What's the Difference between Bridge of Spies the Book and Bridge of Spies the Movie?
| In the Book |
In the Movie |
Rudolf Abel
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Rudolf Abel
Portrayed by: Mark Rylance
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Reino Häyhänen
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This Character does not appear.
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Barbara Powers
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This Character does not appear.
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Oliver Powers
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This Character does not appear.
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James Donovan
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James Donovan
Portrayed by: Tom Hanks
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Francis Gary Powers
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Francis Gary Powers
Portrayed by: Austin Stowell
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Wolfgang Vogel
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Wolfgang Vogel
Portrayed by: Sebastian Koch
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Mary Donovan
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Mary Donovan
Portrayed by: Amy Ryan
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Frederic Pryor
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Frederic Pryor
Portrayed by: Will Rogers
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Ivan Schischkin
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Ivan Schischkin
Portrayed by: Mikhail Gorevoy
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Marvin Makinen
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This Character does not appear.
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Bridge of Spies Book vs Movie
| In the Book |
In the Movie |
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This did not happen.
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Donovan was followed in NY by a man who warned him about taking the Abel case.
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Vilyam Fisher is betrayed by his drunken deputy spy Hayhanen after he is called back to Russia. Hayhanen instead defects to the USA while in France. Fisher takes the alias Rudolf Abel when arrested by the INS |
Abel is followed by the FBI and eventually arrested. No other Russian spies are depicted in the movie.
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No mention of Mrs Donovan being worried about the London/East Berlin trip in 1962 although he keeps the Germany portion a secret from his wife. |
Donovan covers for his trip to Germany by telling his wife he is going to London for business, She is not convinced and is worried.
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Donovan and Abel are accompanied at the exchange point on the bridge by a 6' 7” 300 pound man from the Federal Bureau of Prisons and another U-2 pilot who can identify Powers. |
Donovan is accompanied by Abel, Murphy (U-2 pilot) and several agency men of regular stature on Gleinicker Bridge for the prisoner exchange.
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The hollow nickel had a small hole in one side so a needle could be used to open it. |
Abel opens the hollow nickel by using a razor blade to pry it apart. |