Wikipedia

Spy Sorge

Spy Sorge (Japanese: スパイ・ゾルゲ, Hepburn: Supai Zoruge) is a 2003 Japanese historical drama biographical film co-written and directed by Masahiro Shinoda, about the World War II-era Soviet spy Richard Sorge.[3][4] It stars Scottish actor Iain Glen in the title role. Shinoda intended the film, a long and lavish production, to be his final feature. True to his word, the director died 22 years later without having directed another film.

Spy Sorge
Film poster
Directed byMasahiro Shinoda
Screenplay by
  • Masahiro Shinoda
  • Robert Mandy[1]
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyTatsuo Suzuki[1]
Edited byHiroshi Okuda[1]
Music byShin'ichirō Ikebe[1]
Production
companies
Distributed byToho[1]
Release date
  • June 14, 2003 (2003-06-14) (Japan)
Running time
182 minutes[1]
CountryJapan
Languages
  • Japanese
  • English
Budget¥2 billion[2]
Box office¥760 million[2]

Spy Sorge achieved only modest critical success and failed to recoup its budget at the box office.[2] Despite this, the film received multiple nominations at the 27th Japan Academy Awards.

Plot

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The film presents the life of Richard Sorge (Iain Glen), a German spy for the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) of the Soviet Army in Japan. Sorge and his contact Hotsumi Ozaki (Masahiro Motoki) are arrested by the Tokubetsu Kōtō Keisatsu (Special Higher Police) in Tokyo, and Sorge recounts the main events in flashbacks.[5][6]

Cast

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Technical details

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Awards and nominations

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27th Japanese Academy Awards

58th Mainichi Film Awards

Release

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The film was released in theaters in Japan on June 14, 2003. It was planned to get an international theatrical release by other distributors, but was cancelled due to being a box-office bomb in Japan. It was also planned for a theatrical release in Russia by Central Partnership before it was cancelled and went straight to VHS and DVD instead.

Home media

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The film was released on VHS and DVD on November 21, 2003 by Asmik Ace Entertainment in Japan, and on February 12, 2004 by CP Digital in Russia.

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Spy Sorge (2003)". www.allcinema.net. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Spy Sorge". tohokingdom.com. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
  3. ↑ "スパイ・ゾルゲ". Agency for Cultural Affairs 映画情報システム. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  4. ↑ "スパイ・ゾルゲ". kotobank. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
  5. ↑ "スパイ・ゾルゲ". 映画の時間. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
  6. ↑ "スパイ・ゾルゲ". Kinema Junpo. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
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