Blu-ray.com Community Top 25 Spy/Espionage Films

[imsounoriginal]

So I'm a BIG fan of spy/espionage thrillers, I've grown up watching the Bond and Bourne movies and have recently gotten into more serious fare like the le Carre adaptations and so on. Thought it would be a good idea with all the ranking and list threads going on to make one for this as well!

Please list at least 20 films, no more than 25 total. Your #1 choice will get 20 points, #2 will get 19 points, and so on down with #20-#25 getting 1 point each. Results will be tallied up and listed here. Lists must be ranked numerically, if not then I'll just assign points in the order the titles are in from top to bottom.

If you have any questions about what counts, let me know via a post here or a PM and I'll answer. I'm gonna be pretty lax about it, I think it should be fairly obvious what counts and what doesn't. If you need a guiding hand, IMDb's genre classification is usually a good indicator. If you think something's questionable, go ahead and add it and I'll take a look. If enough people think something counts, it'll get enough points to possibly make the list; if enough people don't think it counts, it won't make the list anyway.

Action-oriented movies like the Bond movies, Bourne movies, and the like (even something like Knight and Day or Kingsman) DO count. Corporate espionage thrillers like Duplicity DO count. Something like The Lives of Others DOES count, but something like The Departed DOES NOT count. Also, miniseries like The Night Manager or the Alec Guinness TTSS or Smiley's People DO NOT count, but I WILL allow made-for-TV movies like the Johnny Worricker trilogy. Also, spoofs like Austin Powers or the Melissa McCarthy "Spy" DO count. Something like Bridge of Spies DOES count. And since it deals with the tradecraft of intelligence gathering, I WILL allow Zero Dark Thirty. Inglorious Basterds and Eastern Promises are borderline but I'll allow them. Mr. and Mrs. Smith (Brangelina) counts.

I welcome foreign and obscure titles that most people may not have heard of; the more diverse and varied a list we can create, the better it'll be for everyone. Please make only ONE list, and I encourage you to write a brief blurb about your picks if you can. Blurbs will be included for the titles in the final list that have them.

Since I don't see any spy movies on the horizon minus Kingsman 2, I'll make the deadline April 15th (tax day!). I'm open to pushing that a bit if people need a day or two extra; this time of the year can get busy.

Thanks, and I look forward to seeing what you all come up with!

[Rodney-2187]

I love this list already!

Do spoofs like Austin Powers or Matt Helm count?

[Rodney-2187]

1. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
2. Three Days of the Condor
3. North By Northwest
4. From Russia With Love
5. Casino Royale
...............
6. Night Train to Munich
7. Skyfall
8. The Spy Who Came In From the Cold
9. The Bourne Ultimatum
10. The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
...............
11. The Third Man
12. The Lady Vanishes
13. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
14. The Silencers (Matt Helm)
15. Cypher
...............
16. Paycheck
17. Syriana
18. Kingsmen: The Secret Service
19. Austin Powers in Goldmember
20. True Lies
...............
21. The Holcroft Covenant
22. The Hunt For Red October
23. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol
24. Red
25. Ronin

[imsounoriginal]

Originally Posted by rodneyfaile

Do spoofs like Austin Powers or Matt Helm count?

Yes, I'll allow spoofs. The OSS 117 movies also fit the bill. EDIT: the Melissa McCarthy "Spy" from a couple years ago also counts.

Also, not a spoof, but should've been mentioned in the OP because it's recent and relatively well-known: Bridge of Spies DOES count.

[ajburke]

I think these will all count, but there are some good alternates if one doesn't.

