The Spy Who Came In from the Cold

Richard Burton - Alec Leamas
Claire Bloom - Nan Perry
Oskar Werner - Fiedler
Peter van Eyck - Hans-Dieter Mundt
Sam Wanamaker - Peters
George Voskovec - East German Defence Attorney
Rupert Davies - George Smiley
Cyril Cusack - Control
Michael Hordern - Ashe
Robert Hardy - Carlton
Bernard Lee - Patmore
Beatrix Lehmann - Tribunal President
Esmond Knight - Old Judge
Walter Gotell - Holten
Tom Stern - CIA Agent
Niall MacGinnis - German Checkpoint Guard
George Mikell - German Checkpoint Guard
Marianne Deeming - Frau Floerdke
Michael Ripper - Lofthouse

Based on the novel by John Le Carre, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is closer to the dour, chilling world of Harry Palmer than the glossy glamorous lifestyle of James Bond. Le Carre's best-selling novel provides the basis for this breathtaking Cold War thriller of espionage, intrigue, crosses and double-crosses. A tension-packed and brilliantly plotted screenplay matches brooding first-rate performances from the entire cast, with masterful semi-documentary style direction from Martin Ritt.

Alec Leamas (Richard Burton) is a burnt-out British MI6 secret agent stationed in Berlin who wants to “come in from the cold” and retire when offered a desk job. However, following the interception of several British sub-agents, Control (Cyril Cusack) sends Leamas into the final assignment of his career behind the Iron Curtain, stalking his East German counterpart Hans-Dieter Mundt (Peter Van Eyck). To make his staged defection seem genuine, Leamas goes on a drunken binge that results in him being imprisoned and discredited. To further strength the masquerade, he becomes involved romantically with Nan (Claire Bloom), an idealistic young member of the British Communist Party.

Once accepted into Communist espionage circles, Leamas’ mission is to ascertain the identity of the "mole", but discovers that his entire assignment was mere deception. He's in actuality a pawn in an entirely different operation to protect Control's double agent who has come under trial, ex-Nazi Mundt, and discredit the second in command attempting to uncover him, impassioned Jew Fiedler (Oskar Werner). Now cleared of any charges, Mundt sneaks Leamas and Nan to the Berlin Wall to affect their escape – but it must be ensured that all loose ends are tied up.