Thursday, March 6, 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm
Instructor: Andrew Owen, Ph.D., Lebanon Valley College
Released amid the supposedly glorious freedoms evoked by London’s swinging sixties, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965) introduces us to the drab shadow world that had arisen in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War. It is a duplicitous, savage environment born of the embers of atomic fire, whose inhabitants serve as expendable pawns in a game played by seemingly indifferent political ideologies. This is a portrait of a world power in decline, rife with paranoia and extremism, whose death throes threaten to engulf the innocent.
At its center is Lemus (Richard Burton), an intelligence operative whose jaded hatred for the game is not enough to rid him of the empathy and compassion that may doom him. Burton is perhaps the perfect choice, the character echoing the actor’s own contemporaneous frustrations at his career, exhibiting unbridled anger towards the institutions that he judges culpable for the terrible state of things.
Join us for this seminar as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of this seminal spy film, examining Britain’s role in the early years of the Cold War, the impact of double agents and their infiltration into British intelligence, and the strange relationship between the twisted celebrity of international fame and Cold War espionage.
Are you interested in “just” seeing this movie? Visit the public screening page here.
Cinema Classics Seminars offer an entertaining and engaging way to learn more about some of the true classics of world cinema. All students receive an introductory lecture before the film and a guided discussion after the film. In addition, those in attendance receive a ticket to see it on the big screen, as well as popcorn and a drink. Please note: the screening associated with this seminar will be open to the public, as well.
Please contact BMFI Programs and Education Coordinator Jill Malcolm with any questions.
$25 for members, $35 for non-members
Schedule