1. Notorious (1946)
2. The Spy Who Came In From The Cold (1965)
3. On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1968)
4. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
5. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
6. The Conversation (1974)
7. Dr. No (1962)
8. The Lady Vanishes (1938)
9. The Informant! (2009) - I feel this one is super underappreciated. I love Soderbergh and I think this is one of his very best. It's the tale of a corporate cog (Matt Damon) who turns FBI informant when his company comes under investigation. In a very funny role for Damon, he bumbles his way through trying to remain in the good graces of both the FBI and his company, even as he attempts to play both sides against each other. If you haven't seen it, I'd say it has a very similar tone to "Burn After Reading" from the Coens, and I definitely recommend it.
10. From Russia With Love (1963)
11. The Bourne Ultiumatum (2007)
12. The Bourne Identity (2002)
13. The Living Daylights (1987)
14. Mission: Impossible (1996)
15. GoldenEye (1995)
16. Thunderball (1965)
17. Inglorious Basterds (2009)
18. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)
19. Haywire (2011)
20. Three Days Of The Condor (1975)
21. Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)
22. Bridge Of Spies (2015)
23. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
24. Zoolander (2001)
25. The Man From UNCLE (2015)

[Darev]

I don't know if I have 25 in mind, let alone a TOP 25.
I'm thinking of movies that deal with the actual spying process, the "tradecraft" as they call it in movies....not action movies about spies.

I know I'm going to get grief over this...but the first one that comes to mind is the first Bourne Identity with Richard Chamberlain from 1988.

I'll add to this as time goes by.

01. North by Northwest
02. Three Days of the Condor
03. The Hunt for Red October
04. The Bourne Identity
05. No Way Out
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15

[Darth Marcus]

My Top 25 Spy/Espionage Films

1. The Lives of Others (2006)
2. North by Northwest (1959)
3. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
4. Casino Royale (2006)
5. Munich (2005)
6. Goldfinger (1964)
7. Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
8. Army of Shadows (1969)
9. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
10. From Russia With Love (1963)
11. Skyfall (2012)
12. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)
13. Bridge of Spies (2015)
14. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
15. The Hunt for Red October (1990)
16. Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015)
17. Hanna (2011)
18. The American (2010)
19. On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
20. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
21. The Good Shepherd (2006)
22. Spectre (2015)
23. Breach (2007)
24. Goldeneye (1995)
25. The Bourne Identity (2002)

Also Considered...

[Show spoiler]Patriot Games, Thunderball, The Spy Who Loved Me, A Most Wanted Man, True Lies, Body of Lies, Ronin, Kingsman: The Secret Service

[esteban²]

Nice ! Don't know if I can come up with 20, bit I'll wait for more lists to get inspiration.

Burn After Reading - Mission Impossible movies - Knight and Day - Mr. And Mrs. Smith - This Means War - Syriana - Body of Lies ...

[imsounoriginal]

Might as well make one myself:

Top 25 Spy/Espionage Films:

1. Goldfinger (1964)
2. The Good Shepherd (2006)
3. Casino Royale (2006)
4. Munich (2005)
5. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
6. North by Northwest (1959)
7. The American (2010)
8. The Third Man (1949)
9. Page Eight (2011)
10. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965)
11. Mission: Impossible (1996)
12. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)
13. Body of Lies (2008)
14. Notorious (1946)
15. From Russia With Love (1963)
16. Syriana (2005)
17. Goldeneye (1995)
18. Skyfall (2012)
19. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
20. Bridge of Spies (2015)
21. Argo (2012)
22. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)
23. D-Day (2013)
24. The Marseilles Contract (“The Destructors”) (1974)
25. Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

[Al_The_Strange]

01: Casino Royale
02: Kingsman: The Secret Service
03: Skyfall
04: The Third Man
05: Argo
06: Zero Dark Thirty
07: True Lies
08: Inglourious Basterds
09: The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
10: North By Northwest
11: Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
12: Sneakers
13: The Man From UNCLE
14: Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2006)
15: Taken
16: GoldenEye
17: Burn After Reading
18: The Saint (1997)
19: Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
20: Mission Impossible III
21: Hunt for Red October
22: Hanna
23: Mission Impossible
24: Charade
25: The American

[imsounoriginal]

Originally Posted by ajburke

I think these will all count, but there are some good alternates if one doesn't.

