Unlike other movie genres, the spy movie never seems to go out of favor. Whether it’s battling Nazi spies, KGB moles, or narco-terrorists, films about special agents putting their lives on the line for their country or a cause have always found their audience.
The makers of “Red Sparrow,” a film starring Jennifer Lawrence as a Russian special agent, hope that holds true when the movie debuts this weekend. Hollywood’s “It Girl” plays a ballerina who suffers a career-ending injury and is recruited by the Russian secret intelligence service, which turns her into an assassin.
Only time will tell if “Red Sparrow” takes its place among the best spy movies ever. In the meantime, to ease the suspense, 24/7 Wall St. has compiled a list of the best and worst spy movies of all time.
Click here to see the best spy movies of all time.
Click here to see the worst spy movies of all time.
Click here to see our detailed findings and methodology.
The best spy films:
Source: Courtesy of Miramax Films
30. The Quiet American (2002)
> Starring: Michael Caine, Brendan Fraser, Thi Hai Yen Do
> Primary setting: Saigon, Vietnam
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Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
29. The Bourne Identity (2002)
> Starring: Franka Potente, Matt Damon, Chris Cooper
> Primary setting: Zürich, Switzerland
Source: Courtesy of Focus Features
28. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
> Starring: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy
> Primary setting: London, England
Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Distribution
27. Three Days of the Condor (1975)
> Starring: Robert Redford, Faye Dunaway, Cliff Robertson
> Primary setting: New York, New York
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Source: Courtesy of United Artists
26. Dr. No (1962)
> Starring: Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, Bernard Lee
> Primary setting: Kingston, Jamaica
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
25. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
> Starring: Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Joan Allen
> Primary setting: Naples, Italy
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Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
24. The In-Laws (1979)
> Starring: Peter Falk, Alan Arkin, Richard Libertini
> Primary setting: New York, New York
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Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
23. Black Book (2006)
> Starring: Carice van Houten, Sebastian Koch, Thom Hoffman
> Primary setting: The Hague, The Netherlands
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
22. The Ipcress File (1965)
> Starring: Michael Caine, Nigel Green, Guy Doleman
> Primary setting: London, England
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Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
21. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)
> Starring: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Jeremy Renner
> Primary setting: London, England
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios
20. From Russia with Love (1963)
> Starring: Sean Connery, Robert Shaw, Lotte Lenya
> Primary setting: Istanbul, Turkey
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Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
19. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)
> Starring: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg
> Primary setting: Dubai, UAE
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
18. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965)
> Starring: Richard Burton, Oskar Werner, Claire Bloom
> Primary setting: East Germany
Source: Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
17. Bridge of Spies (2015)
> Starring: Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Alan Alda
> Primary setting: East Berlin, East Germany
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Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
16. The Day of the Jackal (1973)
> Starring: Edward Fox, Terence Alexander, Michel Auclair
> Primary setting: Paris, France
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
15. Foreign Correspondent (1940)
> Starring: Joel McCrea, Laraine Day, Herbert Marshall
> Primary setting: London, England
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Source: Courtesy of 20th Century Fox
14. Pickup on South Street (1953)
> Starring: Richard Widmark, Jean Peters, Thelma Ritter
> Primary setting: New York, New York
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Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
13. Casino Royale (2006)
> Starring: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Judi Dench
> Primary setting: Montenegro
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
12. Goldfinger (1964)
> Starring: Sean Connery, Gert Fröbe, Honor Blackman
> Primary setting: Fort Knox, Kentucky
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Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
11. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
> Starring: Matt Damon, Edgar Ramírez, Joan Allen
> Primary setting: New York, New York
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
10. Skyfall (2012)
> Starring: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris
> Primary setting: United Kingdom
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Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
9. Charade (1963)
> Starring: Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, Walter Matthau
> Primary setting: Paris, France
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Source: Courtesy of United Artists
8. The Lady Vanishes (1938)
> Starring: Margaret Lockwood, Michael Redgrave, Paul Lukas
> Primary setting: Bandrika
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
7. Argo (2012)
> Starring: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman
> Primary setting: Tehran, Iran
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Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.
6. The 39 Steps (1935)
> Starring: Robert Donat, Madeleine Carroll, Lucie Mannheim
> Primary setting: London, England
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.
5. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
> Starring: Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Janet Leigh
> Primary setting: New York, New York
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Source: Courtesy of RKO Radio Pictures
4. Notorious (1946)
> Starring: Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains
> Primary setting: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
3. The Lives of Others (2006)
> Starring: Ulrich Mühe, Martina Gedeck, Sebastian Koch
> Primary setting: East Berlin, East Germany
Source: Courtesy of Rialto Pictures
2. Army of Shadows (1969)
> Starring: Lino Ventura, Paul Meurisse, Jean-Pierre Cassel
> Primary setting: Lyon, France
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Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
1. North by Northwest (1959)
> Starring: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason
> Primary setting: United States
The worst spy films:
Source: Courtesy of Orion Pictures
30. Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985)
> Starring: Fred Ward, Joel Grey, Wilford Brimley
> Primary setting: New York, New York
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Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
29. Spies Like Us (1985)
> Starring: Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, Steve Forrest
> Primary setting: Soviet Tajikistan
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Source: Courtesy of The Weinstein Company
28. Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker (2006)
> Starring: Alex Pettyfer, Mickey Rourke, Sophie Okonedo
> Primary setting: London, England
Source: Courtesy of Image Entertainment
27. The Numbers Station (2013)
> Starring: John Cusack, Malin Akerman, Liam Cunningham
> Primary setting: England
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Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
26. The In-Laws (2003)
> Starring: Albert Brooks, Michael Douglas, Ryan Reynolds
> Primary setting: Chicago, Illinois
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
25. xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017)
> Starring: Vin Diesel, Donnie Yen, Deepika Padukone
> Primary setting: London, England
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Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
24. Johnny English (2003)
> Starring: Rowan Atkinson, John Malkovich, Natalie Imbruglia
> Primary setting: England
Source: Courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films
23. D.E.B.S. (2004)
> Starring: Sara Foster, Jordana Brewster, Devon Aoki
> Primary setting: United States
Source: Courtesy of A24
22. Barely Lethal (2015)
> Starring: Jaime King, Samuel L. Jackson, Madeleine Stack
> Primary setting: United States
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Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.
21. Casino Royale (1967)
> Starring: David Niven, Peter Sellers, Ursula Andress
> Primary setting: United Kingdom
Source: Courtesy of Cannon Films
20. Invasion U.S.A. (1985)
> Starring: Chuck Norris, Richard Lynch, Melissa Prophet
> Primary setting: Miami, Florida
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Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.
19. Agent Cody Banks (2003)
> Starring: Frankie Muniz, Hilary Duff, Andrew Francis
> Primary setting: Seattle, Washington
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Source: Courtesy of Dimension Films
18. Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003)
> Starring: Daryl Sabara, Alexa PenaVega, Antonio Banderas
> Primary setting: Cyberspace
Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Distribution
17. Condorman (1981)
> Starring: Michael Crawford, Oliver Reed, Barbara Carrera
> Primary setting: Istanbul, Turkey
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Source: Courtesy of Lionsgate
16. The Spy Next Door (2010)
> Starring: Jackie Chan, Amber Valletta, Billy Ray Cyrus
> Primary setting: United States
Source: Courtesy of Touchstone Pictures
15. Bad Company (2002)
> Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Chris Rock, Peter Stormare
> Primary setting: New York, New York
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Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
14. Jumpin’ Jack Flash (1986)
> Starring: Whoopi Goldberg, Stephen Collins, John Wood
> Primary setting: New York, New York
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Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
13. I Spy (2002)
> Starring: Eddie Murphy, Owen Wilson, Famke Janssen
> Primary setting: Budapest, Hungary
Source: Courtesy of Lionsgate
12. Killers (2010)
> Starring: Katherine Heigl, Ashton Kutcher, Tom Selleck
> Primary setting: Nice, France
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Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures
11. Terminal Velocity (1994)
> Starring: Charlie Sheen, Nastassja Kinski, James Gandolfini
> Primary setting: Tucson, Arizona
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
10. xXx: State of the Union (2005)
> Starring: Ice Cube, Samuel L. Jackson, Willem Dafoe
> Primary setting: Washington, D.C.
