Films About Female Spies
The world of espionage has long been dominated by male protagonists, but the genre has also produced a remarkable array of films featuring female spies. These films often explore themes of empowerment, danger, and the complexities of identity, showcasing women who navigate a treacherous landscape of intrigue and deception. From action-packed thrillers to psychological dramas, female spies are portrayed as cunning, resourceful, and capable individuals who challenge societal norms and expectations. Here’s a list of notable films that delve into the lives and missions of female spies.
“Atomic Blonde”, 2017
Director: David Leitch
Set during the Cold War, this action thriller follows MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton as she investigates the murder of a fellow agent. With a mix of stylish action and espionage, she navigates a web of betrayal in Berlin.
Starring: Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, Eddie Marsan, John Goodman, Toby Jones, James Faulkner, Roland Møller, Sofia Boutella, Bill Skarsgård, Sam Hargrave, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Til Schweiger, Barbara Sukowa, Attila Árpa, Martin Angerbauer, Lili Gesler, Sara Natasa Szonda, Declan Hannigan, Balazs Lengyel, Daniel Hargrave, Greg Rementer, Daniel Bernhardt, Cale Schultz, Attila Hasznosi, Kurt Loder, Ronald Reagan, Balázs Veres;
Production year: 2017;
Genre: action, thriller;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 115 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,7;
“Spy”, 2015
Director: Paul Feig
A comedic take on the spy genre, this film stars Melissa McCarthy as a desk-bound CIA analyst who goes undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer. Her journey is filled with humor, action, and unexpected heroism.
Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham, Jude Law, Rose Byrne, Miranda Hart, Bobby Cannavale, Morena Baccarin, Peter Serafinowicz, Allison Janney, Richard Brake, Raad Rawi, Jessica Chaffin, Sam Richardson, Katie Dippold, Jaime Pacheco, Romain Apelbaum, Steve Bannos, Carlos Ponce, Will Yun Lee, Michael McDonald, Adam Ray, Lukács Bicskey, Attila Bardóczy, Julian Miller, Ed Kear, Nargis Fakhri, Attila Árpa, Bálint Adorjáni, Jamie Denbo, Alessandro De Marco, Peter Linka, Zach Woods, Luca Fiorilli, Sergej Onopko, Yurj Buzzi, Dimitri Andreas, Mitch Silpa, Matt Devere, Peter Farkas, Björn Gustafsson, Ben Falcone, Iván Kamarás, Greta Csizmadia, Klaudia Halasi, 50 Cent, Zalán Takács, Dénes Bernáth, Zsolt Zágoni, Levente Törköly;
Production year: 2015;
Genre: action, comedy;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 119 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7;
More information about the film “Spy” on the website imdb.com
“Salt”, 2010
Director: Phillip Noyce
Angelina Jolie plays Evelyn Salt, a CIA officer accused of being a Russian spy. On the run, she must prove her innocence while uncovering a conspiracy that could change the course of history.
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Daniel Olbrychski, August Diehl, Daniel Pearce, Hunt Block, Andre Braugher, Olek Krupa, Cassidy Hinkle, Corey Stoll, Vladislav Koulikov, Kevin O'Donnell, Gaius Charles, Zach Shaffer, Albert Jones, Zoe Lister-Jones, Paul Juhn, Tika Sumpter, David Bishins, Yara Shahidi, Gary Wilmes, Jordan Lage, Jeremy Davidson, Michelle Ray Smith, Marion McCorry, Vladimir Tevlovski, Steve Cirbus, Roslyn Ruff, Jeb Brown, Lara Apponyi, Peter Weireter, Ryan Shams, Colleen Werthmann, Liam Joynt, Victoria Cartagena, Armand Schultz, Ivo Velon, Kamar De Los Reyes, Victor Slezak, Dionne Audain, Jalil Jay Lynch, Mike Colter, Beverly Kirk, Barbara Harrison, Lynn C. Sanders, Theresa Caggiano, Nick Poltoranin;
Production year: 2010;
Genre: action, thriller;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 100 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,5;
More information about the film “Salt” on the website imdb.com
“The Spy Who Came in from the Cold”, 1965
Director: Martin Ritt
Based on John le Carré's novel, this film features a subplot involving a female spy whose fate is intertwined with that of a disillusioned British agent during the Cold War.
