The essential spy thrillers

The espionage space in cinema is populated with spies that lie on both sides of the spectrum — from the affluent debonair to the white-collar salaryman. We need both kinds, depending on one's mood, for escapism or relatability purposes.

Goldfinger

Sure, Dr No is the one that launched Sean Connery as the quintessential debonair spy — and is immensely rewatchable — but Goldfinger compiled all the franchise-associated tropes in a hugely entertaining package.

Casino Royale

Launched Daniel Craig as the gritty, book-faithful version of the tormented spy from Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel. Pity the subsequent entries couldn't attain the benchmark-setting greatness of this one.

The Ipcress File

Harry Palmer, the salaryman spy of Len Deighton's book, was the subject of multiple films and shows, albeit not as popular as Bond. The first — and best — adaptation is led by an aptly cast Michael Caine as Palmer.

Syriana

The Oscar-winning writer of Steven Soderbergh's hyperlink thriller 'Traffic' directed this sufficiently complex thriller of the same format led by George Clooney and Matt Damon. Might take multiple viewings, but a rewarding experience nonetheless.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Gary Oldman portrayed one of the many cinematic interpretations of noted British novelist John le Carré's creation, George Smiley, in Swedish filmmaker Tomas Alfredson's admirably elegant and atmospheric 2011 adaptation.

Munich

Steven Spielberg's film gets better and better with each viewing, and among the reasons is the master filmmaker's superlative craft neatly complemented by his chilling, doom-heavy depiction of paranoia-stricken agents on a perilous mission.

L'Armée des ombres (Army of Shadows)

Jean-Pierre Melville's immaculately staged World War II espionage drama is one of the grittiest ones — painting an icy and harsh world of French resistance fighters. Melville used to be one himself.

Spione (Spies)

Like his other silent masterpiece, Metropolis, Fritz Lang's 1928 silent espionage thriller contains many influential genre-associated tropes and themes that would appear in various forms in films made by subsequent generations of filmmakers.