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The Best Spy Movies of All Time

Espionage on screen: the spy-film canon ranked by our composite score across 20+ authoritative lists, awards and polls.

The spy film splits into two great traditions, and Hitchcock founded the glamorous one: The 39 Steps, Notorious and North by Northwest built the innocent-in-over-his-head machine that Bond industrialized from Goldfinger on. The other tradition is the mole hunt — Fritz Lang's wartime paranoia, The Manchurian Candidate's brainwashed dread, le Carré's grey men — where the enemy is institutional and the tension bureaucratic. Both lines converge on the same subject: trust, and what it costs.

The English Patient (1996) leads with a composite score of 3.38.

Masters of the genre

  1. 1
    The English Patient1996 · Anthony Minghella · United Kingdom / United States · romance, war, drama
    3.38

    Oscar Best Picture winner 1996 · BAFTA Best Film winner 1997 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1997 #5

  2. 2
    North by Northwest1959 · Alfred Hitchcock · United States · crime, thriller, mystery
    2.15

    Sight & Sound 2022 critics' poll #45 · AFI 100 (2007) #55 · AFI 100 (1998) #40

  3. 3
    Notorious1946 · Alfred Hitchcock · United States · thriller, film-noir, drama
    1.81

    Sight & Sound 2022 critics' poll #133 · TIME All-TIME 100 · National Film Registry (inducted 2006)

  4. 4
    Lust, Caution2007 · Ang Lee · China / Taiwan, China / United States · crime, thriller, drama
    1.43

    Venice Golden Lion winner 2007 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2008 #4

  5. 5
    The Manchurian Candidate1962 · John Frankenheimer · United States · film-noir, thriller, drama
    1.42

    TIME All-TIME 100 · AFI 100 (1998) #67 · National Film Registry (inducted 1994)

  6. 6
    The Lady Vanishes1938 · Alfred Hitchcock · United Kingdom · thriller, comedy, crime
    1.03

    BFI Top 100 British films #35 · Empire 500 (2008) #268 · NYT Best 1,000 Movies

  7. 7
    Munich2005 · Steven Spielberg · United States / France / Canada · thriller, drama
    0.94

    Oscar Best Picture nominee 2005 · Ebert's annual top 10 2005 #3 · Film Comment year-end poll 2005 #17

  8. 8
    The 39 Steps1935 · Alfred Hitchcock · United Kingdom · thriller, mystery, crime
    0.92

    BFI Top 100 British films #4 · Criterion Collection spine #56 · Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema

  9. 9
    Goldfinger1964 · Guy Hamilton · United Kingdom / United States · action, thriller
    0.86

    BFI Top 100 British films #70 · Empire 500 (2008) #166 · NYT Best 1,000 Movies

  10. 10
    Foreign Correspondent1940 · Alfred Hitchcock · United States · thriller, crime, film-noir
    0.83

    Oscar Best Picture nominee 1940 · Criterion Collection spine #696 · Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  11. 11
    Casino Royale2006 · Martin Campbell · United Kingdom / United States / Germany · thriller, action, adventure
    0.75

    Empire 500 (2008) #56 · Film Comment year-end poll 2006 #20 · Sarris's annual top 10 2006 #9

  12. 12
    Pickup on South Street1953 · Samuel Fuller · United States · crime, thriller, film-noir
    0.67

    National Film Registry (inducted 2018) · NYT Best 1,000 Movies · Criterion Collection spine #224

  13. 13
    Dishonored1931 · Josef von Sternberg · United States · drama, romance, thriller
    0.66

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1931 #5 · Criterion Collection spine #932 · Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema

  14. 14
    Watch on the Rhine1943 · Herman Shumlin, Hal Mohr · United States · thriller, drama
    0.62

    Oscar Best Picture nominee 1943 · NYT Best 1,000 Movies

  15. 15
    M. Butterfly1993 · David Cronenberg · United States · romance, drama, thriller
    0.54

    Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 1994 #10 · Kehr's annual top 10 1993 #3

  16. 16
    The Ipcress File1965 · Sidney J. Furie · United Kingdom · thriller, crime, mystery
    0.53

