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The Spy Who Came in from the Cold

1965 · Movie · Approved · 112 min · ★ 7.1 · 84% critics

DramaThriller

A worn-down British intelligence agent is offered one last Cold War assignment after refusing a quiet desk job. Posing as a disgraced defector, he enters a maze of rival agencies, shifting loyalties, and calculated deception where trust is scarce and every move could be his last.

Based on The Spy Who Came in from the Cold

IMDb

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Details
Original title
The Spy Who Came In from the Cold
Years
1965
Release date
1965-12-16
Language
English
Rated
Approved
Runtime
112 min
Critic score
84/100
TMDB rating
7.1/10 (331 votes)
Box office
$7,600,000
About

You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a serious, downbeat Cold War spy story built on distrust, moral gray areas, and mounting tension rather than action; Not for you if you need clarity, speed, or levity like Murder on the Orient Express.

Pros: tense, cynical spy drama; smart, twisty plotting; strong lead performance | Cons: bleak mood throughout; dialogue-heavy pace; can feel confusing

Themes

  • library
  • spy
  • cold war
  • grocer
  • iron curtain
  • cynicism
  • whiskey
  • atheist
  • tribunal
  • black and white
  • love affair
  • double cross
  • +4 more

Awards & recognition

  • Academy Award — Best Actor · 1966 · nominated
  • Academy Award — Best Art Direction, Black and White · 1966 · nominated

Cast & crew

Directed by Martin Ritt