Here’s a preliminary list of great stories of spies on the big screen. We’ll prepare a more structured spy movies page very soon! In the meanwhile, find a selection of great spy movies and the top spy movies list you can’t miss. By the way, a specific section dedicated to the James Bond movies is already there for you: go visit it (and discover what a Bondathon is …).
Top spy movies list
* Mata Hari (1932), Greta Garbo plays the real-life WWI spy.
* British Agent (1934), based on the memoirs of Bruce-Lockhart, portraying the Russian Revolution
* The 39 Steps (1935), directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
* Secret Agent (1936), directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
* North by Northwest (1959), Hitchcock thriller with Cary Grant.
* The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
o The Manchurian Candidate (2004), reimagining of the previous 1962 film.
* The Prize (1963), starring Paul Newman and Elke Sommer.
* The Harry Palmer series
o The IPCRESS File (1965)
o Funeral in Berlin (1966)
o Billion Dollar Brain (1967)
* The Liquidator (1965), MGM’s answer to Bond with Rod Taylor and Goldfinger-style theme sung by Shirley Bassey.
* The Spy Who Came In from the Cold (1965)
* Where the Spies Are (1965), adventure-comedy with David Niven.
* The Deadly Affair (1966)
* The Quiller Memorandum (1966)
* Torn Curtain (1966), Hitchcock film starring Paul Newman.
* Arabesque (1966) adventure-romance with Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren
* A Dandy in Aspic (1968)
* Army of Shadows (1968), WWII espionage about French Resistance agents.
* Where Eagles Dare (1968), WWII adventure from the Alistair MacLean novel.
* Topaz (1969), Hitchcock film starring John Forsythe.
* Subterfuge (1969), British espionage yarn with Gene Barry
* The Kremlin Letter (1970)
* Night Flight from Moscow (1972)
* Scorpio (1973), with Burt Lancaster
* The Mackintosh Man (1973), John Huston film with Paul Newman.
* The Black Windmill (1974)
* The Conversation (1974)
* Three Days of the Condor (1975)
* The Eiger Sanction (1975)
* Eye of the Needle (1981), WWII espionage from the Ken Follett novel.
* The Falcon and the Snowman (1985), based on a true story.
* The Fourth Protocol (1987)
* The Russia House (1990), post-Cold War story from John le Carré novel
* The Jack Ryan series
o The Hunt for Red October (1990)
o Patriot Games (1992)
o Clear and Present Danger (1994)
o The Sum of All Fears (2002)
* The Assignment (1997)
* Conspiracy Theory (1997)
* Ronin (1998)
* Enemy of the State (1998)
* Enigma (2001)
* Spy Game (2001), with Robert Redford and Brad Pitt.
* The Tailor of Panama (2001)
* The Bourne film series
o The Bourne Identity (2002)
o The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
o The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
* The Recruit (2003)
* Spartan (2004)
* Munich (2005), Steven Spielberg film based on real events.
* Syriana (2005), political thriller set in the Middle East.
* The Good Shepherd (2006)
* Black Book (2006)
* Breach (2007)
* Body of Lies (2008)
* Taken (2008)
* Traitor (2008)
* The International (2009)
* Salt (2010)
* The American (2010)
* From Paris with Love (2010)
