September 10th sees the Criterion Collection release of THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD.
The acclaimed, best-selling novel by John le Carré, about a Cold War spy on one final dangerous mission in East Germany, is transmuted by director Martin Ritt into a film every bit as precise and ruthless as the book. Richard Burton is superb as Alec Leamas, whose relationship with a beautiful librarian, played by Claire Bloom, puts his assignment in jeopardy. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is a hard-edged and tragic thriller, suffused with the political and social consciousness that defined Ritt’s career.
Extras:
New, high-definition digital film restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition
New, exclusive, wide-ranging interview with author John le Carré
Selected-scene commentary featuring director of photography Oswald Morris
The Secret Center: John le Carré, a 2000 BBC documentary on the author’s life and work
Interview with actor Richard Burton from a 1967 episode of the BBC series Acting in the ’60s, conducted by critic Kenneth Tynan
Audio conversation from 1985 between director Martin Ritt and film historian Patrick McGilligan
Gallery of set designs
Trailer
PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Michael Sragow
Both the Blu-ray and DVD have a SRP of $39.95.