Spielberg and Hanks Tell a New Cold War Tale

By Nicole Horton

Steven Spielberg’s Cold War espionage drama, Bridge of Spies, tells the story of James Donovan, a New York insurance lawyer who is pushed to provide a captured Soviet spy with pro-bono compensation. He is then recruited by the CIA to negotiate an exchange for an American pilot imprisoned by communists. Tom Hanks’ good-guy persona is an ideal fit for Donovan, and he brings grace, charisma and enlightenment to his portrayal.

Fun fact: Donovan is a Fordham graduate.

The Soviet spy in question is Rudolf Abel, portrayed by Mark Rylance. Rylance does what would surprise many — bring a dry sense of humor to the stone-faced character and along with Hanks tries to make the audience understand that he was doing his job like any American spy. His interaction with Hanks is a joy to watch, showing how the two men gain a mutual respect for one another. However, some moviegoers may find this difficult to believe due to the political climate.

“I find that even in my most serious of my movies to not have humor would be to deny the actual existence of the way all of us kind of live our lives,” Steven Spielberg told The Fordham Ram and other publications. “Even when we think nothing’s funny about what’s happening to us, there’s always somebody watching that thinks it’s pretty funny to them.”

Cold War hysteria defined both foreign and national policy in 1957. The audience quickly realizes that Donovan is also viewed as a traitor, and is standing up for personal freedom and American ideals that are often ignored in war time.

“The movie is about spy craft,” said Spielberg. “It’s about the art of conversation, the art of negotiation but it’s also about spying and today there’s tons of things going on. In the 50s we flew U2s over the Soviet Union and today we’re flying drones everywhere.”

When asked about his favorite part of playing Donovan, Hanks answered, “His innate confidence in his own abilities.” Despite this, he said, “None of these characters think they’re heroes.”

When Donovan arrives in Germany to negotiate the swap, the change in colors shows the great detail in the cinematography. New York is a vibrant metropolis compared to the greys and blues of East Germany as the Berlin Wall is erected. Francis Gary Powers (Austin Stowell, Whiplash), the young pilot shot down by the Soviets, is a foil to Abel. The audience should take note of Stowell, who is gaining more attention. He is set to star in two movies directed by James Franco.

Spielberg details how they made the authentic choice of shooting the spy swap on the Glieanicke Bridge, the real bridge in Germany where it occurred. It is definitely a pivotal, emotional moment in the plot. “So that was a difficult scene not just because it was so cold and we were all freezing but because there was a lot of weight on all of us to make that the best scene in the movie,” he said.

As the dramatic swap takes place, the audience cares just as much about Abel’s fate as they do about the safety of the Americans, which shows that Spielberg and the cast he assembled have truly done their jobs.