The Spy Who Came in From the Cold (1965)

In 1965 Harry Saltzman and Albert Broccoli's series of James Bond films was riding the crest of its quite phenomenal success. Sean Connery was still firmly ensconced in the role and the series showed no signs of slowing down. In January 1966, three weeks after the release of  THUNDERBALL, the fourth film in the Bond franchise, a very different kind of spy thriller opened in British cinemas, one that turned out to be the very antithesis of the colourful spy movies audiences had so far been flocking to.

Adapted from John Le Carré's 1963 novel of the same name, Martin Ritt's film  of THE SPY WHO CAME IN FORM THE COLD tells the story of Alec Leamas (Richard Burton) who works in Berlin for British Intelligence. When the return of an undercover operative goes wrong Leamas returns to London. Instead of taking up a desk job he becomes embroiled in a complex plot that involves him 'defecting' to the other side with the intention of causing the death of one of the opposition's key figures. But all is not quite as it seems.

Along with Sidney J Furie's THE IPCRESS FILE (released just two months after Ritt's film), THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD showed cinema audiences a grimmer, seedier, more realistic flip-side to Ian Fleming's glamorous superspy adventures. Richard Burton is perfectly cast as Leamas, delivering a climactic speech filled with invective to Claire Bloom's hapless communist librarian. Don't expect a happy ending for either of them. 

        Shot in harsh black and white and featuring turns by a number of British acting favourites including Michael Hordern, Cyril Cusack, Robert Hardy, Rupert Davies as George Smiley and a blink or you'll miss him Michael Ripper, with key roles for Peter Van Eyck (THE SNORKEL) and Oskar Werner (Truffaut's FAHRENHEIT 451), it's a film that builds slowly, demanding you pay attention in order to follow its complex plotting, but the result is very much worth it.

Eureka's disc comes with a new commentary track from Adrian Martin and a video essay from David Cairns that lasts just over 20 minutes. You also get a 48 page booklet with new writing on the film from Richard Combs as well as archival pieces.

Martin Ritt's film of John Le Carré's THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD is out on Blu-ray from Eureka on Monday 17th May 2021