Starring: Richard Burton, Claire Bloom, Oskar Werner, Sam Wanamaker, George Voskovec, Rupert Davies, Cyril Cusack, Peter van Eyck, Michael Hordern, Robert Hardy, Bernard Lee, Beatrix Lehmann, Esmond Knight, Tom Stern, Niall MacGinnis, Scot Finch, Anne Blake, George Mikell, Richard Marner, Warren Mitchell, Steve Plytas, Graham Armitage, David Bauer, Richard Caldicot, Marianne Deeming, Walter Gotell, Edward Harvey, Geoffrey Keen, Katherine Keeton, Philip Madoc, Henk Molenberg, Nancy Nevinson, John Quentin, Michael Ripper, Michael Rittermann, Richard Shaw, Terry Yorke;
Production year: 1965;
Genre: thriller, drama;
Age: 16+;
Duration: 112 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,5;
More information about the film “The Spy Who Came in from the Cold” on the website imdb.com
“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”, 2011
Director: Tomas Alfredson
While primarily focused on male characters, this adaptation includes the role of a female operative who plays a crucial part in the espionage ring during the Cold War, highlighting the complexities of spy craft.
Starring: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, John Hurt, Toby Jones, Mark Strong, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ciarán Hinds, Zoltán Mucsi, Péter Kálloy Molnár, Ilona Kassai, Imre Csuja, David Dencik, Kathy Burke, Stephen Graham, Arthur Nightingale, Simon McBurney, Amanda Fairbank-Hynes, Peter McNeil O'Connor, Roger Lloyd Pack, Matyelok Gibbs, Philip Hill-Pearson, Jamie Thomas King, Stuart Graham, Sarah Jane Wright, Katrina Vasilieva, Linda Marlowe, William Haddock, Erksine Wylie, Philip Martin Brown, Tomasz Kowalski, Alexandra Salafranca, Dennis Good, Oleg Dzhabrailov, Gillian Steventon, Nick Hopper, Laura Carmichael, Rupert Procter, Michael Sarne, Christian McKay, Jean-Claude Jay, Tom Stuart, Kay Aujla, Peter Bartfay, Gursharan Chaggar, Rich Goble, Tony Honickberg;
Production year: 2011;
Genre: thriller, detective;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 127 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7;
“Red Sparrow”, 2018
Director: Francis Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence stars as Dominika Egorova, a Russian ballerina who is recruited into a secret intelligence service and trained to use her body as a weapon. The film delves into themes of manipulation and survival in a dangerous world.
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton, Matthias Schoenaerts, Charlotte Rampling, Mary-Louise Parker, Ciarán Hinds, Joely Richardson, Bill Camp, Jeremy Irons, Thekla Reuten, Douglas Hodge, Sakina Jaffrey, Sasha Frolova, Sebastian Hülk, Nicole O'Neill, Kristof Konrad, Chris O'Hara, Judit Rezes, Kata Pálfi, Karen Gagnon, Cameron MacConomy, Hugh Quarshie, Sergej Onopko, David Z. Miller, Zsolt Viczei, Tom Morley, Endre Szilvási, Patrick McCullough, Gabriella Borsoviczky, Andrea Takáts, Joel de la Fuente, Louis Hofmann, Bálint Adorjáni, Tanya Vital, Kincsö Pethö, Zsolt Anger, Lauren Glazier, Scott Alexander Young, Isabella Boylston, Sokol Cahani, Graham Bryan, Attila Árpa, Simon Szabó, Judit Viktor, George Mendel, Raj Awasti, Jeremy Azis;
Production year: 2018;
Genre: action, thriller, drama;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 140 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,6;
More information about the film “Red Sparrow” on the website imdb.com
“The Rhythm Section”, 2020
Director: Reed Morano
After discovering that her family's plane crash was not accidental, a woman, played by Blake Lively, transforms herself into an assassin to seek revenge. This gritty thriller showcases her evolution into a formidable spy.
