Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979)

Pretty Good

Please don't spend money on this.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

The head of Soviet Intelligence has got a mole placed very top echelon of British Intelligence, so high up that the service can't be trusted to ferret him out. The only man capable of uncovering his identity is George Smiley, the now-retired, one-time Chief of Operations of British Intelligence. In fact, this unlike-sounding premise is actually based upon a true story.Although "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" is ostensibly a spy-thriller, it is really the unlimited detective story. Alec Guinness surpasses himself in the role of George Smiley. The creator of a vast array of colorful characters, Guinness plays Smiley a quiet, thoughtful, thorough man. Smiley is a man who stays inside himself, who asks questions but gives very little away. He is not, in fact, the cloak-and-dagger soy type, but the ultimate detective. And it takes the ultimate detective to sort out the complicated and secretive web of people and intrigues surrounding the betrayal of British Intelligence. His job is to get the truth out of smart people, people who not only know how to lie but who have been trained to lie. Those expecting car chases, gun battles, tricky gadgets, beautiful femmes fatales and massive explosions are going to be disappointed with "Ticker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy". This is definitely NOT a James Bond film. However, those desiring a thoughtful, intricate and thoroughly adult spy thriller need look no further. Herein they will find one of the best.

There are generally two types of spy fiction. One type is the larger-than-life adventure of a charming hero who battles nefarious and mysterious enemies bent on world control. The other type is a more realistic, bleaker tale of a spy battling in a world where his own allies would turn on him, for something that most people hold insignificant or irrelevant. This story falls under the second type, but while not so entertaining is one of the best spy stories ever done.Based on the classic spy novel by John Le Carre, this series tells the story as follows: In the 1970s, a fiasco at the British Secret Service shakes things up, forcing the head of the Service out and all his subordinates, including protagonist George Smiley. In his place steps in Percy Allenine, a pompous and arrogant official who smugly claims access to a source of Soviet intelligence that will revive the Service's reputation. However, a maverick spy named Ricki Tarr appears with information about a Russian spy hidden within the Service; he is dismissed, but raises enough concern for George Smiley to be recruited to make an investigation. The story is intelligently written, but the true power of the story lies in its emotional impact. Smiley was thrown out of work and then dragged back to clean up a mess he had nothing to do with; he has to deal with insufferable superiors who want to stay secure with no blame attached to them; his allies go through nightmares that cost them greatly; and finally, when the mole is revealed, the weary cynicism that led him to commit treason against (this character is one of the most ironic and tragic characters despite what he's done). And yet, Smiley and his allies doggedly strive for something pure and noble in the miry sordid world they live in, and their eventual victory and reward, while it may be small, is made sweeter and grants a touch of hope. This miniseries moves at a slow but masterful pace, having Smiley trace out the mole's ruinous track and identity in the manner of a detective story; the adaptation is done wonderfully, with expert expansion and removal of the novel's passages into a solid unique work. The cast is wonderful, with Alec Guiness leading an all-star ensemble; Guiness who usually plays a lean, dignified Brit, delivers a masterful performance as the meek, frog-like Smiley. Ian Richardson does a wonderfully ironic role as Bill Haydon and Ian Bannen is haunting as the wounded agent Jim Prideaux. A particular standout is Patrick Stewart as Smiley's enemy the Soviet spy Karla, who commands intensity and menace without uttering a single word throughout his appearance. On the whole, if you want to see how real spies do their work, this is the show for you to watch. It will not be exciting or easy, but it will be worth the watch.

A second viewing of 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy', and it was so easy to watch all episodes in a row in one night once again. I'm not sure who else could play Smiley so perfectly as Alec Guiness did, as I am also not sure if I really want to try the remake with Gary Oldman, even if he is a great actor, too...The story, the acting and the settings in 'Tinker...' are often very much understated and subtle (although there are plenty of emotional eruptions as there are picturesque sceneries), as is Smiley's investigation, which is the wrapped around the many stories that are at play here. Smiley is the ultimate analyst of this complicated world of cloaks and daggers, who brings as much heart as intelligence into the process. After the death of 'Control' (what an appropriate name), he is the one who should put things right, having quite a few bones to pick, but on the other hand, not so much else do either, really. And his wife...? Their conversation at the end, their only one throughout the whole series, tells so much.A very big 9 out of 10 for now.

I've read the book three times, so when I found the DVD pack at the public library, I just had to try it. I wasn't disappointed, although I wished for a little more inspiration, a bit more risk-taking on the part of the writers and director. The dialogue you read in the book finds its way almost invariably into the film, so there is a certain feeling of deja-vu.Alec Guinness fits the part of Smiley very well, but he makes hardly any impression on me. His performance may be called clinical. Michael Jayston as Guillam is nervy and sometimes angry; he convinces me he is a dedicated agent. Bernard Hepton as the foppish Esterhase has some wonderful scenes. Alexander Knox gives a moving portrayal of Control, a man who has kept on doing his job long after he should have been pensioned off. The best work is done by Michael Aldridge; his Alleline is so pompous and tiresome you wonder why nobody has beaten his head in with a poker.