Blast from the Past: Richard Burton
Martin Ritt directed this superb British spy thriller, based on John Le Carre’s 1963 novel of the same name, starring Richard Burton, Claire Bloom, and Oskar Werner.
Grade: A- (**** out of *****)
The film depicts British MI6 agent Alec Leamas’ mission as a faux defector, tasked with sowing damaging disinformation about a powerful East German intelligence officer.
Leamas, apparently dismissed from the British secret intelligence service, becomes an embittered alcoholic. Approached by East German agents in Britain, he is recruited and taken to continental Europe to sell his secrets for money.
Just when it seems that he has successfully discredited his target, however, Leamas is revealed to be an active British intelligence agent disseminating false information. Much to his surprise, this revelation achieves the heretofore hidden objectives of the mission.
Spoiler Alert: Movie’s Ending
The last sequence is particularly memorable. Leamas and Nan arrive at the Berlin Wall and are given instructions to climb over to West Germany on emergency ladder while a searchlight is intentionally turned away. mHowever, the searchlight suddenly shines directly on them, alarms sound, and Nan is shot dead by Mundt’s operatives, thus silencing the only civilian witness to the operation. Frozen in shock and horror, Leamas is urged by agents on both sides to return to the West. Instead, however, he climbs down towards Nan’s body on the Wall’s eastern side, where he is also shot and killed.
End of Spoiler Alert
The film follows closely the plot of the original text, except changing the female character’s name, which in the novel was Liz Gold, but Nan Perry in the film. The producers were worried about the media potential confusion with Burton’s real-life wife, Elizabeth Taylor.
The script was written by Paul Dehn, who had worked in the Special Operations Executive as an assassin during World War II. Burton demanded that le Carré rewrite his dialogue on the set, though his changes were limited.
Le Carré favoured Trevor Howard for the role of Leamas, but Howard was rejected due to lacking box-office draw. Bina fide star Burt Lancaster was also considered, but the idea proved to be bad as he was unable to put on a convincing British accent. Richard Burton, the producers’ eventual choice, butted heads with director Ritt during the production.
The atmosphere on the set was further tense due to the presence of Burton’s wife, Elizabeth Taylor, wh was well aware his romantic history with Bloom.
Ardmore Studios in Ireland and England’s Shepperton Studios were used for the shooting of interior scenes, and Dublin for external German scenes. Smithfield in Dublin served as the location for the Berlin checkpoint.
A critical success, The Spy Who Came In from the Cold received four BAFTA Awards, for Best British Film, Best Actor, Best Cinematography, and Best Art Direction. It was also named one of the top ten films of 1966 by the National Board of Review (NBR)
For his performance, Richard Burton garnered hs second (first Best Actor) Oscar nomination, Italy’s David di Donatello Award for Best Foreign Actor, the Golden Laurel Award, and other kudios.
With the ciritcs blessings, The Spy Who Came In from the Cold performed impressively, earning $7,600,000 at the box office.
Oscar Nominations:
Best Actor Richard Burton
Best Art Direction – Black-and-White Art Direction: Hal Pereira, Tambi Larsen, and Ted Marshall;
Set Decoration: Josie MacAvin Nominated
Cast:
Richard Burton as Alec Leamas
Claire Bloom as Nan Perry
Oskar Werner as Fiedler
Sam Wanamaker as Peters
George Voskovec as East German Defence Attorney
Rupert Davies as George Smiley
Cyril Cusack as Control
Peter van Eyck as Hans-Dieter Mundt
Michael Hordern as Ashe
Robert Hardy as Dick Carlton
Bernard Lee as Patmore
Beatrix Lehmann as Tribunal President
Credits:
Produced, directed by Martin Ritt
Screenplay by Paul Dehn, Guy Trosper, based on “The Spy Who Came in from the Cold” by John le Carré
Cinematography Oswald Morris
Edited by Anthony Harvey
Music by Sol Kaplan
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release dates: Dec 16, 1965 (US); Jan 13, 1966 (UK)
Running time: 112 minutes
Box office $7,600,000
