10 Movies I've Enjoyed for Whatever Reason #06 "Bridge of Spies"

   I reckon it's almost always true... "good scripts make good films!" It helps get to know characters, brings the imagery alive and creates quotable quotes for everyday life!
These help a film live beyond the screen!!
   Who hasn't called out "Wiiillsson!" at the sight of a volleyball? Perhaps my most flippant yet poignantly true example ever is from "The Wedding Singer." Robbie's bride explains her no show, causing him to respond "information that would have been useful, yesterday!"
   So enters my number #05 choice (in no particular order) "Bridge of Spies." It's not the best film ever made (a predictably too long Spielberg 2hrs 22 but I never looked at my watch this time). It cleverly captures the Cold War tensions around the Berlin Wall and through the challenges ahead of two main characters and one US pilot alongside...
   James Donovan (Tom Hanks) is called on to represent Soviet spy Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance) so justice might be seen to be done. The CIA also need to facilitate the return  of American U2 spy plane pilot, Francis Gary Powers, so Hanks' lawyer catches the significance of the opportunity despite the hidden agendas and people pulling the strings.
   The tension is held throughout as Rudolf Abel faces his fate with a quiet resolve that makes the relationship with his lawyer, one of mutual respect and support. Things don't look good for Abel and as his lawyer Jim observes (roughly) "You don't seem to be worried?" and the reply "would it help?"

And then there's...

James Donovan: The death sentence is not a foregone conclusion. Don’t worry.
Rudolf Abel: I’m not afraid to die, Mr. Donovan. Although, it wouldn’t be my first choice.

Rudolf Abel: Standing there like that you reminded me of the man that used to come to our house when I was young. My father used to say: “watch this man”, so I did, every time he came. And never once he do anything remarkable.
James Donovan: And I remind you of him?

Rudolf Abel: This one time, I was at the age of your son, our house is overrun by partisan boarder guards. Dozen of them. My father was beaten, my mother was beaten, and this man, my father’s friend, he was beaten. And I watched this man. Every time they hit him, he stood back up again. Soldier hit him harder, still he got back up to his feet. I think because of this they stopped the beating and let him live. “Stoikiy muzhik”. Which sort of means like a “standing man”. Standing man.