Smiley's People

Back in the dim mists of 2012, I wrote a short post about John le Carré's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979), starring the always amazing Sir Alec Guinness as veteran spy George Smiley.

The original mini series is still absolutely amazing, an absolute must-see for fans of the espionage genre. (the movie is a bit meh...)

Quite by accident I discovered that a sequel series, Smiley's People, had been filmed back in 1982 so I jumped on the opportunity to watch it.

I thought about going over the plot, but ultimately decided against it for two reasons.

1. If you've seen Tinker Tailor, and thought the plot was complicated, buckle up.
2. I can't explain what's going on without spoiling it.

You see, the story structure in Smiley's People is unforgiving. It does what it needs to do whether you understand anything or not. In due time, when the characters figure things out, you get to puzzle it together as they do. If you haven't been paying attention, you get a bit left behind. It doesn't stop to explain anything. In fact, during its original airing, Terry Wogan used to run a “What's going on?” segment on radio, which amused John le Carré a great deal.

A part from the complicated plot, this is a sterling show. Great actors, including two Bond villains, incredible tension, you name it. You feel Smiley's isolation as he works to unravel the web created by the Soviet spymaster Karla. The political uncertainties, the possibility of an assassin around every corner, and the scalpel like precision of trained intelligence officers at work, all awesome stuff.

There's also that hint of realism so many films lack. John le Carré actually worked for MI5, during the 50's and the 60's, so he knows what it's really like. The long periods of slow quiet, followed by a rush of activity and action. This realism is something I wish modern cinema and TV would use more. If it's done wrong it gets boring, but done right, like here, its a tense wonder to behold.

If you haven't seen Tinker Tailor, you can enjoy Smiley's People, but it's advantageous to watch them in order. Many actors reprise their roles and make more sense if you have the foundation of Tinker Tailor.

There we are, go jump into the exciting world of Cold War espionage, and until next time, stay away from spies and have a great week!