This is a tense thriller that overall is quite good but goes too far. It’s an early Hitchcock and serves as a good ‘before’ snapshot against which to compare his later, better works. The ending is much less satisfying than it could have been with a few plot tweaks, although the tension and plot reveals work well throughout.
Closest comparison: It’s like Notorious by way of The 39 Steps.
Setting: Drama
Plot: Espionage
Tone: Thriller
This movie is a lighthearted approach to the cold war spy genre that maintains a sense of humor through all the chicanery and multi-cross goings-on. It’s competently made and a refreshing return to the cold war defector assistance plots that have become less relevant after 1989, but whose stories are still compelling in their own right. It’s interesting enough to keep the audience’s attention but it’s also shallow enough to quickly become forgettable.
Closest comparison: It’s like Munich (2005) by way of The Italian Job (1969)
Setting: Spy
Plot: Thriller
Tone: Dry Comedy
