Os Espiões

Okay, the movie doesn't feature the secret agent with the famous number 007. But after I've seen this really entertaining movie , I wondered if Ian Fleming saw this movie before he created his legendary hero. It contains everything we already know from the James Bond movies:

• A strong and handsome hero with a secret identity number (this time 326) - A sinister and evil villain in a wheelchair (without a white cat, but with a striking resemblance to Lenin) - A secret headquarter for the villains - An attractive heroine, who falls immediately in love with the hero - exiting action-sequences and chases (featuring a crashing train and motorcycles) etc., etc. . Willy Fritsch is very good in the role of the hero (even though you wouldn't associate him with this genre when you saw his comedies) and Rudolf Klein Rogge (the mad scientist from Metropolis) is perfectly evil. The movie is fast-paced and very entertaining, despite its length of nearly three hours. Lang shows that he is correctly regarded as one of the best german directors of all time and that he is capable of succeeding in every genre, be it science-fiction, crime or even spy-adventures.

The powerful criminal and leader of a spy ring Haghi (Rudolf Klein- Rogge) uses his spies that are infiltrated everywhere including in the secret service in attempts to steal documents from the French Embassy in Shanghai and from the Minister of Trade that is murdered. The press questions and mocks the officials in charge of security of state and the efficient Agent No. 326 a.k.a. the vagrant Hans Pockzerwinski (Willy Fritsch) is summoned by the Secret Service Chief (Craighall Sherry) to investigate the wave of crimes. Agent 326 immediately identifies that his chief's assistant Vincent is a spy that is providing inside information to the evil mastermind that no one knows how looks like. Meanwhile, Haghi saves the scoundrel Hans Morrier (Louis Ralph) from the gallows to serve him. Then Haghi, who is also the general director of the Haghi Bank, blackmails Mrs. Leslane (Hertha von Walther), who is the wife of the powerful Roger Lesland and habitué of an opium den, to get information of the Japanese Secret Treaty. When Haghi assigns his master spy Sonya Baranilkowa (Gerda Maurus) to get closer to the elegant Agent No. 326, they unexpectedly fall in love for each other affecting Haghi's evil scheme. Meanwhile his spy Kitty (Lien Deyers) lures and seduces the reserved and efficient Japanese agent Akira Matsumoto (Lupu Pick) to steal his documents about the recently signed Treaty that may bring war to the world.

"Spies" is a fantastic epic of espionage, romance, seduction and betrayal by Fritz Lang and I dare to say that James Bond stories might have been inspired in this film. I saw "Spies" yesterday in a restored authorized edition of the DVD released by Kino Video, and in the Extras there is the amazing story of the restoration of this film. The 35 mm archives in nitrate throughout the world were very damaged and incomplete, but this complex version was assembled from several copies using the guidance of the copy from Prague that was the most complete and also deteriorated. The result is a film of 143 minutes running time meaning 50 minutes longer than any version previously released. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Os Espiões" ("The Spies")

What a hoot! As the other comments have pointed out, this movie has everything and then some. The Image DVD furthers this excitement with the use of an Expressionist typeface for the intertitles and punctuation that includes "-!?", "—!!", and even at one point, "––-!!!" "Spies" offers an almost perfect print with superb music and sound effects. Newbies to silent film will have to adjust to the wild and sometimes bizarre pantomime style of the acting, but give it half a chance and "Spies" will have you on the edge of your seat, even at the 140- minute length. I love Fritz Lang's American films, like "Rancho Notorious" and "Clash by Night"—don't miss these if you have the chance—but Lang's German work shows a young director always at the top of his form, full of brilliant ideas and bursting with energy.

Spione (Spies) is a Fritz Lang film about spy espionage. The plot is strangely more complicated than more recent spy flicks (which is a good thing). The film focuses on No. 326, a spy that is responsible for investigating leads on a mysterious mastermind that controls a network of spies. The mastermind, known as Haghi, plots to steal an important treaty. It turns out that he leads a double life as the owner of a successful bank (which apparently makes him richer than Henry Ford). Things get complicated when Haghi sends a female spy, Sonya, to prevent No. 326 from interfering. Sonya falls in love with No. 326 while still under the supervision of Haghi, leading to the usual conflicts.

The acting and characterization was wonderful. Haghi is the definition of bad guy: you know he is evil when you see the goatee. Confined to a wheelchair, he is the perfect blend of intelligence and deceptiveness. Agent No. 326 is an interesting character, although he loses some of his features as the film progresses. Sonya is beautiful and acted wonderfully. Among the side characters, I found that Colonel Jellusic and Doctor Masimoto stood out.

Although a little overlong, the film is at no point slow. Mixing fast pacing with well-placed plot twists (which really build up towards the end), anyone with interest in the subject should have no problem enjoying it for the entire running time.

I was not sure what to expect from Spione before watching it, seeing that it is a largely forgotten film. I enjoy Fritz Lang films, and this was no exception. It may not be the caliber of M, but it succeeds anyway. If you do not mind silent films and enjoy the spy/espionage genre (namely, James Bond), then you will enjoy this one.

In the space of the first one minute and 37 seconds, a safe is burgled, a diplomat is killed, two secret documents are stolen, and an intertitle demands "WHO IS BEHIND THIS?" We're off in the world of Fritz Lang's "Spies"

This film has everything that would later become spy film cliches: the ultra cool, ultra suave secret agent; the evil powerful genius, confined to a wheelchair, who dreams of world domination; his beautiful seductress, who falls for the secret agent. There are hidden microphones and disappearing ink and secret packages and bulletproof wallets. There's a motorcycle/car chase, and an in-tunnel train wreck to round out the action.