on set was heightened by the presence of Elizabeth Taylor, Burton’s wife, likely due to costar Claire Bloom’s romantic history with Richard. Claire plays the librarian, Nan Perry. The movie runs 1 hour, 52 minutes, and was shot in Ireland’s Ardmore Studios and England's Shepperton Studios with exterior scenes done in Dublin; for instance, Smithfield, Dublin, was used as the location for the Berlin checkpoint at the opening. GRADE: B-
Salvador Mallo, a filmmaker in the twilight of his career, remembers his life: his mother, his lovers, the actors he worked with. The sixties in a small village in Valencia, the eighties in Madrid, the present, when he feels an immeasurable emptiness, facing his mortality, the incapability of continuing filming, the impossibility of separating creation from his own life. The need of narrating his past can be his salvation.
Movie Star Rating : 7.4 Read More
The U.S. has handed over control of its nuclear defense system to the Colossus supercomputer designed by scientist Dr. Charles Forbin. It soon becomes clear, that the now-sentient Colossus is far more intelligent than its creator realized—with the fate of the world hanging in the balance.
Movie Star Rating : 6.9 Read More
Teenager Jones has opted not to go to college and is instead renting a room in a boarding house to work on his writing skills. Soon, Jones finds himself dividing his time between two women: a young actress named Lisa and a photographer named Jane. After Jane's ex-boyfriend arrives to help her recover from a car accident, Jones begins to understand just how much he cares for her.
Movie Star Rating : 6.2 Read More
Jacob is a young man used to getting everything he wants. For several years, he has been living in a happy homosexual partnership with Jørgen, and one night Jacob decides to pop the big question to Jørgen. Jørgen happily accepts Jacobs marriage proposal, but then something happens: Jacob falls in love with a girl, and not just any girl. The girl is Caroline, married to Jørgens younger brother Tom.
Movie Star Rating : 5.8 Read More
Musician Stefan meets a young attractive woman Lidia. Stefan is going on tour to Austria, and Lydia, "accidentally" remembering her Viennese acquaintance, asks to give her a souvenir from Moldova. In Vienna, Stefan is met by people who are well aware of his private life and even familiar with his diary. The musician begins to suspect something is wrong, but when his daughter's well-being is threatened, Stefan becomes truly worried...
Movie Star Rating : 5 Read More
Sly and dry intelligence agent Harry Palmer is tasked with investigating British Intelligence security, and is soon enmeshed in a world of double-dealing, kidnap and murder when he finds a traitor operating at the heart of the secret service.
Movie Star Rating : 6.8 Read More
In the south of France, in a vast plain region called the Camargue, lives White Mane, a magnificent stallion and the leader of a herd of wild horses too proud to let themselves be broken by humans. Only Folco, a young fisherman, manages to tame him. A strong friendship grows between the boy and the horse, as the two go looking for the freedom that the world of men won’t allow them.
Movie Star Rating : 6.7 Read More
A college news reporter sets out to interview the niece of the only living person to escape a gender-changing Siren, eleven years prior. As secrets and truths are exposed, it turns out the motives of both parties are shrouded in darkness.
Movie Star Rating : 5.2 Read More
The successful short film compilation series continues with six outstanding films focused on school and college-age youth. 6 Shorts: Benny's gym (2007); Flatmates [Kompisar] (2007); Kali Ma (2007); Mr_Right_22 (2007); Secrets (2007); Yeah No Definitely (2007).
Movie Star Rating : 5.3 Read More
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