There have been many films about cold war spies. Western films tend to follow the (mis-) fortunes of Western spies as these are the people who do exciting things and with whom the audience is likely to identify with. Eastern spies only appear on the fringes, mostly to be knocked about by our heroes as e.g. in Hitchcock's Torn Curtain.
Our film here follows Eastern spies in West Germany, but it gives the theme a new twist. The topic of the film is not espionage, but rather how the increasing integration of the protagonists into the lifestyle of the West (one can translate the title as "The West is shiny") alienates them from their origins and compromises their position. I have some doubts how realistic this depiction is, but in any case it is compelling to watch. Despite the objections to its realism I am pretty sure the Stasi (East German secret service) was raving livid when this film came out.
Our film here follows Eastern spies in West Germany, but it gives the theme a new twist. The topic of the film is not espionage, but rather how the increasing integration of the protagonists into the lifestyle of the West (one can translate the title as "The West is shiny") alienates them from their origins and compromises their position. I have some doubts how realistic this depiction is, but in any case it is compelling to watch. Despite the objections to its realism I am pretty sure the Stasi (East German secret service) was raving livid when this film came out.