    BFI Top 100 British films #59 · NYT Best 1,000 Movies · Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  17. 17
    Torn Curtain1966 · Alfred Hitchcock, Willis Hall, Keith Waterhouse · United States · thriller
    0.53

    Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 1966 #8 · Sarris's annual top 10 1966 #4

  18. 18
    Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy2011 · Tomas Alfredson · France / United Kingdom / Germany · thriller, mystery, drama
    0.50

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2012 #10 · Film Comment year-end poll 2011 #24

  19. 19
    The Human Factor1979 · Otto Preminger · United Kingdom / United States · thriller
    0.45

    Kehr's annual top 10 1980 #2 · Sarris's annual top 10 1980 #12

  20. 20
    Decision Before Dawn1951 · Anatole Litvak · United States · thriller, war
    0.45

    Oscar Best Picture nominee 1951

  21. 21
    The Falcon and the Snowman1985 · John Schlesinger · United States · drama, documentary, thriller
    0.42

    Ebert's annual top 10 1985 #3 · Siskel's annual top 10 1985 #7

  22. 22
    The Sentinel1992 · Arnaud Desplechin · France · thriller, drama
    0.39

    Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 1992 #5

  23. 23
    Knight Without Armour1937 · Jacques Feyder · United Kingdom · thriller, drama, romance
    0.33

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1938 #7

  24. 24
    Dossier 511978 · Michel Deville · France · crime, thriller, drama
    0.32

    Sarris's annual top 10 1978 #2

  25. 25
    Mission: Impossible1996 · Brian De Palma · United States / United Kingdom / Czech Republic · crime, action, thriller
    0.32

    Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 1996 #8

  26. 26
    Skyfall2012 · Sam Mendes · United Kingdom / United States · action, thriller
    0.31

    Film Comment year-end poll 2012 #32 · Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  27. 27
    Tenet2020 · Christopher Nolan · United Kingdom / United States · thriller, sci-fi, action
    0.29

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2020 #10

  28. 28
    Dr. No1962 · Terence Young · United Kingdom · thriller, action, adventure
    0.28

    BFI Top 100 British films #41

  29. 29
    The Man Who Knew Too Much1934 · Alfred Hitchcock · United Kingdom · thriller, mystery, drama
    0.27

    Criterion Collection spine #643 · Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  30. 30
    The Tamarind Seed1974 · Blake Edwards, Evelyn Anthony · United States · thriller, drama
    0.25

    Kehr's annual top 10 1974 #3

  31. 31
    The Spook Who Sat by the Door1973 · Ivan Dixon · United States · thriller
    0.23

    National Film Registry (inducted 2012)

  32. 32
    Spy Kids2001 · Robert Rodriguez · United States · thriller, action, comedy
    0.23

    National Film Registry (inducted 2024)

  33. 33
    Haywire2011 · Steven Soderbergh · United States / Ireland · thriller, crime, action
    0.19

    Film Comment year-end poll 2012 #35

  34. 34
    Duplicity2009 · Tony Gilroy · United States · comedy, romance, thriller
    0.19

    Film Comment year-end poll 2009 #36

  35. 35
    The Bourne Ultimatum2007 · Paul Greengrass · United States / Germany · action, thriller, mystery
    0.19

    Empire 500 (2008) #234

  36. 36
    The Bourne Identity2002 · Doug Liman · United States / Germany / Czech Republic · thriller, action, mystery
    0.18

    Empire 500 (2008) #365

  37. 37
    The Bourne Supremacy2004 · Paul Greengrass · United States · action, thriller
    0.17

    Empire 500 (2008) #454

  38. 38
    Operation Crossbow1965 · Michael Anderson · United Kingdom · action, thriller, crime
    0.17

    NYT Best 1,000 Movies

  39. 39
    Three Days of the Condor1975 · Sydney Pollack · United States · thriller, drama, crime
    0.17

    NYT Best 1,000 Movies

  40. 40
    The Mackintosh Man1973 · John Huston · United Kingdom / United States / Australia · thriller, drama
    0.17

    Sarris's annual top 10 1973 #7

  41. 41
    Looney Tunes: Back in Action2003 · Joe Dante · United States / Germany · sci-fi, thriller, comedy
    0.17

