At last I can own a copy of one of the greatest British spy movies of the 20th century, SMILEYS PEOPLE. This film was made for television by the BBC in 1982 and brilliently directed by Simon Langton.
In a novel by John LeCarre, Sir Alex Guinness plays the roll of a British master spy , George Smiley, " an old spy in a hurry " who is after his Soviet counter part, the infamous " KARLA ".
I first saw this program while living in Detroit, Michigan and was broadcast on the CBC from Windsor, Canada . My mother, who had read the book when it was first published taped it on her VCR sometime in the early eighties, commercials and all that I still have today. We would watch it over and over again years afterword.
The dialog given by all of the actors in this wonderfully entertaining work, flows out like fine wine. To this day I find myself using many of the lines as if they were my own. From the head of reserch " Connie Sachs " Damn you George Smiley, Damn you and all that sail in you ". To the " Lamplighter " Toby Esterhase " You're messing around with a creep like Leipzig, then you better have a creep like me looking ofter you. ". The retched Oleg Kirov. Otto . The General , Mosten of odd bins, and the only way to play the game " Moscow rules old friend, Moscow rules".
In 1994 I bought Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. The predecessor to Smileys People that was also put to film. I had to have it converted from U.K. speed to U.S. speed, so I could watch it on my VCR. Again, my dear mother had taped it as well.
My advice to you is to get both stories and watch them back to back. It will take all afternoon and into the evening. I promise you, it will be a day you'll not forget. My thanks to all who worked on the film, and thank you Mr. Le Carre.
Smiley, a retired spymaster is once again called in to help the 'Circus' when an emigre Soviet General, who was also a double agent, is killed. It is a murder that sends Smiley digging into the past on a trail across Europe that seems to head inexorably to a showdown with his old adversary, Karla of Moscow centre. A riveting drama in which Guinness is absolutely credible as the mild-mannered Head of the secret service.