Starring: Blake Lively, Jude Law, Sterling K. Brown, Max Casella, Daniel Mays, Geoff Bell, Richard Brake, Elly Curtis, David Duggan, Matilda Ziegler, Bill O'Connell, Raza Jaffrey, Robert Mullins, Ivana Basic, Irma Mali, Tawfeek Barhom, Jack McEvoy, Peter Newington, Nasser Memarzia, Amira Ghazalla, Albert Christmas, Maceo Oliver, Ibrahim Renno, Jade Anouka, Carmen Calle, Una Carroll, Sarah Gallagher, Degnan Geraghty, Aisling Goodwin, Hafsia Herzi, Abril Keinrath, Nuala Kelly, Wentao Ma, Fleur Phoenix Munroe, Mark Quigley, Hugh Scully, Shane Whisker;
Production year: 2020;
Genre: action, detective, drama, thriller;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 109 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 5,4;
More information about the film “The Rhythm Section” on the website imdb.com
“The 355”, 2022
Director: Simon Kinberg
A team of international female spies, including characters played by Jessica Chastain and Lupita Nyong'o, band together to stop a global threat. This ensemble film highlights the strength of women in the espionage field.
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Lupita Nyong'o, Diane Kruger, Penélope Cruz, Fan Bingbing, Edgar Ramírez, Sebastian Stan, Jason Flemyng, Sylvester Groth, John Douglas Thompson, Leo Staar, Pablo Scola, Marcello Cruz, Eddie Arnold, Sebastián Capitán Viveros, Federico Trujillo, Jason Wong, Raphael Acloque, Dom Dumaresq, Gethin Alderman, Costin Cambir, Joseph Wicks, Alexander Cardona, Francisco Labbe, Waleed Elgadi, Amra Mallassi, Zaydun Khalaf, Polly Middlehurst, Tom Cox, Lee Wilkinson, Oleg Kricunova, Emilio Insolera, Jeffrey Chekai, Eldi Dundee, Yoon C. Joyce, David Yu, Kevin Ta, Charles M. Baker, Sebastian Roldan, Bodo Friesecke, Claudia Neumann, Dina Al Salih, Yassine Anaddam, Rodrig Andrisan, David Olawale Ayinde, Alexis Barbosa, Edoardo Barile, Toni Beard, Nicholas Blatt, Graham Burton;
Production year: 2022;
Genre: thriller, action;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 122 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 5,6;
“Our Kind of Traitor”, 2015
Director: Susanna White
While primarily focused on a male protagonist, the film features a strong female character who plays a pivotal role in the espionage drama, showcasing the contributions of women in intelligence operations.
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Naomie Harris, Stellan Skarsgård, Damian Lewis, Alicia von Rittberg, Mark Gatiss, Mark Stanley, Jeremy Northam, Marek Oravec, Katia Elizarova, Velibor Topic, Carlos Acosta, Radivoje Bukvic, Dolya Gavanski, Pawel Szajda, Alec Utgoff, Mihhail Sibul, Jana Pérez, Tony Tennant, Emanuel Brook, Matthew Brook, Emily Beacock, Rosanna Beacock, Saskia Reeves, Khalid Abdalla, Maz Mills, Bonnafet Tarbouriech, Lucy Holt, Olivia Wheeler, Christian Brassington, Michael Gould, Emma Dewhurst, Florence Barker, Isabelle Brouwers, Elizabeth Butler, Isabelle Clough, Eleanor Ferguson, Luke Francis, Camille Guerpillon, Alice Handford, Emmeline Jansen, Valentina Karoleva, Jessica Lee, Ashlie McKimmie, Elizabeth Meadway, Danielle Nieuwenhuys, Bernadetta Pollini, Claire Richardson;
Production year: 2015;
Genre: action, thriller, drama, crime;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 108 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,2;
These films illustrate the diverse narratives and perspectives that female spies bring to the genre, challenging traditional portrayals and enriching the world of espionage cinema.
The world of cinema has been enriched by a captivating selection of films about female spies, showcasing the strength, intelligence, and tenacity of women in espionage. From classic thrillers to modern action-packed blockbusters, these films have not only entertained audiences but also shattered stereotypes and empowered women on screen. The portrayal of female spies as complex, multifaceted characters has not only added depth to the espionage genre but has also opened up conversations about gender roles and representation in film. As these films continue to captivate audiences, they serve as a reminder of the timeless appeal and intrigue of the female spy archetype, leaving a lasting impression on the cinematic landscape.
