The following is a list of
spy films
Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information (intelligence) from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information for a tangibl ...
in alphabetical order.
Overview and history
The spy film, also known as the spy thriller, is a
genre of film that deals with the subject of fictional
espionage, either in a realistic way (such as the adaptations of
John le Carré) or as a basis for fantasy (such as many
James Bond films). Many novels in the
spy fiction
Spy fiction is a genre of literature involving espionage as an important context or plot device. It emerged in the early twentieth century, inspired by rivalries and intrigues between the major powers, and the establishment of modern intelligen ...
genre have been adapted as films, including works by
John Buchan
John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir (; 26 August 1875 – 11 February 1940) was a Scottish novelist, historian, and Unionist politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 15th since Canadian Confederation.
After a brief legal career ...
, le Carré,
Ian Fleming
Ian Lancaster Fleming (28 May 1908 – 12 August 1964) was a British writer who is best known for his postwar ''James Bond'' series of spy novels. Fleming came from a wealthy family connected to the merchant bank Robert Fleming & Co., a ...
(Bond) and
Len Deighton. It is a significant aspect of
British cinema, with leading British directors such as
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...
and
Carol Reed making notable contributions and many films set in the
British Secret Service.
Spy films show the espionage activities of
government agents and their risk of being discovered by their enemies. From the
Nazi espionage thrillers of the 1940s to the
James Bond films of the 1960s and to the high-tech blockbusters of today, the spy film has always been popular with audiences worldwide. Offering a combination of exciting
escapism, technological thrills, and
exotic locales, many spy films combine the
action and
science fiction genres, presenting clearly delineated heroes for audiences to root for and
villains for them to hate. They may also involve elements of
political thrillers. However, there are many that are comedic (mostly
action comedy films if they fall under that genre).
James Bond is the most famous of film spies, but there were also more serious, probing works like le Carré's ''
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold'' that also emerged from the
Cold War
The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
. As the Cold War ended, the newest villain became
terrorism and more often involved the
Middle East.
List of films
See also
*
List of films based on spy books
*
List of films featuring surveillance
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spy films
Spy films
Lists of film lists