On S List of Movie Reviews

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The Spy Who Came in
from the Cold (1965)

Rate: 9
Viewed: 8/02, 2/09, 12/18

SpyCold
2/09: Move over, James Bond...here comes a real spy by the name of Alec Leamas.

When I saw The Spy Who Came in from the Cold while back, it was my first introduction to Richard Burton, and ever since then, I've remained fascinated by his brilliance in acting. He has never looked more beautiful in black and white.

It's a dark, complicated film with no characters to root for. I just sit staring at the screen and not knowing what to think of. For an unassuming spy picture, it's brilliantly made but difficult to make heads or tails of.

All in all, Richard Burton gives one of the best performances of his career in The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, a top five espionage picture.

12/18: I remember being mesmerized by The Spy Who Came in from the Cold when I first saw it.

The bottom line is: none of the James Bond movies doesn't hold a candle to it. Closely following John le Carré's novel sans a name change for Claire Bloom's character, it's not the kind of movie that a first-time viewer will fully understand the plot, hence the high replayability value.

Nominated for Best Actor Academy Award, Richard Burton is so good as Alec Leamas, a "seedy, squalid" spy who has seen it all and is therefore disgusted with life. If there's anything I'm envious of Richard Burton, it's his awesome-looking raincoat which is a must-have item.

All in all, Richard Burton gave many great performances, and what he did for The Spy Who Came in from the Cold ranks in the top two or three of his career.