MovieChat Forums > The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965) Discussion > Question *spoilers*

Question spoilers

posted 13 years ago by Cuckoo_For_Caca
4 replies | jump to latest

Very disappointing film. I'd been strongly recommended this by somebody who dubbed it "the best spy film around". Personally, I thought it was a bit boring, to be honest.

Quality of the film aside, I have a quick question. Who shot the girl at the end? I must have been hurrying the film to finish or falling asleep by this point, but to me it seemed like the guy who'd risked life and limb to get them over the wall actually shot them. WTF? Can somebody clear this up for me.

Thanks.

[–] Cuckoo_For_Caca 13 years ago

I should really read through the other threads in future. It seems my question has already been answered elsewhere.

I think the ending makes the film less enjoyable - not because it's a sad ending - just because it's so badly executed and seems a bit pointless.

Ah well. I hope the book is better.

[–] djrosenblatt 13 years ago

Personally, I think it's just about the best spy movie I've ever seen. It's the James Bond films, with their super-unrealism, that bore me to tears. (Although I'll always have a soft spot for the Sean Connery ones.)

[–] nednut 11 years ago

Yes, the boy who showed them where to get over the wall did shoot Nan. This was ordered by Mundt either through Control or of his own volition. The fact is the girl could not escape because she was a liability knowing what she'd learned.

Leamas on the other hand saw the sting for what it was and although totally disgusted, accepted it. Being a veteran spy he was no liability. The tower guards shot him because he went back for Nan and the escape 'window' could not be held open forever. In my opinion he just 'gave up' when he realised an innocent had died to solidify the plan. The book gave me that same impression.

[–] JacintoCupboard 8 years ago

I wonder about Leamas going back down to a certain death. He cannot be going back for Nan, she is surely already dead or about to be.

Leamas spends a full 10 seconds looking at Smiley. He has already, literally and figuratively, let go of Nan.

Why is Smiley himself there? Why for that matter would ANY intelligence operative need to be there? And how does Smiley know where to be? These would be the questions Leamas would ask himself. And of course, what hope for a quiet disappearance into anonymity and the night with Smiley there. Surely he is dead, one way or the other, the minute he is in Smiley's 'care'.

Better to die on this side, with her, than on the other, with Smiley.