“Bridge Of Spies” is a compelling film that retells a fascinating chapter from the Cold War between the United States and the then Union Of Soviet Socialist Republics concerning the 1960 Soviet Union downing of U-2 spy plane pilot Francis Gary Powers.

Director Steven Spielberg takes a different tack in introducing the story. Instead of starting with Powers (Austin Stowell) or the incident, he begins with the story of convicted Russian spy Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance), arrested in 1957 in New York City and traded in 1962 for the release of Powers.

At the film’s center is Atty. James B. Donovan (Tom Hanks), who is brought in to defend Abel.

The prisoner exchange of Powers and Abel takes place on the Glienicke Bridge, Berlin, known as the “Bridge Of Spies” for its prisoner exchanges.

Also exchanged for Abel was Frederic Pryor (Will Rogers), a U.S. student captured by the East Germans when he wandered into East Berlin, apparently soon before the Berlin Wall was completed.

The parallel action between the release of the student and Powers and Abel is handled masterfully by Spielberg and sets up some palpable tension toward the film’s conclusion.

Spielberg moves the story along at a deliberate pace that allows one to become familiar with the twists and turns of the story.

The screenplay was written by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, based on the original screenplay by Matt Charman.

The competing interests of the FBI, CIA, the overall interests of the U.S. and Soviet Union and the individual agendas of the participants provide opportunities for intrigue and quips in the dialogue in the Coens’ screenplay. One of the more interesting representations in the film has to do with the U-2 spy plane photographic surveillance program, its super secrecy and the depiction of the downing of Powers’ U-2 plane.

Stowell (“Whiplash,” 2014) is fine as Powers. Noteworthy In supporting roles are Amy Ryan as Mary Donovan, wife of James B. Donovan, and Alan Alda as the head of Donovan’s law firm.

As portrayed by Rylance (Emmy-nominated, TV’s ”Wolf Hall”) and written and directed, Abel is an amiable, soft-spoken man of few words. His hobby as a portrait artist gives insight into his character. Look for a possible Oscar supporting actor nomination for Rylance.

Hanks, as Donovan, again provides a remarkable performance, allowing us to see just enough of his character’s thought process to win us over and cheer him on as if he’s a general, athlete or movie star. Of course, Hanks is a movie star without overtly being that. In this, Hanks carries the film. Look for Hanks to receive an Oscar actor nomination.

“Bridge Of Spies” is a well-crafted, admirable work that should receive multiple Oscar nominations. The film takes the movie-goer to an era when warfare and espionage seemed to be black and white. Of course, it often was not that and it often is not that.

“Bridge Of Spies,” MPAA rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. Parents are urged to be cautious. Some material may be inappropriate for pre-teenagers) for some violence and brief strong language; Genre: Biography, Drama, History; Run time: 2 hrs. 21 mins.; Distributed by Touchstone Pictures.

Credit Readers Anonymous: “Bridge Of Spies” filming locations included Brooklyn, N.Y.; Berlin, Germany, and Wroclaw, Poland.

Box Office, Oct. 23: ”The Martian” landed back at No. 1, regaining the top stop after dropping to No. 2 after two weeks at No. 1, with $15.9 million, $166.3 million, four weeks, narrowly orbiting past “Goosebumps,” which dropped to No. 2 after opening at No. 1, with $15.5 million, $43.7 million, two weeks, as “Bridge Of Spies” held at No. 3, with $11.3 million, $32.5 million, two weeks, and Halloween-season openers couldn’t scare up business, with “The Last Witch Hunter” opening at No. 4, with $10.8 million, opening; “Hotel Transylvania 2” staying at No. 5, with $9 million, $148.2 million, five weeks, and “Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension” opening at No. 6. with $8.2 million, opening;

7. “Steve Jobs,” $7.2 million; $9.9 million, three weeks: 8. “Crimson Peak,” $5.5 million, $22.4 million, two weeks; 9. “The Intern,” $3.8 million, $64.7 million, five weeks; 10. “Sicario,” $2.9 million, $39.3 million, six weeks.

Unreel, Oct. 30:

“Our Brand Is Crisis,” R: David Gordon Green directs Sandra Bullock, Zoe Kazan, Billy Bob Thornton and Anthony Mackie in a comedy about a United States political campaign advisor hired for her expertise in a South American nation.

“Scouts Guide To The Zombie Apocalypse,” R: Zombies. Scouts. Camping out. What could go wrong? Apparently, everything. Christopher Landon directs Tye Sheridan, Logan Miller, Joey Morgan and Sarah Dumont in the comedy.

“Carter High,” PG-13: Arthur Muhammad directs Vivica A. Fox, Charles S. Dutton, Pooch Hall and David Banner in the sports drama about a 1980’s Carter High School football team in Dallas, Texas, where four student athletes’ off-field problems cost them their future.

Four Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes