BRIDGE OF SPIES MOVIE: WHAT I LEARNT.

I love this movie, I stumbled upon it on a friend’s laptop and I loved it. During the war, the Soviet Union sent their spy to the US and the US did the same. Rudolf Abel was the spy from the Soviet Union and Francis Powers was the spy from the US.

 After Rudolf Abel was arrested, James Donovan an insurance lawyer received Rudolf Abel as a client. James was his defendant.

James attitude in this movie really tripped me. He was competent and he painted the picture of the Justice System that doesn’t toss people on the ash heap (according to those who brought him the client). He made sure the man got a fair hearing: this speaks of integrity. It was his integrity that spoke for him that was why he was singled out amongst the other lawyers in all of Brooklyn.

Donovan was nice to Rudolf Abel. Everyone hated him and what he stood for, the judge made it known he was biased but Donovan was nice to him and it paid off at the end. When Donovan needed to be sure about that Fredrick Pryers would be brought, Abel decided to wait when he could have left him in the cold. Your attitude to those who you are in a position to help matters a lot because life is in cycles. You will also need help at a point.

The Soviet Union was the first to send their spy. Donovan pleaded for Abel’s cause. He made sure he didn’t die even when the country was against him and Donavan’s family was attacked. Little did he know that it would come in handy for the prisoner swap. One action whether it’s with a proper intention or not would come back to hunt you or help you.

Courage is also important. The CIA wanted Donovan to violate Attorney-Client privilege but he stood his ground. When the CIA in Berlin told him to forgo Pryers and focus on Powers and the Soviet didn’t give him an approving answer, he decided to stand firm. Whatever you stand for, be sure you’re in the right and then you will be glad at the end. I think it was what made the CIA to approve of him going to plead their cause in Berlin.

Read: 8 THINGS I LEARNT FROM THE MOVIE COUPLE OF DAYS.

 

Your greatest asset is who you are. In the Supreme Court, Donovan said “Shouldn’t we show this man who we are? Isn’t that our greatest asset?” Who you are is what matters in circumstances. 

So let me ask: Who are you?

Rudolf Abel was so calm it was almost unnerving. Donovan had to ask Abel if he ever worried and he said worry never does anything. I’m trying to acquire the skill of not worrying and it begins with accepting that somethings are not within our reach. Worry will never do anything.

If you think you’re not in a privileged position, you are still useful. Abel told the story of his father’s friend who was constantly beaten but he stood back up and they had to stop the beating. They called him Stehen Mann which means standing man. This encouraged Donovan.

Now to what I call Maximum gain. Donovan was asked by President Kennedy to undertake further negotiations on behalf of the US. In 1962 he was sent to Cuba to discuss with Fidel Castro the terms of the release of 1113 prisoners held after the Bay of Pigs Invasion. After negotiations he secured the release of 9703 men women and children. He name was imprinted on the sand of time all because of who he was and what he did.