10 Essential Movies About The Cold War, Ranked

The Cold War left lasting ramifications on American and European society, which was reflected in many movies. Filmmakers, actors, and other artists in America and European countries used movies to reflect on the human dramas that played out against the backdrop of the Cold War. Art was critical in reflecting on the actions governments took during this time, and how they impacted the lives of real people around the world.

Some movies, like Good Night, and Good Luck, speak to the fear that was rampant at this time and how it impacted the lives of so many. Other movies, like The Lives of Others, offer a human portrait of people who were often considered “enemies” during the Cold War. The best movies about the Cold War showcase stories of characters, either fictional or based on real people, and how competing ideologies and the ever-present threat of violence impacted them.

10

‘Man of Marble’ (1977)

Directed by Andrzej Wajda

Man of Marble is a Polish movie that introduces Agnieszka (Krystyna Janda), a young filmmaker who is completing her thesis project. As Agnieszka focuses her work on a bricklayer who has been elevated in his community to increase the productivity of his peers, the subject falls out of favor with Communist Party officials. As Agnieszka continues to try and finish her project, she becomes disillusioned with the restrictions that are constantly put on her as an artist.

Man of Marble is unique in giving insight into what Eastern European artists faced during the Cold War. Coming from Poland, the movie is an intimate examination of how artists had to fight to stay true to themselves. Man of Marble also highlights how vital propaganda was in the context of the Cold War and how people eventually became disillusioned with this message over time. Ultimately, this movie uses fictional characters to show how real people fought against this propaganda regularly.

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9

‘Charlie Wilson’s War’ (2007)

Directed by Mike Nichols

Charlie Wilson’s War follows the true story of a Texas congressman, Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks), who was known for being a party boy rather than being a serious legislator. After he’s investigated for his drug use, he is asked to focus on the plight of the Afghan people by diplomat and Texas socialite Joanne Herring (Julia Roberts). The movie follows Wilson as he is caught up in the ensuing chaos that would inform American policy for decades. Charlie Wilson’s War stars Philip Seymour Hoffman as CIA case officer Gust Avrakotos.

Charlie Wilson’s War shows how the Cold War impacted U.S. foreign policy around the world and how American legislators were often ill-equipped to handle these types of challenges. In the movie, Wilson is painted as emblematic of American legislators who were caught up in the American intelligence community’s quest to end communism around the world with sometimes disastrous results. Charlie Wilson’s War examines how politicians impacted the lives of real people they would never meet during the Cold War.

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8

‘The Death of Stalin’ (2017)

Directed by Armando Iannucci

The Death of Stalin takes place in the aftermath of the death of dictator Josef Stalin (Adrian McLoughlin). The movie stars Steve Buscemi as Nikita Khrushchev, who eventually succeeded Stalin. The story revolves around the comedy of errors that characterized the leadership of the Soviet Union. While The Death of Stalin mainly focuses on the conflicts among these individual men who were all vying for power in the wake of Stalin’s death, it also shows how ordinary Soviet citizens were put at the mercy of this system.

While this is a British movie told through a Western lens, the movie highlights several key points about the realities in the Soviet Union immediately following Stalin’s death. While The Death of Stalin is a satirical look at these events, it also takes pains to remind viewers that the infighting of their leaders impacted ordinary Soviet citizens. This movie also points out that while the Soviet system was painted as a dire threat to the West, many of these leaders were incompetent, self-serving men.

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7

‘Barbara’ (2012)

Directed by Christian Petzold

Barbara follows the story of an Eastern German physician sent to a small town to practice medicine after requesting to leave East Germany. The movie stars Nina Hoss as the titular Dr. Barbara Wolff. Barbara speaks to the stifling nature of East Germany at that time. It also highlights how people living under this system always found ways to hold on to their humanity. Barbara is a tense story that highlights how oppressive East Germany was during the Cold War.

Barbara captures the mundane nature of life under the communist regime of East Germany during the Cold War. It also presents characters who show that people living in Communist countries retained their humanity in the face of governmental oppression. Barbara shows how people during the Cold War wanted to live normal lives. This is a slice-of-life movie that demonstrates the ordinary dilemmas that people had to face daily living in Communist countries.

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6

‘The Silent Revolution’ (2018)

Directed by Lars Kraume

The Silent Revolution follows two German high school students, Kurt (Tom Gramenz) and Theo (Leonard Scheicher), prior to the construction of the Berlin Wall. After they sneak into a West German movie theater and see footage of a Hungarian anti-communist uprising, they rally their class to hold a moment of silence. The movie is based on the book of the same name by Dietrich Garstka who himself was a student in the classroom depicted in the movie.