[Show spoiler]1. Notorious (1946)
2. The Spy Who Came In From The Cold (1965)
3. On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1968)
4. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
5. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)

6. The Conversation (1974)
7. Dr. No (1962)
8. The Lady Vanishes (1938)
9. The Informant! (2009)
10. From Russia With Love (1963)

11. The Bourne Ultiumatum (2007)
12. The Bourne Identity (2002)
13. The Living Daylights (1987)
14. Mission: Impossible (1996)
15. GoldenEye (1995)

16. Thunderball (1965)
17. Inglorious Basterds (2009)
18. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)
19. Haywire (2011)
20. Three Days Of The Condor (1975)

21. Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)
22. Bridge Of Spies (2015)
23. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
24. Zoolander (2001)
25. The Man From UNCLE (2015)

These are all fine, you're good.

[The Great Owl]

The Great Owl's Top 25 Spy/Espionage Movies...

1. Dr. No (1962)
2. From Russia with Love (1963)
3. North by Northwest (1959)
4. Army of Shadows (1969)
5. Casino Royale (2006)
6. Notorious (1946)
7. The Third Man (1949)
8. The 39 Steps (1935)
9. The Conversation (1974)
10. Ministry of Fear (1944)
11. The Spy Who Came in From the Cold (1965)
12. Pickup on South Street (1953)
13. The Eiger Sanction (1975)
14. Marathon Man (1976)
15. Three Days of the Condor (1975)
16. Eye of the Needle (1981)
17. Goldfinger (1964)
18. The Lives of Others (2006)
19. The House on 92nd Street (1945)
20. No Way Out (1987)
21. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
22. The Bourne Identity (2002)
23. Charade (1963)
24. The American (2010)
25. The Falcon and the Snowman (1985)

[DanTheMan]

Reserved

[dommie]

1. Skyfall (2012)
2. Munich (2005)
3. Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
4. North By Northwest (1959)
5. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011)
6. Body of Lies (2008)
7. The Hunt for Red October (1990)
8. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
9. Charade (1963)
10. Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (2015)
11. Bridge of Spies (2015)
12. Syriana (2005)
13. The Bourne Identity (2002)
14. Three Days of the Condor (1972)
15. Notorious (1946)
16. Casino Royale (2006)
17. Enemy of the State (1998)
18. Cloak and Dagger (1946)
19. Argo (2012)
20. Patriot Games (1992)
21. Goldfinger (1963)
22. Blood on the Sun (1945)
23. Eye of the Needle (1981)
24. 13 Rue Madeline (1946)
25. Marathon Man (1976)

Honorable mention: From Russia With Love, Safe House, Three Days to Kill, The November Man, The Sum of All Fears, Goldeneye, Spectre, A Clear and Present Danger, The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, Saboteur, Foreign Correspondent, A Most Wanted Man, The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), The Debt

[cinemaphile]

Reserving a spot. I've missed out on so many of these already

[Show spoiler]Just brainstorming so far:
Sneakers
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Hunt for Red October
True Lies
Kingsman
MI 3
MI: Ghost Protocol
Ronin
Enemy of the State
Cloak & Dagger (1984)
Mission: Impossible
MI: Rogue Nation
November Man
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit
Sum of All Fears
Knight & Day
Salt
Clear and Present Danger
Patriot Games
Red 2
Brothers Grimsby
Red
Goldeneye
Casino Royale
Skyfall
Tomorrow Never Dies
World is Not Enough
Cars 2
If Looks Could Kill
Third Man
Hanna
Argo
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Undercover Brother
xXx
Spy Kids

I really hope not too many James Bond films make the list. I enjoy many of them, but it would be a shame if we see hardly anything else represented because Bond is taking up so much room. Perhaps at the end report a "with Bond" and "without Bond" list LOL

EDIT:
Does Mr & Mrs Smith (2005) count? They are more assassins than spies.
Also, the Jack Ryan movies aren't really "spy" movies - more political thrillers. Should I include them or no?

