Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Poster

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979)

TV Mini-Series  -  290 min  -  Drama | Thriller
8.6
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In the bleak days of the Cold War, espionage veteran George Smiley is forced from semi-retirement to uncover a Soviet agent within MI6's echelons.

Director:

John Irvin

Writers:

John le Carré (novel), Arthur Hopcraft (dramatisation)
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Season:

1

Year:

1979
Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 4 wins & 7 nominations See more awards »
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Cast

Series cast summary:
Alec Guinness ...
George Smiley (7 episodes, 1979)
Michael Jayston Michael Jayston ...
Peter Guillam (7 episodes, 1979)
Anthony Bate Anthony Bate ...
Sir Oliver Lacon (7 episodes, 1979)
George Sewell George Sewell ...
Mendel (7 episodes, 1979)
Bernard Hepton Bernard Hepton ...
Toby Esterhase (5 episodes, 1979)
Ian Richardson Ian Richardson ...
Bill Haydon (5 episodes, 1979)
Hywel Bennett Hywel Bennett ...
Ricki Tarr (5 episodes, 1979)
Terence Rigby Terence Rigby ...
Roy Bland (4 episodes, 1979)
Ian Bannen ...
Jim Prideaux (4 episodes, 1979)
Michael Aldridge Michael Aldridge ...
Percy Alleline (4 episodes, 1979)
Alec Sabin Alec Sabin ...
Fawn (4 episodes, 1979)
Alexander Knox Alexander Knox ...
Control (3 episodes, 1979)
Duncan Jones Duncan Jones ...
Roach (3 episodes, 1979)
Daniel Beecher Daniel Beecher ...
Spikely (3 episodes, 1979)
Joss Ackland ...
Jerry Westerby (2 episodes, 1979)
John Wells John Wells ...
Headmaster (2 episodes, 1979)
Frank Compton Frank Compton ...
Bryant (2 episodes, 1979)
Frank Moorey Frank Moorey ...
Lauda Strickland (2 episodes, 1979)
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Storyline

George Smiley has been retired for about a year when he finds a friend from the circus, his old outfit in British Intelligence sitting in his living room. He is taken to the home of an advisor to the Prime Minister on intelligence matters where he finds evidence that one of the men in the senior ranks of his old agency is a Russian spy. Smiley is asked to find him, without official access to any of the files in the Circus or letting on that anyone is under suspicion. With only a few old friends, his own powers of deduction, and secrecy as weapons, Smiley must unearth the spy who turned him out of the Circus. Written by John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net>  

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

Spy | British Intelligence | Cold War | Espionage | Mole  | See more »

Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

(USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Az áruló See more »

Company Credits

Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

 | UK: (7 parts)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Alec Guinness loosely based George Smiley's look and behaviour on Sir Maurice Oldfield, a former head of British intelligence. John le Carré also claims that Alec Guinness "stole his hairstyle" for George Smiley. See more »

Goofs

Continuity: In episode 2, when Ricki Tarr meets Tufty Thessinger to send a cable, the ends of Tufty's tie are even. A few minutes later, the little end hangs 2 inches lower than the fat end. See more »

Quotes

George Smiley: Topicality is always suspect.
See more »

Crazy Credits

The opening credits show a set of Russian matryoshka dolls. One doll opens up to reveal a doll more irate than the other one, and the final doll is seen as being faceless. This was inspired by a line at the end of the "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" novel: "Smiley settled on a picture of one of those little Russian dolls that open up to reveal one inside the other, and another inside him. Of all men living, only Karla had seen the last little doll inside..." See more »

Connections

Referenced in "Star Trek: Voyager: Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy (#6.4)" (1999) See more »

Soundtracks

"Nunc Dimittis"
Composed by Geoffrey Burgon
Sung by Paul Phoenix and the Boys of the St Paul's Cathedral Choir See more »