The five spy war movies recommended today are all old movies from the twenties and thirties of the last century. Although it has a history of eighty or ninety years. But their influence on today's spy movies cannot be underestimated. It is not an exaggeration to call them the "originators" of spy war films.
The first "Spy"
"Spy" is a German film released in 1928, directed by Fritz Lang and starring Rudolf Krein-Ruger and Goddar Maureth. Its Douban score is as high as 8.2 points.
Set against the backdrop of modern technology, this film tells the story of an information war. The protagonist of the play, a super spy numbered 326, with his ingenuity and love for high technology, successfully pretends to be a banker and steals state secrets. In his modern office, he was able to grasp the enemy's movements without going out, and launched an early "information technology war".
Despite being a silent film, the film is very enjoyable to watch. The black and white picture has a unique texture, and the actors' acting skills are superb. Director Fritz Lang has masterfully brought this traditional espionage genre to life. However, the 178-minute duration is a bit lengthy and may affect the viewing experience of some viewers. If the soundtrack can be more in line with the plot and the inner world of the characters, it will be more perfect.
It is worth mentioning that this film can be called the originator of many spy war films. The elements of assassination, blackmail, candid filming, and undercover agents were presented on the big screen nearly 80 years ago, and they still perform well in an environment without sound effects, which is undoubtedly breathtaking.
The second "Mysterious Woman"
"Mysterious Woman" is a romantic spy film directed by Fred Nibro and starring Greta Garbo and Conrad Nagel, which was released in 1929.
The story tells the story of Carl, a young officer, who meets a mysterious woman, Tania, during a chance encounter, and the two fall in love. However, during his mission, Karl discovers that Tania is actually a wanted Russian spy. Soon after, Carl is arrested for leaks, and only his friend Eric is convinced of his innocence. With Eric's assistance, Carl managed to escape and traveled to Warsaw to find Tania, hoping to prove his innocence. In fact, Tania has long since grown tired of the spy life, and her feelings for Carl have grown.
This is a romance film dressed in spy warfare. The film is set against the background of spy warfare, focusing on the charm of Garbo's acting skills. Her hesitant and intriguing expression in the film attracted the attention of many viewers. The climax of the film includes the clever use of opening music, the scene where the male protagonist pushes open the door of the box and meets the female protagonist, and the heroine shoots the chief at the end. Although the plot is not spectacular, the pace is tight and feels like a step-by-step process. In addition, the film's cinematographer, William Daniels, has a knack for capturing Garbo's facial expressions in soft light, making her performance both beautiful and natural, complementing the storyline. The actor who plays the chief is in control of the overall situation and maintains the tense atmosphere of the plot, like a needle in the sea.
The third "Humiliation"
"Dishonored" is a spy war film released in 1931, directed by Josef von Sternberg and starring Marlene Dietrich and Victor McLaglen. The story takes place during the First World War, and Dietrich plays a dusty woman who is proficient in piano playing and turns into a patriotic intelligence agent. Her task was to obtain classified information from the Russian colonels. However, when she falls in love with the Russian officer, her loyalty is severely tested.
The film skillfully uses the piano to play the war march, the song of lovers and the song of parting, and recreates the scene of the hometown of Vienna through visual effects. In films about female espionage, in addition to the wonderful performances, the most striking thing is undoubtedly the emotional element, and private feelings often become a challenge to the times and the system. The success of this film inspired the birth of many classic genre masterpieces that followed.
This is the most complex and varied character that director Joseph has personally created for his star, lover and muse. The film was released to critical acclaim that year and was even hailed as one of the top 10 best American sound films.
The fourth "Marta the Witch"
The success of "Dishonored" made its rival MGM see a business opportunity, so they invited Greta Garbo to play the same spy role and launched "Marta the Witch". Directed by George Fikanmoris and starring Greta Garbo and Ramón Novaro, it was released in 1931.
The film is based on the experience of Mata Hari, a real-life spy who took the world by storm during the First World War. In 1917, Marta, a German female spy, went on a secret mission to Paris. Not only is she a brilliant spy, but she is also a dancer who can be presented in a variety of capacities and genders. However, she fell into a whirlpool of love and fell in love with a Soviet ensign, which also put her in trouble.
Greta Garbo successfully portrayed the classic image of the black woman in the film, showing her complex inner world in all aspects. She perfectly interprets the charm of the heroine who makes men fall in love with her, and even is willing to betray. Marta eventually shot the French officer and was court-martialed and sentenced to death.
The parting scene of life and death at the end of the film is undoubtedly the most touching. Before the execution, the general arranged for the captain to come and visit, and Marta agreed with the others that she had died of a failed operation. and begged them to inform the captain after her death. When the blind captain is brought into the cell, and when the audience sees Marta's affectionate, reluctant, painful struggle, and ecstatic expression towards the captain, they can't help but think of the final goodbye of the two protagonists in "Broken Blue Bridge", and even the tone of "Goodbye" is equally moving. At this moment, Garbo has moved beyond the boundaries of life and death.
Part 5 "Thirty-Nine Steps"
"Thirty-Nine Steps" is a work directed by the famous director Alfred Hitchcock, released in 1935. The starring cast is strong, including Robert Donat and Madeleine Carlo. Based on the spy novel of the same name by John Bakken, the film tells the story of the protagonist Hannah, who is accidentally drawn into a spy war, and must evade pursuit, solve mysteries, and reveal the truth within a limited time.
The film perfectly presents the danger and suspense of the spy profession, and under the superb direction of Alfred Hitchcock, the tense and exciting plot, fast-changing shots and fascinating suspense work together drive the story forward, making it a classic of suspense and espionage. Since then, the plot setting of the little person's accidental involvement in the espionage incident has become a common mode in many spy war dramas.
The film shows the unique sense of humor and calm attitude of the British. The setting of suspense mainly relies on the tension and human touch within the film, which makes the whole film permeated with a strong British style. This classic has been remade several times.
These five spy war dramas are all works of eighty or ninety years ago, and very few people have watched them all, and those who have watched three of them can be regarded as hardcore spy war fans. Although it was still black and white at that time, the bridges in the film are still used in many spy war dramas, which shows their deep influence!
Which one have you watched? Feel free to leave a message in the comment area!