 |
There are many
spy movies that portray the CIA well, but some of the most notable examples
include:
1. "Three Days of the Condor" (1975) -
This film stars Robert Redford as a CIA researcher who uncovers a government
conspiracy while on the run from assassins.
2. "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977) - This
James Bond film features a villainous CIA agent who teams up with a Soviet
agent to steal nuclear submarines.
3. "Syriana" (2005) - This film stars
George Clooney as a CIA agent investigating corruption in the oil industry.
4. "Argo" (2012) - This film is based
on the true story of a CIA operation to rescue American hostages in Iran in
1980, and stars Ben Affleck as the CIA agent in charge of the mission.
5. "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit" (2014) -
This film stars Chris Pine as Jack Ryan, a CIA analyst who uncovers a terrorist
plot to destroy the US economy.
6. "Bridge of Spies" (2015) - This film
stars Tom Hanks as a lawyer who is recruited by the CIA to negotiate the
release of a captured American pilot during the Cold War.
These are just
a few examples, and as we all now, there are many more movies which are based
on the CIA and their operations. Personally, I really enjoyed watching “Three
Days of the Condor” with Robert Redford.
Interestingly, through the Association of
Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO), I attended a few seminars where CIA
operatives talked about the spy thriller movies they enjoyed. Although the CIA
doesn’t publicly praise specific spy movies, there have been exceptions.
Well-known CIA officials have commented on particular movies, publicly.
Yes, some movies based on true CIA
operations have been praised by former CIA officials for their accuracy and
attention to detail. For example, "Argo" which is based on the true
story of a CIA operation to rescue American hostages in Iran in 1980, was
praised by the former CIA operative Tony Mendez who was in charge of that
operation, for its accuracy in depicting the events of the mission. I met Tony
in 2009 at an AFIO luncheon in Cleveland. He explained, for two hours, the
complete Operation Argo plan to rescue the diplomats and exfiltrate them out of
Iran. RIP, Tony: Parkinson’s Disease took his life several years ago.
Similarly, the movie "Zero Dark
Thirty" which is based on the hunt for Osama bin Laden, was praised by
former CIA Director Leon Panetta for its realistic portrayal of the intelligence
gathering and analysis that led to the operation.
Robert Morton
is a member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO) and
enjoys writing about the U.S. Intelligence Community. He authors the Corey Pearson- CIA Spymaster
series. Check out his latest spy thrillers: MISSION
OF VENGEANCE.
No comments:
Post a Comment