    Kehr's annual top 10 2003 #7

  42. 42
    Night Train to Munich1940 · Carol Reed · United Kingdom / United States · thriller, war, drama
    0.16

    Criterion Collection spine #523

  43. 43
    Ministry of Fear1944 · Fritz Lang · United States · thriller, film-noir
    0.16

    Criterion Collection spine #649

  44. 44
    Classe tous risques1960 · Claude Sautet · France / Italy · crime, drama, thriller
    0.16

    Criterion Collection spine #434

  45. 45
    The Spy Who Came in from the Cold1965 · Martin Ritt · United Kingdom · thriller, drama
    0.16

    Criterion Collection spine #452

  46. 46
    Hopscotch1980 · Ronald Neame · United States · comedy, thriller
    0.16

    Criterion Collection spine #163

  47. 47
    Spies1928 · Fritz Lang · Germany / Weimar Republic · silent, drama, thriller
    0.11

    Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema

  48. 48
    Sabotage1936 · Alfred Hitchcock · United Kingdom · thriller, crime, drama
    0.11

    Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  49. 49
    Saboteur1942 · Alfred Hitchcock · United States · crime, thriller
    0.11

    Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  50. 50
    From Russia with Love1963 · Terence Young · United Kingdom · action, thriller
    0.11

    Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  51. 51
    What's Up, Tiger Lily?1966 · Woody Allen, Senkichi Taniguchi · United States · thriller
    0.11

    Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema

  52. 52
    The President's Analyst1967 · Theodore J. Flicker · United States · thriller, sci-fi
    0.11

    Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  53. 53
    Live and Let Die1973 · Guy Hamilton · United Kingdom / United States · thriller, action
    0.11

    Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  54. 54
    The Spy Who Loved Me1977 · Lewis Gilbert · United Kingdom / Australia · thriller, adventure, action
    0.11

    Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  55. 55
    Top Secret!1984 · Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker · United States / United Kingdom · thriller, comedy
    0.11

    Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  56. 56
    Mission: Impossible – Fallout2018 · Christopher McQuarrie · United States / France / China · action, thriller, adventure
    0.11

    Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

Ask which spy film leads and reputation answers James Bond; our composite score answers otherwise, and that gap is the whole argument of this page. The list is ordered by a single number — canon weight summed across 20-plus lists, polls and awards — and by that measure the franchise that industrialized the genre sits a long way down it.

The founders' tier

Hitchcock built the glamorous tradition, and the ranking still rewards him above everyone who inherited it. North by Northwest (1959) is the highest of his spy pictures here at #328, with Notorious (1946) close behind at #452; the run carries on through Foreign Correspondent (1940), The Lady Vanishes (1938) and The 39 Steps (1935), the wrong-man machine he refined across the 1930s. Seven Hitchcock titles appear on this list, five of them near the top — the innocent civilian yanked into a conspiracy he never chose, a template every later spy thriller has quietly borrowed.

Where Bond actually lands

Ian Fleming's agent reached the screen in 1962, and Goldfinger (1964) locked in the tongue-in-cheek formula — gadgets, flamboyant villains, exotic locales — that spawned a hundred imitators. Yet on canon weight the series trails its own influence: Goldfinger sits at #1398, the 2006 Casino Royale reboot at #1799, and Dr. No (1962), where it all began, only at #4168. Films that print money rarely accumulate the critical citations this score counts, so the founders outrank the franchise they founded.

The mole hunt, and how to read the list

The genre's colder half is bureaucratic paranoia — Fritz Lang's Spies (1928) drew the first blueprint of numbered agents and secret headquarters, and the Cold War line runs through John Frankenheimer's The Manchurian Candidate (1962) at #683, The Ipcress File (1965), and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) at #2430. Membership is not editorial: a film appears because Wikidata tags it "spy film" or "espionage," and we re-rank those titles by composite score alone — never by any outside list's order. That mechanism throws the page's real surprise to the very top. The English Patient (1996) leads at #110 by a wide margin, a wartime romance the espionage tag sweeps to the summit, outscoring every Bond and every le Carré beneath it. Ang Lee's Lust, Caution (2007) and Steven Spielberg's Munich (2005) rank high for the same reason — prestige dramas the tag sweeps in, a reminder that this list measures accumulated canon weight, not how much a film feels like a spy movie.