Review of The Spy Who Came In from the Cold (1965) by Keith W — 11 Oct 2014
John Le Carre is.. an acquired taste. His style is very slow, and this can be a bit irritating at times. However, this film manages to avoid being too slow... for the most part.
The first half of the film drags on and it feels it, but by the time our spy played by Richard Burton is on a plane to Amsterdam (about 40 minutes into the movie), things pick up and the intrigue never lets up.
Richard Burton is marvelous. Every tic, every mannerism feels so calculated and just right, perfect for a movie about a calculated and precise plot about bringing down an East German agent. You can feel the toll the job takes on him.
Oskar Werner is also a standout. He gets the film's second juiciest part and he plays it to perfection with just the right hint of trying to get ahead, just the right hint of looking forward to taking over for his boss.
The direction is solid in the second half, but that slow first half really does bring the film down. Then again, perhaps a slow and dull first half is necessary to show how the life of a spy is like. It still comes close to killing all interest in the film, though.
The music is also very noteworthy and adds to the mood wonderfully. Definitely one of the better Le Carre adaptations.
This review of The Spy Who Came In from the Cold (1965) was written by Keith W on 11 Oct 2014.
The Spy Who Came In from the Cold has generally received very positive reviews.
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