Most modern audiences think of James Bond as the pinnacle of spy films, but the franchise has only been successful due to the large influx of spy thrillers created by American studios. Oddly enough, many British filmmakers were the ones to build the audience for these movies in America. Master storyteller Alfred Hitchcock is regarded as the creator of the genre with its first offering, "The 39 Steps," made in 1935.
Classic spy movies used to be focused on the complexities of sending information or accomplishing a specific mission with none of the tools used today. On the other hand, modern spy thrillers tend to be flashier, emphasizing action over the challenging task that represents being a spy. Classic spy movies also place a personal burden on the hero of the story as these characters face difficult choices related to their personal lives for the sake of their missions.
Modern offerings tend to be more impersonal, the exception being Daniel Craig's version of James Bond. Having established these differences, it's time to list the classic and most influential American spy thrillers. Many of these films are classics with immense relevance in today's world. Most of these stories also showcase the versatility of great actors in the golden age and some of their most iconic performances.
20 The Third Man (1949)
The Third Man is a story set in post-World War II Vienna; Carol Reed directs this classic which features the talents of Orson Welles as Harry Lime. It's a tale about an American writer named Holly Martins who suddenly seems entangled in a web of deceit and intrigues when he goes to Vienna to visit a friend.
Filmed in black and white, the movie has a haunting score composed by Anton Karas that is made to elevate the tension in every scene. The film's plot is also a grounded commentary about post-WWII Europe, as almost every shot in the movie shows desolation and bleakness. It's also a powerful critique of corruption and the dangers of moral ambiguity.
19 North by Northwest (1959)
Master of intrigue, Alfred Hitchcock, graces our ranking with one of his most notable works. North by Northwest is the story of the ramifications of mistaken identity. A man named Roger Thornhill, played by Cary Grant, finds himself trapped in a web of espionage and multiple danger after being mistaken for a government agent of an undefined agency.
Thornhill finds himself cruising across the country to solve the mystery that has in the sights of people who want him dead at all costs. The movie is mainly known for the classic crop duster chase, but the story is a gripping tale full of twists and turns that keep you guessing what comes next. The thrilling pace keeps dropping revelations that lead to other findings.
18 The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
The second entry of Alfred Hitchcock in the ranking, The Man Who Knew Too Much, features the talents of James Stewart and Doris Day. The story blends family drama with spy shenanigans that work perfectly fine in cohesion. The story follows a regular family going on vacation to Morocco. The trip suddenly becomes dangerous after the couple witnesses an assassination and their kid gets kidnapped.
The emotional turmoil of the family takes center stage. Still, their understanding of the situation plays a significant role in the movie, as most people would lose their grip on such a situation. The encompassing score fits the story like a glove, and the cleverest twist is delivered by Doris Day when she figures out where her kid is being held, hostage. It's a powerful movie that would influence similar offerings in all mediums.
17 Charade (1963)
Released in 1963, Charade was directed by Stanley Donen and starred Audrey Hepburn alongside Cary Grant. This film is a bag of tropes from the golden age. It perfectly manages to combine espionage, drama, romance, and suspense. Our surrogate of choice this time is Regina Lampert, a woman who finds herself caught in international intrigue after her husband's murder. She must do everything she can to solve the mystery of her husband's death and find stolen loot.
Charade is an exciting exploration of the human psyche. Lampert still mistrusts the sudden assistance offered by Peter Joshua, but as their relationship deepens, she finds it hard to question him. The movie relies more on character development than action scenes, which is fine as most of these stories are tense. It's a stylish offering with a great score by Henry Mancini.
16 The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965)
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is directed by Martin Ritt and based on John le Carré's novel. The classic thriller follows the story of aging British intelligence officer Alec Leamas, who receives the mission to take down a high-ranking East German official. It's a story exploring the nuances of blind loyalty and morality as Leamas finds himself trapped between his sworn duty and his conscience.
It's a thought-provoking story that goes to great lengths to build a tense atmosphere to keep the audience guessing about Leamas next move. The leading role is brilliantly played by Richard Burton, who delivers an outstanding performance by capturing the weariness and disillusionment of being a spy with great depth. The shocking ending outburst of Laemas is up for interpretation, but it offers enough leverage to keep discussing the film years later.
15 The French Connection (1971)
Did you know the guy who directed The Exorcist made his bones with The French Connection? He had three previous credits to his name, but this film made William Friedkin a coveted commodity for Hollywood studios. Starring Gene Hackman in the lead role, this movie tells the story of a couple of New York City detectives trying to intercept a large shipment of heroin from France.
The movie has all the undertones of a police procedural, but the groundwork made by Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle (Hackman) has all the nuances of spy work. Doyle must gather intelligence and deal with unsavory characters to ensure he can catch his prey. Even as an outspoken, brash cop, Doyle is great at his job. The academy rewarded the efforts of the creatives behind this film by rewarding it with two Oscars awards and five nominations.
