A Telling Series of Remarks

To say that “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy”, a series made for British Television has the special quality that holds an audience is an understatement. It is this special quality which seems to sum up the entire 1979, 290-minute story.

The intensity with which this show has been produced and directed is what makes English acting and storytelling so admirable. With no car chases, no shoot outs, no nudity, no fight scenes, this show still keeps you nailed to the screen.

The story is centered on George Smiley (Alec Guinness), who is brought back into the British Secret Service, called The Circus by the agents, to discover the identity of a mole that has been recruited by a Russian spymaster Karla (Patrick Stewart), after an agent earlier has been shot and captured by the Russians while attempting to discover who the mole was.

It's a complex plot that is laid out clearly in the first episode when Control, the Head of the Circus (Anthony Bate), nicknames each of the suspected moles by "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Beggar Man, Poor Man". The following episodes are an uncovering of the identity of the mole by Smiley.

It is a literate adaptation of John Le Carre's book, and quite compelling- you do not need to have read the novel to understand this excellent presentation.

I intended to watch one or two episodes a night, but after seeing the first one, grabbed a pint of Haagen Daz Rum Raisin Ice Cream and watched eagerly all six episodes in one night.

The action zips along as plot points are ignored and we are given a story based on how Smiley methodically uncovers information leading to the identity of the mole.

Alec Guiness shows why he was such a revered actor of his time- he has the ability to create within his persona the understanding of the world beyond what is presented in any given scene. The typical American actor is respected for the emotion he shows, but this actor shows us thought process objectified.

The nagging bitterness that seems to follow Smiley is centered on the facts that the agency fired him, "on his ear", and that his wife Ann is having affairs in the open, at one time with an "actor".

This is one of the elements of the series that bonds the discovery of "the mole" to the viewer, because it is related to the lover of the main characters wife.

In many scenes characters seem to think that Smiley is pursuing the "mole" because he is bitter about being fired or because he feels emasculated because his wife cheats on him, and Alec Guinness is a master at showing the staunch English resolve at doing his "duty", and ignoring his feelings of betrayal by the Circus and his wife.

One of the nice characterizations is Patrick Stewart as Karla the Russian spymaster who has recruited the mole. His role is unspoken and more attractive by the lack of dialogue he has. He creates and entire persona by looks gestures and body language.

And to top it off, we are introduced to Ann in the last scene, wonderfully underplayed by Sian Phillips. This is another example of the excellent casting because all that we have learned from other characters makes this a very curious moment, especially when she has the last word of the show by saying to Alec Guinness’s Smiley “... life is such a puzzle to you”.

The series pays off in great plusses by paying close attention- it is a literate adaptation and well worth the watching. I wish I had discovered it earlier.

You can get it at half.com for $40.59. It’s a real treat, enjoy!