The Cold War was, to put it mildly, one of the most anxious times in American history. Everywhere you looked in popular culture there were reminders of the fact that the Russians might be out to subvert American interests.

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One of the principal expressions of the paranoia that was such a key part of Cold War culture was the spy movie. While some of them are considered masterpieces of cinema, others truly bad by any reasonable standard. Here are five of the best and the worst.

Best: Pickup on South Street (1953)- 91%

The early 1950s were, in many ways, some of the most tense of the Cold War, with even the government suspected of having been subverted by the communists.

Those anxieties are in full display in this film, in which a pickpocket (played by Richard Widmark), not realizing it contains government secrets. This sets the plot in motion and while it ends in a romance, there’s plenty of suspense and thrills to make it worth the watch.

Worst: The Billion Dollar Brain (1967)- 50%

While the Cold War was notable for producing some truly bizarre films that are more than lacking in the quality department. That’s certainly the case with this film.

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Though it does star Michael Caine—who is always a pleasure to watch, no matter the quality of the film—its narrative is, as the critics (and Caine himself) pointed out, a bit of a muddle. It’s still worth a watch, though, if only to see how paranoid films of that era could be.

Best: The Lives of Others (2006)- 93%

Though released in 2006, this film is actually about the Cold War, focusing especially on the secret police in East Germany and their surveillance of their own people. It’s a fascinating exploration of the Cold War era, and the visual style of the film is especially striking.

It was met with significant praise from critics, who were especially impressed given that the director was born outside of East Germany yet managed to capture the ethos of that place and time.

Worst: Daniel (1983)- 43%

Julius and Ethen Rosenberg are two of the most infamous figures in American history, known for their willingness to trade vital secrets to the Russians. They are also infamous for having been convicted of espionage and executed by electric chair.

In this film, their son Daniel attempts to uncover the truth of what happened. Though it has an interesting premise, the film wasn’t a success at the time of its initial release, either critically or financially.

Best: From Russia With Love (1964)- 95%

There’s just something inherently satisfying about the early Bond films. Perhaps it’s the presence of Sean Connery who, it must be said, is indelibly associated with the role, or perhaps it’s just the utter self-confidence with which the films hold themselves.

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Whatever the case, there’s ample reason that this film has earned its high praise from critics. It’s everything a spy film should be, and it doesn’t fall prey to some of the excesses of subsequent Bond films.

Worst: Fathom (1967)- 33%

The idea of female spies is certainly a good one, and as a concept it’s a useful corrective to the misogyny that is unfortunately all too common in many spy movies.

Unfortunately, some of the early efforts to create a compelling female spy movie fell rather flat, as is this case with this film. Even the presence of Raquel Welch (who is a bit hammy, to be sure) isn’t quite enough to save this film. Even the author of the novel on which it was based was confused by it.

Best: The Manchurian Candidate (1962)- 96%

An assassin aiming a rifle in The Manchurian Candidate

In the annals of Cold War cinema, The Manchurian Candidate stands head and shoulders above the rest. It’s a truly powerful exploration of the paranoia and violence of Cold War America, and it features an absolutely chilling performance by Angela Lansbury as the mother of an American soldier who also happens to be a shrewd political operator.

The film is all the more remarkable for seeming so prescient in its disturbing portrayal of the assassination of a prominent political figure. It’s as haunting today as it was when it was released.

Worst: Casino Royale (1967)- 26%

Not every James Bond film has been a success with the critics, and such was certainly the case with this film. It’s a bit of a muddled film, in part because the part of Bond is played by David Niven and the film is more of a comedy than a thriller.

However, despite the fact that the critics did not like it and most of them failed to find it very funny, (a sentiment that still holds true today) it was a financial success at the box office.

Best: North by Northwest (1959)- 99%

This film is, with good reason, considered one of the classics of spy movies. In part this is because it was directed by Alfred Hitchcock, but it’s also because it features a truly tremendous performance by Cary Grant, who manages to be his usual charming and amusing self.

A mark of the film’s influence is the frequency with which it has been spoofed, and the iconic image of Cary Grant running away from a hovering plane has gone down as an iconic moment in cinema.

 Worst: Invasion U.S.A (1985)- 18%

The 1980s is one of those decades that managed to produce some truly bizarre films, and this is definitely one of those.

On the other hand, when you have a film starring Chuck Norris you know that you are at least going to be in for a good time, even if the film’s narrative happens to be more than a little ridiculous. The critics, predictably, savaged the film, and it also failed to connect with audiences.

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