[Hoke Moseley]

1. The Bourne Ultimatum
2. The Conversation
3. North by Northwest
4. Army of Shadows
5. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
6. Marathon Man
7. The American
8. Mission: Impossible- Ghost Protocol
9. The Bourne Identity
10. Casino Royale (2006)
11. The Bourne Supremacy
12. Mission: Impossible- Rogue Nation
13. Bridge of Spies
14. Ronin
15. The Good Shepherd
16. Haywire
17. The Lives of Others
18. Munich
19. True Lies
20. Mission: Impossible
21. Kingsman: The Secret Service
22. The Informant!
23. Jason Bourne
24. Three Days of the Condor
25. The Man from UNCLE

I think that's final... for now at least.

A lot of cop movies came to mind, but I guess they're more cop than spy movies (The Departed, Donnie Brasco, Point Break... etc.). Where would you stand on Eastern Promises?

[imsounoriginal]

Originally Posted by Hoke Moseley

A lot of cop movies came to mind, but I guess they're more cop than spy movies (The Departed, Donnie Brasco, Point Break... etc. Where would you stand on Eastern Promises?

Eastern Promises is very borderline but I'll allow it. The others don't count.

Frankly if you think something's questionable, go ahead and add it and I'll take a look. If enough people think something counts, it'll get enough points to possibly make the list; if enough people don't think it counts, it won't make the list anyway.

Originally Posted by cinemaphile

I really hope not too many James Bond films make the list. I enjoy many of them, but it would be a shame if we see hardly anything else represented because Bond is taking up so much room. Perhaps at the end report a "with Bond" and "without Bond" list LOL

I hear ya, hence my crack about a varied list in the OP lol. But I can't control what people vote for, if there are a bunch of Bonds that get enough points, they'll make the list.

I will publish a comprehensive list of ALL the movies that get at least one vote, so that we have a pretty definitive list of good spy/espionage films that people can refer to when looking to watch one.

[chaopolis]

1. True Lies
2. Casino Royale (2006)
3. Argo
4. North by Northwest
5. Sneakers
6. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol
7. Skyfall
8. The Bourne Ultimatum
9. The Hunt for Red October
10. Kingsman: The Secret Service
11. Goldeneye
12. The Spy Who Loved Me
13. The Bourne Supremacy
14. Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation
15. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
16. Bridge of Spies
17. Mission: Impossible III
18. Top Secret!
19. Live and Let Die
20. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
21. Mission: Impossible
22. The Bourne Identity
23. Enemy of the State
24. Spy
25. Austin Powers in Goldmember

[Hucksta G]

A genre I'm not the biggest fan of, so this list might seem strange

1. Inglorious Basterds
2. Zero Dark Thirty
3. The Conversation
4. Munich
5. The Lives of Others
6. Argo
7. Kingsman
8. The Debt
9. The American
10. Eastern Promises
11. Marathon Man
12. Skyfall (2012)
13. Three Days of the Condor (1972)
14. The Third Man (1949)
15. Dr. No (1962)
16. Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (2015)
17. Licence to Kill
18. Bridge of Spies
19. The Spy Who Loved Me
20. The Good Shepherd
21. Taken
22. Quantum of Solace
23. Casino Royale
24. Goldfinger (1963)
25. Spectre

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by cinemaphile

EDIT:
Does Mr & Mrs Smith (2005) count? They are more assassins than spies.
Also, the Jack Ryan movies aren't really "spy" movies - more political thrillers. Should I include them or no?

Good point, I have it on mine too. I figure they would count since they worked for privatized spy agencies, if I remember right.

While we're at it about assassins, could John Wick, La Femme Nikita, or Leon: The Professional count as well? They do cross some international boundaries. I think Nikita oughta fit in, since the character assassinated for a government agency. The others are more crime-related, so I could see them working either way.