Best non-Bond spy movies of all time?

Number24

I'm listening to the "Best spy movies of all time" episode on the Spybrary podcast and I can say Bond is mentioned. I thought a thread on this topic should be on AJB, but I decided to exclude the Bond film to force us to think a bit outside the box.
Here are some of my choices in no particular order, and please list some of your favourites!


The Bourne Identity

The lives of others

Where Eagles Dare

The Hunt for the Red October

Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy

Zero Dark Thirthy

OSS 117 Nest of Spies

Munich

caractacus potts

the Thirty Nine Steps
Notorious
and at least a half dozen other Hitchcocks, but I think these two are essential

The Third Man
not technically a spy story, but of interest to spy story fans

the Manchurian Candidate

Three Days of the Condor

I like spy stories where things get all morally ambiguous and paranoid. Our Bond films tend to err with their clear cut distinction between Good and Evil.

Mr Martini

First one that comes to mind is Sneakers.

Hardyboy

I agree with Caracatus that Notorious should be up there--it's arguably the GREATEST spy film ever made. I'm also a big fan of Martin Ritt's adaptation of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold.

Number24

Yes, Notorious should probably be on my list too. I often wish Hitchcock made a version of CR in the same style and tone.

Smithers500

North by Northwest, equally as good as Notorious, gets my vote.

Charmed & Dangerous

I was just about to type North by Northwest too - -{

Our Man Flint, The Quiller Memorandum, The Liquidator and a handful of others are also great fun spy films from the golden age of spy movies.

Number24

There is a genere that focuses on information gathering and surveillance, but in the field of crime fighting and not military and political secrets.
The Conversation, Internal Affairs and the brilliant TV series The Wire are examples of this. I'd say this is a genere related to spy movies without actualllly being spy movies. Others may argue differently of course.

Eye in the Sky (2015) should be added to my list. It's a overlooked thriller about drone warfare, a field of warfare that's far more important in real life than in the movies. Very tense and inteligent.

Gala Brand

"Our Man in Havana," starring Alec Guinness from a novel by Graham Greene (who was a part-time MI6 operative).

Barbel

Take your pick from the Harry Palmer flicks-

The Ipcress File, Funeral In Berlin, Billion-Dollar Brain

caractacus potts

this is getting to be a good list, several I've never heard of before.

since we're including silly ones, I'm proud to be the first to say:
Austin Powers

Gala Brand

As mentioned above, Hitchcock was the master of the spy film. In addition to those referenced, Saboteur and Sabotage are very good and North By Northwest is great. I even think I couple of his late spy films, Torn Curtain and Topaz are good, although they're not highly thought of overall.

Thunderpussy

I love North by Northwest and The fourth Protocol, along with The Man from UNCLE and Kingsman
on TV Spooks and The Games are all worth watching.

Golrush007

Many good suggestions in this thread - Ipcress File, Tinker Tailor, Spy Who Came in From the Cold, The Fourth Protocol are all favourites.

In addition to these, I would recommend a very good spy film, based on an excellent novel by Brian Freemantle: Charlie Muffin. This is a made for TV film from 1979, with a very fine cast headed up by David Hemmings as the titular character, a down-at-heel but very wily British agent. I think there is a low quality version of the film on Youtube, but I managed to get a good quality DVD copy in a boxset with other Euston Films productions called 'Armchair Cinema'.

QuantumofSolange

I'd like to suggest The American starring George Clooney and based on a book called A Very Private Gentleman.