Aldrich Ames: Traitor Within (1998)

Director: John Mackenzie
Writer: Michael Burton
Stars: Timothy Hutton, Joan Plowright, Elizabeth Peña

Fact-based story about a 90's espionage case that was chronicled as the worst case of espionage in US history. Aldrich Ames was a middle class CIA agent, whose problems with alcohol and general ineptness had kept him from rising further in the ranks of the agency. Nonetheless he ran an indispensable effort recruiting Soviet double-agents and tracking their whereabouts. Faced with rising bills and an extravagant wife, who finds ways to run up major bills, Aldrich finds himself far in debt and trying to find a way out. He makes a decision to sell a couple of minor names to the Soviets to gain cash. Soon they want more and are willing to spend large amounts to get the names. Aldrich is lured by finally getting the opportunity to have major funds available. His wife is at first appalled by his traitorous actions, but then decides she also likes the cash and the things it brings. Fooled into thinking that he can keep getting away with it, he established an extravagant lifestyle that finally got the attention of investigating agents who start checking into the arrests of the agents.

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