Best Movies About The Cold War

From Sidney Lumet, starring Henry Fonda, Walter Matthau, Fritz Weaver, Dan O'Herlihy
Rated Approved

Fail Safe is a 1964 Cold War movie directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Henry Fonda. It tells the story of a military blunder that leads to the U.S. Air Force dispatching a squadron of nuclear bombers to the Soviet Union. President Lyndon Johnson, played by Fonda, must then find a way to stop the bombers before a nuclear attack is launched. The film shows how the Cold War created a tense and dangerous situation and how technology could easily be used to cause a global disaster. Its gripping suspense and moral complexity make it a classic of Cold War cinema.

From John Frankenheimer, starring Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Janet Leigh, Angela Lansbury
Rated PG-13

The Manchurian Candidate is a 1962 American political thriller directed by John Frankenheimer, starring Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, and Janet Leigh. The film is about a former Korean War prisoner of war, Sergeant Raymond Shaw, who is brainwashed into becoming an unknowing assassin for the communist cause. At the same time, his stepfather, a political operative, is manipulating him for his own personal gain. As Raymond's squadmates start to remember strange events from their captivity, they become suspicious and begin to investigate. As the truth unravels, the stakes become higher and higher, leading to a gripping climax.

From John McTiernan, starring Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Scott Glenn, Sam Neill
Rated PG

The Hunt for Red October is a 1990 American espionage thriller film directed by John McTiernan, based on the 1984 Tom Clancy novel of the same name. The film follows Soviet submarine captain Marko Ramius (Sean Connery) as he attempts to defect to the United States with his officers and the revolutionary new Soviet nuclear missile submarine Red October. The American government, led by CIA analyst Jack Ryan (Alec Baldwin), must find a way to prevent World War III while convincing the suspicious Soviet government that Ramius is not a threat. Along the way, Ryan must decipher the coded messages Ramius sends to the CIA, and the two must team up to prevent a global nuclear war. With its thrilling action sequences, high-stakes espionage elements, and nuanced political drama, The Hunt for Red October is a classic Cold War-era thriller.

From Sidney J. Furie, starring Michael Caine, Nigel Green, Guy Doleman, Sue Lloyd
Rated Passed

From Stanley Kramer, starring Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire, Anthony Perkins
Rated Approved

From John Schlesinger, starring Timothy Hutton, Sean Penn, Pat Hingle, Joyce Van Patten
Rated R

From Alfred Hitchcock, starring Paul Newman, Julie Andrews, Lila Kedrova, Hansjörg Felmy
Rated PG

From John Mackenzie, starring Michael Caine, Pierce Brosnan, Ned Beatty, Joanna Cassidy
Rated R

From Don Siegel, starring Michael Caine, Donald Pleasence, Delphine Seyrig, Clive Revill
Rated PG

From Fred Schepisi, starring Sean Connery, Michelle Pfeiffer, Roy Scheider, James Fox
Rated R