War Spy Film

A specialized hybrid subgenre that blends narrative and character elements of the spy film with the backdrop of war. These films most often center on spy protagonists' espionage activities during wartime. Often these plots start with a specific mission, or missions, assigned to a spy -- usually the alleviation of a national threat or the recovery of pertinent information required to win the war or a particular battle. The spy then must overcome obstacles, dangerous threats, and sometimes psychological anxieties due to love affairs, friendships or personal phobias to successfully complete the mission. In most traditional forms of the subgenre, they succeed. Unlike James Bond films, the nationality of the enemies is usually clearly defined. The popularity of war spy films rose during and after World War II, with films like Foreign Correspondent, Five Graves to Cairo and Five Fingers. However, the majority of the subgenre resides in the non-violent battles of the Cold War between the '60s and early '90s, where the communists were often viewed as villains, and spies from capitalist countries like America and Britain, the heroes.

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