The 10 Best Spy Movies Ever Made

[MULTIZ321]

The 10 Best Spy Movies Ever Made
By Paul Schrodt/ Entertainment/ Movies/ Esquire/ esquire.com

"Spying is not so different from making a movie. "Twenty-four lies per second" is how director Michael Haneke describes filmmaking. Alfred Hitchcock knew that well, which is why he kept returning to the subject of professional liars again and again. He could relate. The Master of Suspense invented the modern spy movie with North by Northwest, which is basically one long sleight of hand.

We've come a long way from Cary Grant running from a Soviet in a crop-dusting plane. In Atomic Blonde (out today), Charlize Theron offs Communists in 1980s Berlin, but wearing high heels and brute force that would make even James Bond sweat (just watch what she does with a corkscrew). The latest from one of the stuntmen-turned-directors behind John Wick makes you dizzy with its wall-to-wall neon style, "gun fu" choreography, and '80s pop-music cues, until, in a classic Hitchcock move, it pulls out the rug from under you. Lying never looked so good.

Here are the best spy movies* of all time ranked.

*As in, movies about actual spies, not spy-like conspiracies, wars, or cops...."

Paramount / Universal / Lionsgate / MGM

I would add another Hitchcock Film - 'Notorious' with Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Raines and Louis Calhern. I'm sure others will be added to the list too.


Richard

 

[spirits]

I am surprised that not one of John Le Carre's novels were mention....no George Smiley???? Pity

 

[Paulina Aguirre]

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is my fav. Atomic Blonde just released. Didn't watch it but hope it will be a better one. The trailer is good.

 

[dagger1]

I am surprised that not one of John Le Carre's novels were mention....no George Smiley???? Pity

Absolutely totally agree!

 

[Ironwood]

Absolutely totally agree!

Of those on the list 'Munich' and 'North by Northwest' would get my nod. Le Carre's The Night Manager, while not a movie would certainly get a thumbs up from me.

 

[WalnutBaron]

Le Carre's The Night Manager, while not a movie would certainly get a thumbs up from me.

Just a quick note to highly recommend The Night Manager, available on Amazon Prime. It's a six-hour miniseries, starring Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston. The series is inspired by Le Carre's novel of the same title, and it is simply outstanding. The writing is tight and suspenseful, with twists and turns and red herrings galore. The story centers on an international arms dealer, played by Laurie, and the efforts of a former British Army Special Forces veteran and erstwhile nighttime hotel manager played by Hiddleston, who is recruited by MI-6 to infiltrate Laurie's tight circle in order to blow the operation up before Laurie's conventional and chemical weapons blow the Middle East up. Fascinating and addicting. You will enjoy it!

P.S. Recent news indicates that Hiddleston is the betting favorite to succeed Daniel Craig as the new James Bond.

 

[artringwald]

Charade was on TCM last night. I only watched the end of it, but I've seen it a couple of times. It was really great the first time, but not so much once you know what's going to happen. I thought the best spy movie ever was Goldfinger, and also one of the best movie quotes, "I expect you to die".

 

[jehb2]

Where Eagles Dare (1968) with Clint Eastwood. And Shining Through (1992). These are not movies about real spies but still I really liked them

 

[plpgma]

I'm a fan of all good spy, espionage, cloak-and-dagger, or whatever else you want to call them movies! In addition to what's been posted about already, two of my oldie favorites that come to mind are:

1. Three Days of the Condor [this is a dated movie that takes a different and well played-out approach to the spy game)
2. Casino Royale - the 1967 version with Peter Sellers [this is a great spoof that pokes fun at James Bond specifically and the whole spy game in general - plus it also has some really great music]

 

[WalnutBaron]

Three Days Of The Condor is a truly great movie, and still ranks on my list of my personal Top 20 of all time. The suspense is gripping, the action tight, and the movie just keeps moving to its powerful conclusion.

 

[amycurl]

I am surprised that not one of John Le Carre's novels were mention....no George Smiley???? Pity

As others have mentioned, the best Le Carre adaptation wasn't a movie, it was a series: The Night Manager. Otherwise known as Tom Hiddleston's audition for James Bond. And, yes, I've seen all the other adaptations as well.

 

[amycurl]

One that I am surprised didn't make the list was a great one: The Falcon and the Snowman.

And No Way Out, which launched Kevin Costner's career:

 

[wilma]

I would add Hitchcock’s “Notorius” and Ben Affleck’s “Argo”

 

[MULTIZ321]

As others have mentioned, the best Le Carre adaptation wasn't a movie, it was a series: The Night Manager. Otherwise known as Tom Hiddleston's audition for James Bond. And, yes, I've seen all the other adaptations as well.

Has Season 2 been released yet?

Richard

 

[Sea Six]

No Austin Powers on that list?

 

[WalnutBaron]

Has Season 2 been released yet?

Richard

Unless they write a screenplay specifically for Season 2, there won't be a Season 2 as the first season covered the content of Le Carre's book original of the same title.

 

[DrQ]

Torn Curtain directed by Hitchcock. A story about an American scientist defecting to the Communist Bloc and his girlfriend following him.

We love the animated Ghost in the Shell Anime and Movies. Hollywood really screwed the pooch when they tried to do a live action remake.