The Most Accurate Movies About Espionage

Richard Burton stars in this intense spy drama based on the novel written by John le Carré. The film revolves around a fake defector to East Germany tasked with sowing disinformation about an intelligence officer.

What It Gets Right: The Spy Who Came In from the Cold has been praised for being believable and realistic despite not being based on actual events. Many of the depictions of East Germany, the Berlin Wall, and the difficulty in getting from one side to the other during the height of the Cold War are incredibly realistic.

Where It Falls Short: There isn't anything in the film that appears to be done incorrectly, or isn't closely associated with espionage as it occurred during the time period. 

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is based on a novel written by former spy John le Carré and stars Gary Oldman. The story follows an attempt by British intelligence to root out a mole in their organization.

What It Gets Right: According to Jonna Mendez and Peter Earnest, who both worked at the CIA, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is the most accurate spy movie ever made. As Earnest explains, "I was involved in counter-intelligence, and Tinker Tailor is very much a duel of wits. The bottom line of which is: You identify a traitor - someone who has betrayed your group. That happens in reality, and I have been very close to that. So the consequence of it, and the effect it has on people, are very real to me. So I particularly enjoy that kind of spy film."

Where It Falls Short: Due to the nature of the film, and how it tackles the hunt for the mole through an intense process of elimination, there's not much about it that isn't accurate. Though the film is based on a novel written by an actual spy, it's likely that several details were altered to keep secret what needs to remain secret.

While most spy films take place during the post-WWII era or other times of "peace," The Counterfeit Traitor occurs at the height of WWII. The film tells the tale of an American-born Swedish man who spies on the Third Reich for the Allies. It is based on the nonfiction book of the same name by Alexander Klein.

What It Gets Right: The depictions of Europe during WWII and the costuming are spot-on. Additionally, the use of indigenous people to help spy for the Allies was certainly done throughout the era, and rings true.

Where It Falls Short: Some of the action and close calls are enhanced for dramatic effect.

The Fourth Protocol features Michael Caine and Pierce Brosnan in a spy film based on the book by Frederick Forsyth. The story centers around the halting of atomic proliferation via the Fourth Protocol, which forbids the non-conventional delivery of an atomic device to a target.

What It Gets Right: Some of the elements surrounding the tactics of both the CIA and KGB are true to life, as are the settings, costumes, and dialogue.

Where It Falls Short: The characters are played well by veteran actors, but the film is more interested in depicting a thrilling battle between two spies than maintaining much realism.

Ridley Scott's Body of Lies sees Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, and Mark Strong tracking down "al-Saleem," a rebel leader wanted by both the American and Jordanian governments.

What It Gets Right: The film has been praised for its accurate depiction of spy technology, which is considerably closer to reality than what is seen in films like James Bond. Tech seen in the film includes unmanned aerial vehicle footage, the use of cell phones in lieu of other means of communication, and the nomenclature of the various aircraft and other intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft.

The film also shows operations being driven by people halfway across the world via communications and ISR assets, which is true of the real-life intelligence game.

Where It Falls Short: Like most films depicting the use of technology, what is seen on screen demonstrates far better quality than what exists in reality. The resolution of captured imagery is more detailed than it is in real life, for example.

Actor and director Ben Affleck's gripping tale depicts the rescue of several Americans from Iran following the outbreak of the Iranian Revolution.

What It Gets Right: The general storyline follows the real-life tale of how Tony Mendez, a former CIA agent who was with the agency for 20 years, worked with the Canadians to enter Iran posing as a Canadian filmmaker working on a science-fiction movie called Argo. This actually happened, and it worked. The operation resulted in the rescue of six Americans who were hiding in the Canadian Embassy during the height of the Iran hostage crisis.

Where It Falls Short: The film was widely criticized for taking dramatic license with the events depicted in the film, though the filmmakers stated they did this deliberately to make the film more entertaining. President Jimmy Carter, who oversaw the operation - known as the "Canadian Caper" while he was in office - praised Argo as a film, but did not hesitate to point out its flaws. In particular, he said, it gave short shrift to the Canadians who pulled it off.

As Carter told CNN's Piers Morgan:

90% of the contributions to the ideas and the consummation of the plan was Canadian. And the movie gives almost full credit to the American CIA. And with that exception, the movie is very good. But Ben Affleck's character in the film was... only in Tehran a day and a half. And the main hero, in my opinion, was Ken Taylor, who was the Canadian ambassador who orchestrated the entire process.