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Richard Burton is "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold," in a 1965 film also starring Claire Bloom, Oscar Werner, Sam Wanamaker and Peter van Eyck. It's told in the days of Checkpoint Charlie, East and West Berlin, and spies. There are still spies; the rest have gone with the unification of East and West Berlin once more.Burton plays a British spy named Leamas who is at the end of his career. He takes an assignment to bring down an East German spy named Mundt and have him exposed as a traitor. Actually, it's a double whammy; Mundt is actually a spy who has infiltrated the East German ring and is unfortunately under suspicion and about to be exposed. So Leamas is to expose him and then be proved a liar so that Mundt's position is secure.To come to the attention of the East Germans, Leamas is to pretend he's an alcoholic (and how much pretending this involves is up to the audience - maybe none), out of his job, and just out of prison after beating up a grocer (which he does so he can get arrested). He is naturally recruited by East German agents - first initially approached by a gay man who claims to represent a charitable organization. Though it's not stated that the man is gay, the dialogue makes no mistake about it. Hello '60s. Bit by bit he is introduced to the East German ring."The Spy Who Came in from the Cold" is based on a John LeCarre novel. Unlike James Bond and his imitator Austin Powers, there is only one woman, played by Claire Bloom, who is an avowed Communist with whom Leamas becomes involved. There are no fancy spy instruments, no tuxes, no glamour, no fun. What the film offers more than anything is atmosphere - and it's a rotten one, chronically without sunlight, filled with depressing streets, dank alleys, and old buildings. One feels the chill in the air and the lack of true friendliness or warmth in this colorless world. It's depressing for the characters and equally depressing for the audience. That's the point.The acting is superb. Oskar Werner plays a Jew named Fielder, and as one of the greatest actors to ever appear in film, he doesn't disappoint. (As a bit of trivia, Werner had a connection to Hollywood's Golden Era as the husband of Tyrone Power's stepdaughter Anne.) The beautiful Bloom is wonderful as an idealist doomed to disappointment. Peter Van Eyck is appropriately brutal as Mundt. No one really makes a wrong move.Richard Burton was nominated for an Oscar for his performance as Leamas. What a strange year that was, with Lee Marvin winning for "Cat Ballou" probably playing a role he could do in his sleep, while Burton lost for this and Olivier lost for "Othello!" One might think the Academy would have been embarrassed, but no - later on, they gave an Oscar to John Wayne instead of Burton, Peter O'Toole, Dustin Hoffman or Jon Voight. This is not to negate the presence and talents of Wayne and Marvin, which were considerable. But it does say something sad about the Academy Awards that Richard Burton went to his death with 7 nominations and no Oscar. He is truly magnificent in this role as an empty man who keeps in control despite seething anger underneath and whose stares say more than any script could. In many ways Burton never lived up to his potential as an actor. His marriage to Elizabeth Taylor brought him a fame and stardom he could never have dreamed of growing up as a poor child in Wales, but it kept him from doing more theater. Had he lived, he would have done more stage work, moved into different roles in film, and taken his place alongside actors such as Sir Anthony Hopkins. As it is, he has given us some truly great performances - Shannon in Night of the Iguana, George in Virginia Woolf, and Leamas being three of his best."The Spy Who Came in from the Cold" makes a depressing statement. Don't watch it if you're feeling down. If you're feeling strong, you'll find it fascinating.
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