14 Scorpio (1973)
Scorpio is a film directed by Michael Winner, featuring the talents of Burt Lancaster and Alain Delon. It's the story of two CIA agents working on the opposite sides of a dangerous game. On one side, we have agent Cross, a veteran in the agency tasked with the hunting and decommission of former protégé, Scorpio. The two spies are at odds for most of the film in a continuous battle of wits that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Unlike our previous entries, Scorpio has a flashier depiction of spy activity, such as surveillance equipment, encoded messages, and secret meetups. Most of these elements are represented without any campiness, giving the movie a more authentic feeling. The thrilling ride chronicling the confrontation of these two giants is more attractive as both lead men have great on-screen chemistry.
13 The Conversation (1974)
After making The Godfather, Francis Ford Coppola got a lot of leeway to do as he pleased within the studio system. One of his best offerings is the film The Conversation. This remarkable story follows the misadventures of Harry Caul (played by the great Gene Hackman), a surveillance expert who is tasked with capturing a conversation, and he becomes obsessed with it. His expertise makes him increasingly paranoid as he feels he knows something he shouldn't.
This extraordinary story explores one side of spy activity we rarely see or even learn about hiring professional freelancers to do the dirty work of men in power. As the film advances, we see Caul obsesses with the recording as he uses his skills to make the recording clearer. The eerie atmosphere he induces in his work ends up costing him the little human contact he had with associates.
12 Three Days of the Condor (1975)
Sydney Pollack is one of the most underrated filmmakers in Hollywood, with an impressive body of work that includes acting and directing. The man has proven to be a multi-talented master of his craft; in Three Days of the Condor, Pollack teams up with Robert Redford, who plays CIA analyst Joe Turner, who, after returning from lunch to find his entire division, has been murdered. Fearing for his life, he goes undercover to uncover the truth behind the murders.
This film takes a great approach, showing spy efficacy at the top of their game. Joe must use every resource available to him to stay one step ahead of the people hunting him down. He does not take his alliance with Kathy Hale (played by Faye Dunaway) lightly, as Joe remains suspicious of everyone around him. The movie is an excellent story about government corruption and government agencies' power over the regular folk.
11 Eye of the Needle (1981)
This solid spy thriller is directed by Richard Marquand, who gave us Return of the Jedi. The movie is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Ken Follett. Donald Sutherland is our surrogate character this time, playing a highly efficient German spy codenamed 'The Needle' who has obtained critical intel about D-Day and everything he must do to ensure the information gets to his superiors.
Things do take an odd turn when he suddenly gets stranded on a desert island with a widow and her stepson. Time passes, and The Needle loses his sharpness as he develops feelings for the woman. This exploration of his character makes him question his loyalty to his country. It's a great story, depicting high stakes and how they seem to lose relevance when other forms of commitment feel more compelling.
10 No Way Out (1987)
Directed by Roger Donaldson, No Way Out can be regarded as a mixed bag containing parts of spy drama and political thriller. The story follows Tom Farrell, a US Navy officer who manages to get entangled in a web of lies and deceit after he has a flinch with Susan Atwell, the mistress of his boss, Secretary of Defense David Brice. The all-star cast includes Kevin Costner, Gene Hackman, Sean Young, Will Patton, and a young Brad Pitt in a blink-and-you-’ll-miss-it cameo.
After Atwell is killed after arguing with Brice, Farrell gets incriminated in the deed. He asks his contacts in the Pentagon to delay the investigation, as he must run against the clock to uncover who framed him for the murder and why they want to do so. The fast-paced story doesn't leave much room for a breather as Farrell has to face many people who'd rather die than go against the powers that be in the government of the United States.
9 Patriot Games (1992)
This film works as a sequel to The Hunt for the Red October. It's also the first time Harrison Ford plays CIA analyst Jack Ryan. Directed by Phillip Noice and based on the book of the same name by Tom Clancy. The story begins with Ryan bearing witness to a kidnapping attempt, which he foils successfully. This act of heroism puts him in the sight of the IRA.
The organization frees the only survivor of the early attempt, and they hunt for their original target: Lord William Holmes, British Minister of State for Northern Ireland, and Jack Ryan and his family. It's a straightforward story that would be expanded a couple of years later in the film Clear and Present Danger with the same creative team.
8 M. Butterfly (1993)
M. Butterfly is a powerful film directed by David Cronenberg. The story's beats play more like a spy drama with many of the trademark beats of the director. During his stay in Beijing, a French diplomat named Rene Gallimard falls in love with a mysterious Chinese opera singer named Song Liling. Gallimard seems extremely captivated by Liling, who behaves very conservatively. As the plot unfolds, we get several jaw-dropping reveals that'll have you scratching your head.
M. Butterfly is a film designed to challenge your perception of reality. Our main character, played by Jeremy Irons, is a man who finds himself struggling with the shock he experiences in his unique situation. It's a movie touching upon gender identity, power dynamics between men and women, and the perception of traditional traits of femininity and masculinity outside of the Western world.
