Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy – 1979
Directors
Frances Alcock
John Irvin

Writers
Arthur Hopcraft
John le Carré novel

Producer
Jonathan Powell

Cast
Alec Guinness – George Smiley
Michael Jayston – Peter Guillam
Anthony Bate – Oliver Lacon
Bernard Hepton – Toby Esterhase
Ian Richardson – Bill Haydon
Ian Bannen – Jim Prideaux
Hywel Bennett – Ricki Tarr
Michael Aldridge – Percy Alleline
Terence Rigby – Roy Bland
Alexander Knox – Control
George Sewell – Mendel
Beryl Reid – Connie Sachs
Joss Ackland – Jerry Westerby
Siân Phillips – Ann Smiley
Nigel Stock – Roddy Martindale
Patrick Stewart – Karla
John Standing – Sam Collins
Thorley Walters – Tufty Thessinger
Jo Apted – Linda
Daniel Beecher – Spikely
Warren Clarke – Alwyn
Frank Compton – Bryant
Mandy Cuthbert – Molly Purcell
Stephen Earle – Norman
Betty Hardy – Headmaster’s mother
Brian Hawksley – Bookseller
Marjorie Hogan – Ailsa Brimley
Duncan Jones – ‘Jumbo’ Roach
Milos Kirek – Barak
Susan Kodicek – Irina
Pauline Letts – Mrs. Pope-Graham
Eugene Lipinski – Czech guard
Robert MacNeil – Host
Hilary Minster – Boris
Frank Moorey – Lauder Strickland
Joe Praml – Paul Skordeno
George Pravda – Polyakov
Jean Rimmer – Senior secretary
Alec Sabin – Fawn
Guy Standeven – Flemyng-Smith
John Wells – Headmaster

Review by Sally of Lutterworth

Top-notch drama and stellar performance

The cold war is in full swing. British agents are at risk. There is a mole at work within the highest levels of the secret service. Smiley, who had been unfairly ejected from the service – forced into early retirement after voicing legitimate suspicions – is brought back to investigate. He must tread carefully. The double agent could be any one of his former colleagues. Information is power and should not be allowed to fall into the wrong hands.
You know great drama when you see it. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is easily one of the best. I watched it for the first time on DVD recently and found the story compelling, the acting flawless and the quality of the cinematograph superb (although the picture quality on the DVD could have been better). I remember people talking about it when it was shown on television. There was a lot of criticism of its incomprehensibility, the complexity of the plot and difficulty in keeping track of the characters. Now that I have actually watched the series for myself, all these years later, it just shows how a person should make their own judgement and not accept everything the critics have to say. It was easy to follow and understand the plot, but perhaps the ease of watching the episodes over the short period of a couple of days so that the story is fresh in the mind from one episode to the next gives the DVD watcher an advantage over the people who had to wait a week between episodes.
In addition to the drama, there is also a documentary entitled ‘The Secret Centre’, revealing fascinating details of John Le Carre’s life: when, where, why and how his ideas and attitudes were formed, his life as a spy, how he became an author and so on. I found this documentary so riveting that I watched it twice.
Highly recommended.