History written with excellence

Rating: 10/10 (24 November 2015)

History comes alive with Bridge of Spies. Mark Rylance is excellently cast as Rudolph Able, by all appearances, a kindly man who just wishes to be alone with his paint set. Appearances are deceiving, as we learn he is actually a Russian spy. Playing out as a secondary story, we watch as Francis Gary Powers is selected to fly a US plane in order to gather intelligence on Russia. Given a poison to take should he be captured, Powers realizes how dangerous a mission he was about to undertake.
James Donovan is charged with the task of providing Able a suitable defense, not unlike John Adams had been called to do nearly two hundred years before with the Red Coats who fired into the crowd at Boston. Donovan loses in court, but is able to spare Able's life, citing that killing him would only incite hostilities against the US by Russia.
Powers' mission is a failure as he is shot down, and tortured by the Russians. To add to the events, the Berlin Wall is going up in Germany, causing strife in that country as well. Fredric Pryor, an American college student studying abroad, is taken prisoner. Sent under orders to do an even change, Able for Powers, Donovan doesn't like the idea of leaving an American behind.
To the dismay of the US Government, Donovan begins to set negations to get both Pryor and Powers, telling the Russians that they won't get Able if the US doesn't get both of their citizens back. The drama intensifies as it appears Germany may balk at the suggestion of giving up Pryor.
The events come to ahead on a snowy bridge, as Able and Powers stand on opposite sides of the bridge, not knowing if they would step foot on the homeland again. At the last second, the Germans show up at Checkpoint Charlie with Pryor, and the exchange is made, and Donovan is happy with his success, yet worried about Able's fate, as the two have become friends amongst the madness of world politics.
The brisk pace of the movie, as well as the engaging characters make this a must see movie. Alan Alda proves he still has it, even though he appears briefly in the film. Both Tom Hanks and Mark Rylance both forth such amazing performances, that both should be considered Oscar worthy.
It's next to impossible to make a suspenseful film about a historical event of which you already know the outcome. Yet Spielberg is able to do just that. This is a true must see film! 10 out of 10.