| The Spy Who Came In from the Cold | |
|---|---|
&sq=&lang=&file=File:Spy_cold.jpg) Theatrical release poster by Howard Terpning | |
| Directed by | Martin Ritt |
| Screenplay by | |
| Based on | The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré |
| Produced by | Martin Ritt |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Oswald Morris |
| Edited by | Anthony Harvey |
| Music by | Sol Kaplan |
Production company | Salem Films Limited |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 112 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $7,600,000 |
The Spy Who Came In from the Cold is a 1965 British spy film based on the 1963 novel of the same name by John le Carré. The film stars Richard Burton, Claire Bloom, and Oskar Werner. It was directed by Martin Ritt, and the screenplay was written by Paul Dehn and Guy Trosper.[1]
The film depicts British MI6 agent Alec Leamas' mission as a faux defector who is given the task of sowing damaging disinformation about a powerful East German intelligence officer. As part of a charade, Leamas is apparently dismissed from the British secret intelligence service and becomes an embittered alcoholic. He is soon approached by East German agents in Britain, and he allows himself to be recruited and taken to continental Europe to sell his secrets for money. Just when it seems that he has successfully discredited his target, however, Leamas is revealed to be an active British intelligence agent disseminating false information. Much to his surprise, this revelation achieves the real and heretofore hidden objectives of the mission.
The Spy Who Came In from the Cold was a box-office success, receiving positive reviews and several awards, including four BAFTA Awards for Best British Film, Best Actor, Best Cinematography, and Best Art Direction. For his performance, Richard Burton received the David di Donatello Award for Best Foreign Actor, the Golden Laurel Award, and an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role. The film was named one of the top ten films of 1966 by the National Board of Review in the United States.[2]
- ^ Erickson, Hal (2007). "The Spy Who Came In from the Cold (1965)". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 23 November 2007. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
- ^ "Awards for The Spy Who Came In from the Cold". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 22 March 2013.