Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979– )

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.

Stars:

Alec Guinness, Michael Jayston, Anthony Bate

Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 4 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

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

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.

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Plot Keywords:

spy | british intelligence | cold war | espionage | mole | 

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English Czech Russian

Release Date:

29 September 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

Az áruló

Filming Locations:

Bywater Street, Chelsea, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

290 min 315 min (7 parts)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The series's initial broadcast coincided with the UK Government announcing that Anthony Blunt, the Keeper of the Queen's Pictures, was one of the Cambridge Five (a ring of spies in the UK who passed information to the Soviet Union during/post-World War II).

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Goofs

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.

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Quotes

George Smiley: Topicality is always suspect.

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Crazy Credits

SPOILER: The closing credits scroll over a scene of Oxford, which is chronologically where the spy was recruited in the story.

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Connections

Follows The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965)

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Soundtracks

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

User Reviews

By-the-Book

There are few movies that follow the book. There is no end to the comment, "The book was so much better." There is good reason for that with some films. "The Lord of the Rings" would have been five movies if you went "by the book". Interesting and enjoyable as that might be for Tolkien fans, it was impossible for film makers. Yet, "Tailor, Tinker, Soldier, Spy" as a movie defies that axiom.

Having read the book and seen the movie more than "several times", they still remain interconnected and indistinguishable. Yes, the book contains more detail, but may details are covered by innuendo, scene or background detail in the movie. Alec Guinness becomes Smiley so completely that his acting gives real meaning to the idea of a "character actor", even down to wiping his glasses with his tie. (you have to read the book for that one.)That is not to say, that Guinness is a robot and the movie is stiff in the name of faithfulness to the book, just the opposite.

The movie dawns the viewer in, just as the book draws in the reader, as part of the process of discovery; unraveling the mystery. As in a true "who done it" (or as one commentator put "who is it"), the viewer has no more foreknowledge than Smiley. You are introduced to all the characters, all have reasons to be the defector, all have reasons to distrust an investigation to the past, yet only one is ferreted-out.

The ending is consistent with the logic of the book and film, but, you still don't expect it. It's anti-climactic yet believable. The film, like to book, leaves one wondering how this could happen. It's thought provoking given many of the suspects comments thought-out the book/film. Both inspire thought more than resolution. The story challenges the reader/viewer to think and think well about the reasons for and purpose of spying as a whole. (The film is more English in cultural orientation, but the concept is universal, as many Americans have learned as well.)

A wonderful book transformed into visual. Great acting through-out, and you really hate all the right people....