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Source: Courtesy of Dreamworks
9. The Tuxedo (2002)
> Starring: Jackie Chan, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jason Isaacs
> Primary setting: United States
Source: Courtesy of Dimension Films
8. Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World (2011)
> Starring: Jessica Alba, Jeremy Piven, Joel McHale
> Primary setting: United States
Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures
7. Spy Hard (1996)
> Starring: Leslie Nielsen, Nicollette Sheridan, Charles Durning
> Primary setting: United States
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Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
6. Code Name: The Cleaner (2007)
> Starring: Cedric the Entertainer, Lucy Liu, Nicollette Sheridan
> Primary setting: Unspecified
Source: Courtesy of Summit Entertainment
5. The Cold Light of Day (2012)
> Starring: Henry Cavill, Bruce Willis, Sigourney Weaver
> Primary setting: Madrid, Spain
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Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
4. Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London (2004)
> Starring: Frankie Muniz, Anthony Anderson, Hannah Spearritt
> Primary setting: London, England
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
3. The Avengers (1998)
> Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Uma Thurman, Sean Connery
> Primary setting: London, England
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
2. Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever (2002)
> Starring: Antonio Banderas, Lucy Liu, Talisa Soto
> Primary setting: Vancouver, Canada
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Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
1. Leonard, Part 6 (1987)
> Starring: Bill Cosby, Tom Courtenay, Joe Don Baker
> Primary setting: United States
Spy movies are among the most engrossing of all movie genres. Because of the intrigue, convoluted plots, and uncertain loyalties, these films demand your undivided attention.
We can thank Ian Fleming and John Le Carre for popularizing spies derring-do in books. Fleming created the most enduring of spies, James Bond, who was later portrayed in film by Sean Connery as Britain’s unflappable, skirt-chasing special agent. Bond had a license to kill, and he did so with the latest gadgets provided for him by the British secret service. The success of the Bond movie franchise, whose movies included “Goldfinger,” “From Russia With Love,” and “Thunderball,” would eventually be followed by the Bourne Identity series starring Matt Damon and the Mission: Impossible films with Tom Cruise.
Le Carre, whose real name is David John Moore Cornwell, actually worked for the British Secret Intelligence Service. He explored the tension between moral ideals of western democracies and amoral methods to achieve results in the books “The Spy Who Came in From the Cold” and “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.” Both of these books were made into successful movies.
No list of spy movies would be complete without Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense. Hitchcock mined the spy genre beginning in the 1930s with “The Man Who Knew Too Much,” “The 39 Steps,” and “Sabotage” through the 1960s with “Torn Curtain” and “Topaz” for some of his greatest work.
Some of the pre-World War II spy thrillers pitted England against unnamed foes from Europe. Most of the movies explore the Cold War tension between the West and the communist bloc and the toll it takes on special agents. The movies are not necessarily stark contrasts of good and evil, and many of them do not have a neat conclusion that ties up loose ends in a satisfying manner.
Not all the enemies are external. “Three Days of the Condor” features Robert Redford as a CIA codebreaker who discovers a secret American plan to invade the Middle East to secure its oil supply. He has to fend off hitmen sent by the CIA to kill him. In the “Falcon and the Snowman,” Timothy Hutton plays a young CIA employee disillusioned by the Watergate scandal who sells secrets to the Soviet Union.
Few women have played major roles in spy films. A notable exception is “La Femme Nikita,” starring Anne Parillaud, who plays a convict turned into a secret police assassin. Angelina Jolie has had star turns in the films “Salt” and “Mr. and Mrs. Smith.”
The worst spy movies tend to be those that lampoon the genre and fail in their mission. “Casino Royale,” made in 1967, was a send-up of the James Bond films, and the film was a chaotic mess. Five directors had a hand in this albatross that featured a host of stars, among them David Niven, Peter Sellers, Orson Welles, and Woody Allen. Even they couldn’t save it.
Two of the Spy Kids movies are also included among the worst spy movies ever made.
The worst of the worst? “Leonard, Part 6,” starring Bill Cosby as a retired CIA agent battling a villainous vegetarian seeking world domination.
To determine the best and worst spy films of all time, 24/7 Wall St. created an index based on each film’s Rotten Tomatoes average critic rating, Rotten Tomatoes average audience rating, and Internet Movie Database average user rating. To be considered, each film had to have at least 10,000 total user ratings between IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes and 10 approved Tomatometer critic reviews.
We averaged the user ratings from Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb and weighted by the number of votes for each. The combined user rating was then averaged with the Rotten Tomatoes critic rating.
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