7 True Lies (1994)
Impossible as it may seem, True Lies accomplishes something very few films manage to do without being outright parodies like the beloved classic Top Secret! This film makes spies cool as hell. Directed by James Cameron, the story follows a secret agent named Harry Tasker, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, a man who leads a double life as a family man and representative for a computer company. Jamie Lee Curtis and Eliza Dushku play his wife and daughter.
Harry is trying to stop a terrorist group from obtaining nuclear weapons. Along the way, he believes his family has been compromised as he learns his wife is having an affair with a rival agent. The following situations are hilarious and heartfelt as Harry realizes he's been neglecting his wife, so he does his best to make her feel alive again. This, of course, leads to more conflict and confusion. It's an incredibly amusing film, still after all these years.
6 Mission: Impossible (1996)
The first entry of this anthology of films started as a vehicle for director Brian De Palma to work alongside Tom Cruise. From the very start, Cruise was involved in the process of producing these films, and he hasn't stopped ever since. The story of Mission: Impossible is centered around Ethan Hunt, an IMF agent, being framed for something he didn't do. You could call this franchise his own personal version of the Fast & the Furious, only classier and with much less CGI.
While less visually stunning than future entries in the franchise, we can see the early efforts made by Cruise to accomplish a realistic depiction of spy activity. Some of them are over the top, such as the use of disguises. Other scenes are a masterclass of cinematic tension, such as the scene depicting a break and entry into a highly controlled environment to hack into a computer. These feats are achieved using practical means, something that Cruise is still keen on doing to this day.
5 Enemy of the State (1998)
If you're keeping track, this is the fourth entry featuring Gene Hackman in this category. The actor was hardly typecast in anything he did, but he sure liked these types of projects. Enemy of the State is a spy thriller directed by Tony Scott, which also features Will Smith in the lead role. The story follows Robert Clayton Dean (played by Smith), a successful lawyer who suddenly finds himself the target of National Security after receiving state evidence of illegal activities.
Dean loses everything and is pursued by the NSA's surveillance program. Only with the assistance of a former CIA operative he'll be able to overcome the obstacles in his way. As a spy thriller, the movie is very effective; the rampant tension keeps you at the edge of your seat at all moments. The film is an excellent exploration of abhorrent dealings of governments, which are usually justified as acts done in the name of security.
4 Ronin (1998)
Ronin was the penultimate film ever made by John Frankenheimer; the director had achieved acclaimed status after filming The French Connection II. His unique visual style is very appealing for films about shady characters, and Ronin is an underappreciated gem in his filmography. The all-star cast includes powerhouses such as Robert De Niro, Jean Reno, Stellan Skarsgård, and Sean Bean. They all play former operatives for diverse agencies, now working as hired guns to the highest bidder.
In an unusual twist, Ronin is a film with no pretense. The story doesn't make a big deal about the flashier aspects of spy work. The approach is realistic, with each team member having a unique skill set required to accomplish a mission: to retrieve a suitcase whose contents can change the political land field in Europe. The movie does an outstanding job in all car chase scenes since these are the usual trademark of the director.
3 Spy Games (2001)
Another entry by Tony Scott, this overlooked gem stars Robert Redford and Brad Pitt. It's a story about CIA operative Nathan Muir racing against time to rescue his protégé Tom Bishop, imprisoned by the Chinese government. The fast-paced story has all the ingredients for a large-scale spy drama: media manipulation, recalling of established positions by political players, betrayal, deception, and more.
The solid script by Michael Frost Beckner explores the challenges of being a spy stationed on unfriendly soil. It's a story about compromise and the long extent a country must go with it to preserve world peace. Spy Games also highlights the recurring consequences of the USA's longstanding position to avoid negotiating with terrorists as well s the complications created by counter-intelligence efforts.
2 The Bourne Identity (2002)
The Bourne Identity is America's super spy thriller, the American analogy to James Bond, but with a much more complex background. A man named Jason Bourne suddenly awakens after being rescued in the open sea. With no recollection of his true identity, he suddenly finds himself being chased by master assassins while discovering his own training and backstory. We find out it was Bourne who set everything in place to recover his life if something ever happened to him.
This film, directed by Doug Ligman with a script by Tony Gilroy, cemented Matt Damon as a bankable action star. The film would prove so popular that it spawned four more sequels, one of them exploring the reaches of the Treadstone program on other assassins with Jeremy Rettner playing the lead role. It's a story full of twists and turns and a unique visual style that no other filmmaker has been able to replicate.
1 The Sum of All Fears (2002)
Directed by Phil Alden Robinson and based on the novel by Tom Clancy of the same name, this spy thriller places Ben Affleck in the skin of Jack Ryan, previously played by Alec Baldwin and Harrison Ford. This time a significant threat is looming for America as forces we thought long defeated have been plotting in the background to make America go to war against Russia using lies, deceit, and deception.
Jack Ryan's role is to make both sides realize they are being played by someone who wants this conflict to happen, as he uncovers specific evidence that pinpoints in that direction. The film is a rarity in the landscape of spy movies as the antagonist takes action in the story by detonating a nuke on American soil and having the Russian army sink an aircraft carrier. It's a pretty solid entry and an absolute classic before the character leaped to the small screen.