This movie highlights the crucial role that students played in the uprisings that took place during the Cold War. The Silent Revolution highlights how vulnerable Communist regimes were to the spread of information and to the truth in general. The story also emphasizes the fact that the flow of information was highly restricted during the Cold War. The Silent Revolution is based on a true story that showed how much access to information could influence ordinary people.

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5

‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)’

Directed by Tomas Alfredson

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is based on the acclaimed spy novel by John le Carré. The story revolves around a British intelligence agent, George Smiley (Gary Oldman), who is forced out of retirement to investigate a mole in the British intelligence apparatus. Smiley is caught up in an increasingly complex web of international espionage, secrecy, and chaos. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a unique spy movie that relies on building intrigue rather than action.

What makes Tinker Tailor Solider Spy such an important examination of the Cold War is that it uses fictional characters to show how espionage was what made up so much of the conflict. The movie shows that the Cold War was a truly global conflict and that British intelligence played crucial roles in fighting communism worldwide. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy shows how much of the Cold War was “fought” by people behind the scenes whose names were often lost to history.

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4

‘Good Night, and Good Luck’ (2005)

Directed by George Clooney

Good Night, and Good Luck is based on the life and career of famous American journalist Edward R. Murrow (David Strathairn). The movie is a retrospective of Murrow’s career and his reporting on Senator Joseph McCarthy. Good Night, and Good Luck depicts Murrow’s courage in challenging Senator McCarthy’s narrative that communists and their sympathizers were overrunning the United States government.

This movie highlights the fact that the fear of communism fueled so much of the conflict in the Cold War. Good Night, and Good Luck emphasizes the paranoia that existed during the Cold War and how facts and information were essential in combatting these fears. The movie captures how terrified ordinary Americans were during the Cold War, and how so many of these fears ended up being unfounded. Ultimately, Good Night, and Good Luck looks at how one journalist was responsible for bringing truth to light.

3

‘The Lives of Others’ (2006)

Directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

The Lives of Others follows Stasi agent Hauptmann Gerd Wiesler (Ulrich Mühe) as he is tasked with surveilling an artist who has been deemed a potential threat to the State. This East German drama spotlights the fact that so many communist regimes during the Cold War targeted artists specifically. The Lives of Others effectively captures the grim nature of day-to-day life in East Germany and how repressive it was to its citizens. The movie won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

The Lives of Others is a snapshot of how the Cold War impacted people from all walks of life. The movie uses its tone to continually highlight the fact that the East German surveillance state slowly eroded the lives of those who were surveilled and those who did the surveilling. The story also drove home that the Soviet Union’s reach extended across Europe and impacted the daily lives of people who otherwise wanted to live their lives to the fullest.

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2

‘The Manchurian Candidate’ (1962)

Directed by John Frankenheimer

The Manchurian Candidate was an example of a movie that provided a commentary on the Cold War while being made in the time period. The movie tapped into one of the greatest fears of many Americans at the time, which was having the government be infiltrated by foreign agents. Frank Sinatra plays a Korean War veteran and former POW, who was a character that represented America’s worst fears about the Cold War. The Manchurian Candidate was also remade in 2004.

The Manchurian Candidate is essential viewing to understand the Cold War since it provides such a unique insight into American culture at the time. The story is ultimately a thought experiment about what would happen if communists had truly infiltrated the United States government, as so many feared. The Manchurian Candidate also represents how many Americans saw themselves in the context of the Cold War.

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1

‘Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb’ (1964)

Directed by Stanley Kubrick

Dr. Strangelove was unique for its time, as it took a completely different take on the possibility of a nuclear holocaust. The movie follows a group of people of various levels of intelligence who are either trying to stop or instigate a nuclear war during the Cold War. The movie highlights the massive egos that would have to be involved in such a decision. Dr. Strangelove uses its comedic tone to highlight the very real fears that were hallmarks of this time.

While Dr. Strangelove is a comedy, it critically reflects on how Americans perceived themselves during the Cold War. It also uses its humorous tone to underline the terror that existed worldwide. Dr. Stangelove also provides a satirical look at the incompetence of world leaders and how, especially during the Cold War, these leaders had the chance to cause catastrophe. The movie is another example of one made in the middle of the Cold War, providing insight into where people thought the conflict could go.

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