It is undeniable that Steven Spielberg is one of the greatest American
storytellers ever. For many may associate him with science fiction and fantasy
some of his most powerful works have been historical in nature. With such
masterpieces as ‘Schindler’s List’ and ‘Saving Private Ryan’, Mr. Spielberg is
utilized cinema as a means to preserve certain critically important junctures in
history. It doesn’t concentrate so much on the broad picture for the effects on
the global stage but rather is historical movies concentrate psychological and
emotional trauma of the people at the heart of events that had a profound global
effect. Latest film of his the fourth of category of historical masterpieces is
‘Bridge Of Spies ‘. For those of us who share the baby-boom affiliation with Mr.
Spielberg may have been marginally a rare new story that resulted in much
concerned with the adults. In 1960 the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the
United States of America stood on the precipice of heating up. With Dwight
Eisenhower in the White House and Nikita Khrushchev in control of the Kremlin
not only did to most powerful men in the world because of the overwhelming
nuclear arsenal they had the potential to being the most dangerous. In May 1968
a U-2 spy plane piloted by Francis Gary Powers (Austin Stowell), was shot down
over Soviet airspace. The latent espionage easily led to open warfare which
during that time would mean only one thing, and exchange of nuclear weapons. The
fact that such an action would inevitably lead to global annihilation.
Thankfully, there were, has on both sides still the men wielding the most power
tended to put their faith in a military solution. Once again Mr. Spielberg takes
a major historical incident and goes down to presented in microcosm by making
the point of view character the man charged with responsibility of negotiating
the freedom of Captain Powers. Negotiating for a man’s life is in itself a heavy
responsibility that would break many men when you add to that indisputable fact
that failure potentially lead to the end of the world and that is such an
inordinate pressure that no man has ever been asked to endure.
The story opens three years prior to the capture of the aircraft were in
Brooklyn Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance) was arrested on charges of being a Soviet
espionage agent. Since even Russian spies are to be afforded legal
representation the government approaches the senior partner of a prestigious law
firm, Thomas Watters Jr. (Alan Alda). In turn he hands the case over to another
partner, James B. Donovan (Tom Hanks), whose legal specialty is insurance
settlements. Officially that may seem to be sending a lawyer with little
experience in such high profile litigation into a case that would inevitably be
a global news item. As it turns out Mr. Donovan is a man who as a lawyer is
uniquely qualified such a high profile case. After World War II he was the lead
prosecutor for the OSS at the Nuremberg war crimes trials. Everyone involved has
the full expectations that Donovan would provide a defense that would just
barely meet the requirement of legal representation. No one counted on was that
Mr. Donovan held himself off to the highest professional standards a lawyer can
attain to do his very best on behalf of his client. The reaction by the as well
as anyone involved in the trial was shock resulting in the pent up anger and
frustration felt by most people during this time hatefully targeting Donovan. He
is inundated with hate mail seen as a pariah by most of America. The evidence
did to be on the shuttle without that Abel was guilty and in fact a deep cover
Soviet spy. During the sentencing consideration Donovan successfully convinced
the charge to commute the death sentenced to 30 years in prison. A major part of
his argument is that Abel may have some strategic value at some point in the
future.
A situation in which Abel could prove to be a valuable bargaining chip was
not long in coming. While the fate of Rudolf Abel still under appeal and
deliberation incident on the other side of the world would change everything.
Captain Gary Francis Powers left the Air Force in order to fly spy missions with
the CIA. This function was to fly espionage missions using the Lockheed U-2 over
high-altitude jet to take photographs deep within the Soviet airspace. The
aircraft was a marvel of technology for the time able to fly over twice the
height of regular jet planes and on the most sophisticated cameras and other
surveillance equipment available. Plane piloted by Powers was shot down and
Captain Powers taken into custody by the Soviet authorities. Under the guise of
sending able a letter from his family Donovan receives a ‘backhanded’ message
from the Soviets. They propose a prisoner exchange; Powers for Able. The
complication was about to occur when American grad student, Frederic Pryor (Will
Rogers), was attempting to smuggle his girlfriend out of East Berlin. Tensions
were already extremely high at that time as the city was being literally divided
by the building of the Berlin wall. Donovan wants to change the deal to a two
for one paper in the American State Department adamantly against it afraid that
it might result in exchange freeing powers fall apart. Ultimately Donovan is
allowed to proceed on the privies of that nothing is done on behalf of the
student that could adversely affect any deal for Powers.
Undeniably the team of Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks is an unstoppable award
season drug. With such an incredibly talented and versatile act as Mr. Hanks it
might come as a surprise to some with this film turns out to showcase the
talents of Rudolf Abel. Known predominantly for his work in television and
several motion pictures, he brings it energy to the part that is mesmerizing he
allows the audience to believe that Abel was a man who felt he was a patriot for
his own country now finds himself as he easily sacrificed on the chess game
between two superpowers. Mr. Hanks is ideal for the strong-willed and idealistic
Donovan. He portrays the lawyer as a man who places his integrity and
professional ethics fall above the jingoistic pressure he encounters from all
sides. Spielberg is able to entice amazing performances all involved but at the
heart of each scene is the core of unvarnished humanity that leaves the viewer
or the intensity of the emotion portrayed. Once again we have the film that
delves deep into well-known historical events that uncovers the human issues at
its center. Spielberg is a genius filmmaker with the commando every technical
aspect of craft which enables him to bring his artistic vision to life on film.
Surpassing all else is his ability as a storyteller, an artist able to draw the
viewers into the very heart of the characters. You can read the facts of this
incident and any number of online sources or history books but would Steven
Spielberg brings to the story is having noblest of men can arise out of such an
insane concept as the Cold War.
 | A Case Of The Cold War: "Bridge Of Spies" |
 | Delve deeper into the film's characters and the real-life people on whom
they're based, and discover why the history behind "Bridge Of Spies" still
resonates today. |
 | U-2 Spy Plane |
 | Witness the making of the spectacular U-2 plane crash sequence, with
archival voice-over by U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers and a cameo by his son,
Francis Gary Powers Jr. |
 | Berlin 1961: Re-creating The Divide |
 | Experience the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie and Frederic Pryor's arrest
through a mix of archival imagery, behind-the-scenes moments and firsthand
accounts. |
 | Spy Swap: Looking Back On The Final Act |
 | Relive a page of Cold War history on the Gilenicke Bridge while shooting
the historic exchange of Soviet spy Rudolf Abel and U-2 pilot Francis Gary
Powers. |