The Soul of a Spy

A Russian intelligence agent Alexander Fedorov who works in London under the name of Alex Wilkie asks for a political asylum in the West. He then becomes a double agent working for both Russia and USA. But for whom is he really working? His territory covers Great Britain, France, Switzerland, Egypt, Morocco and Russia. The story ends up with the solution to the riddle and five corpses. But this isn't a normal spy story. It is about a spy's methods and instruments. A surgeon works with a scalpel, a miner with an air hammer. A spy, notwithstanding what country he is working for -- China or Japan, Russia or USA -- has the same instruments: blackmail, theft, eavesdropping, forgery... And, when, required, murder. A spy may have a few wives -- for purposes of cover. No friends, but plenty of informers. In order to lead a double, a treble life. It is a profession that makes an imprint on a human being. As it did KGB colonel Michael Lyubimov during the Cold War. (Montreal World Film Festival)