Review of The Spy Who Came In from the Cold (1965) by Ian S — 04 May 2009
Probably John le Carre's best book, capturing as it does the essence of his jaundiced view of the spying game being about former school prefects, now grey men, who ply their trade in deceit, blackmail, threats and murder in the interests of dubious claims of protecting "national security.
" An excellent film of an excellent book. Oddly, it's title is one of the most misused quotes amongst media types, who use it whenever they want to indicate someone returning to home base from a field trip, or from some far flung assignment of some description.
Ironically, Le Carre's character Leamas (Richard Burton) never makes it home. Instead he chooses to show compassion for a fellow human in a dramatic act of absolution. By "coming in from the cold" he is chucking in the icey war of espionage, which he can no longer stomach, in the most definitive way possible, realigning himself instead with ordinary humanity and their values, and rejecting the grey men.
This review of The Spy Who Came In from the Cold (1965) was written by Ian S on 04 May 2009.
The Spy Who Came In from the Cold has generally received very positive reviews.
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