Spies (1928) Review- By Michael J. Carlisle

Title: Spies
Year: 1928
Director: Fritz Lang
Country: Germany
Language: N/A

Fritz Lang was at the peak of his career during the silent film era. Metropolis (1927) changed the science fiction narrative forever and cemented that genre into a viable source of entertainment. Since the 1910's Lang would make very inventive pictures. If they were not commercially successful, then they were most certainly an endearing expression of his artistic passions. Spies (1928) represents a rarity in the Director's filmography; a FUN spy movie. 

In Spies, the mastermind behind a ubiquitous spy operation learns of a dangerous romance between a Russian lady in his employ and a dashing agent from the government's secret service
 
Spies reflects Lang’s utter fascination with the inner workings of criminal organizations—and not just the glamorous stuff either. He does have the usual cliches, like assassinations and dubious theft, but he is able to make the banal such as turning in paperwork into an interesting and stylish observation that ultimately keeps his audience on their roes. Lang's devotion to making fun of bureaucracy add to the fascinating atmosphere within the picture. One can see clear connection to Spies in Terry Gilliam's Brazil.  

I would not dare spoil the twists nor the ending, but I will say they were well written. Fritz Lang gives us twists that genuinely surprise us, but aren't completely out of  the blue (unlike the twists seen in Shyamalan flicks). Technically well made, the film does suffer from a romance angle that screeches the action to a halt for some time in the second half of the film. As an audience, we don't go to a spy movie to see the main characters quarrel over domestic issues. Thankfully Lang is smart enough to allow his feature to pick up near the climax.

While this is not my favourite of Lang's filmography, Spies is certainly a worthwhile film and a good viewing that borders on cinematic escapism and utter realism. One can see its clear influence on modern pictures, as well as its borrowing of Hitchcockian themes.