Video Vixens: The Top Ten Female Spies of the Silver Screen

They might look pretty and unassuming, but in this case appearances are most certainly deceptive.

Spies come in many different forms, but these feisty gals prove that whether they’re breaking codes or breaking hearts, what any man can do, they can do better.

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1. Female Agents (2005) starring Maya Sansa (Maria Luzzato) Sophie Marceau (Louise Desfontaines), Julie Depardieu (Jeanne Faussier), Marie Gillain (Suzy Desprez) and Déborah François (Gaëlle Lemenech)

Why have one spy when you can have five?  This tale of French resistance against the Nazis finds female soldiers working together in a war effort that equals the responsibility of any man. 

2. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) starring Barbara Bach (Anya Amasova)

During the days of the cold war, Russians always made the best villains, and a female KGB spy is no exception as Barbra Bach pulls off the ultimate ‘Bond girl’ as Anya Amasova.

Amasova is certainly no damsel in distress; she’s as tough as Siberian ice, and men are destined to fall victim to her deadly charm. Bond has finally met his match.

3. La Femme Nikita (1990) starring Nikita Taylor (Anne Parillaud)

Spies don’t come much cooler than assassin Nikita Taylor. With charisma to burn, this criminal turned spy is the crème de la crème of French spies. The film proved to be so popular it spawned several remakes and a TV series.

4. Mata Hari (1931) starring Greta Garbo (Mata Hari)

Based on the real life case of Dutch spy ‘Mata Hari’, Greta Garbo plays the ultimate femme fatale. Hari was assigned to use her feminine good looks to entice men and extract government secrets from them. Garbo’s finest hour. 

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5. Notorious (1946) starring Ingrid Bergman (Alicia Huberman)

Ingrid Bergman appears in this Alfred Hitchcock classic as Alicia Huberman, a Nazi hunter in Brazil. What she lacks in tactical competency, she makes up for with beauty. She manages to break Cary Grant’s heart along the way too, a feminist achievement in itself.

6. Ronin (1998) starring Natascha McElhone (Deirdre)

Deirdre may look sweet as sugar, but behind her innocent smile lays the heart of an assassin. With a chilling and unpredictable personality rarely associated with female roles, Natascha McElhone depicts her as the most lethal woman in Europe.

7. Lust Caution (2007) starring Tang Wei (Wong Chia-Chi)

Both undercover and under the covers, Tang Wei plays Wong Chia-chi, an assassin who falls in love with her victim in Ang Lee’s erotic thriller. Wei received a whole cabinet of awards for her role.

8. Charlotte Grey (2001) starring Cate Blanchet (Charlotte Grey)

Lesser known but still highly affective, oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchet portrays Charlotte Grey, a British resistance officer in Vichy-France. An ignored film upon release, it has now attained cult classic status.   

9. Get Smart (2008) starring Anne Hathaway (Agent 99)

Spies are lurking in all genres, even comedy, and surely one of the most amusing of recent years belongs to Anne Hathaway in Get Smart. Based on the TV series of the same name, Hathaway’s subdued and dryly comic performance completely stole the show from male lead-actor, Steve Carell.

10.  Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005) starring Angelina Jolie (Jane Smith)

Whether she’s doing the dishes or dishing out justice, Angelina Jolie’s domestic assassin Jane Smith makes sure her husband knows who’s wearing the pants in their marriage. One of the most original of movie spies.

So despite these female spies setting certain bells ringing, you can guarantee they’d bypass intruder alarm systems with no problem at all!

Can you think of any female spies of the silver screen I’ve missed off my list?

Liam Brennan is a student with a passion for films. In his spare time he blogs for Traders Warehouse.