A Bridge of Spies – Film Review by Frank L.

Directed by Steven Spielberg
Writers: Matt Charman, Ethan Coen
Stars: Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Alan Alda

In 1957, one James Donovan (Tom Hanks), an American attorney, defended Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance) on various charges of spying for the USSR. Donovan believed passionately that every accused is entitled to a defence and that the prosecution in seeking to obtain a conviction had to remain within the law. To him it was the essence of what made America so different from other nations particularly those behind the Iron Curtain. At the height of the Cold War and just after the McCarthyite purges, these were not necessarily principles that many citizens of the United States of America wanted to operate in practice particularly in relation to spies from the Soviet Union. Abel was convicted and sentenced to 30 years imprisonment, Donovan having argued against the death penalty maintaining Abel alive might be of use, at some future date, to an exchange of an American spy of similar rank. On 1st May 1960, an American U2 “reconnaissance“ plane piloted by one Gary Francis Power was shot down over Soviet airspace. He parachuted to safety and was taken prisoner by the Soviets. On 13th August 1961, the government of East Germany erected the Berlin Wall thereby physically dividing Berlin into two. A young American economic post- graduate student, Frederick C. Pryor (Will Rogers), haplessly was on the East German side when the wall went up. He was arrested as a spy.

The film charts Donovan’s defence of Abel, his engagement by the US authorities to negotiate an exchange of Abel for Powers, and his determination that Pryor be included in the exchange which created diplomatic problems as the US did not recognise the East German state. Through this minefield of smoke and mirrors the burly Donovan travels to Berlin to try to negotiate a swap. Both sides had a vested interest in obtaining the return of their spy but where does Pryor fit into the picture as he is of no strategic value to the Americans as he was not a spy.

Hanks is entirely credible as the brave, principled attorney Donovan, who unusually knows how to think outside the box but remaining firmly within the law. Rylance as Abel is magisterial. Not only does he resemble Abel but his slightly broken accent and his carefully measured movements create an aura of impermeability about him. Notwithstanding his plight as an alien charged as a spy, he remains calm and implacable… a most impressive performance by Rylance.

Even though the historical events are well known, Spielberg creates great moments of tension. The footage of East Berlin in the early sixties is grim with the savaging of the Second World War all too apparent. With the shooting down by Turkey of a Russian aircraft on Monday, this well constructed movie of historical events which took place over 50 years ago now takes on a more contemporary hue. Spielberg has his finger uncannily spot on the button.