Long before the superhero film’s cultural domination made tights and capes a guaranteed box office draw, the espionage thriller had been a steady mainstay in blockbuster cinema. The reason why wasn’t all that different: audiences love wish fulfillment, and what genre projects the sexy allure of dangerous thrills more than the spy flick? There’s a reason why every kid wants to be one when they grow up. From the slick, high-tension stunts of Mission Impossible to the impeccably suave presentation of Agent 007’s outings, spies are just effortlessly cool, and for that, they have Cary Grant and Alfred Hitchcock to thank.
