[LonePalm]

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Sir Alec Guinness plays George Smiley aka Begger Man.

WWG1WGA

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

[mylife]

Smiley is a personal hero.

It aint 007..

[PUGACHEV]

I always thought that Smiley’s People, the follow-on series by the BBC to Tinker, Taylor, was the gold standard for spy flix. My second choice would be the original The Jackal (1973) with Edward Fox and Michael Lonsdale.

[FlyCaster]

Yes, yes, yes. The original version for TV, Tinker Tailor with Alec Guinness is absolutely phenomenal. The characters and the acting just stick with you over the years: Ricki Tarr: “I have a story for you Mr. Smiley”, and Control, dying and crazed that there was a spy in the Circus: “There were 3 of them and Alleline”. And Bill Hayden with his biscuit on top of the teacup, and Toby Esterhase with his “I do my job, George”, and Roy Bland, the cynic, and the night scene where an angry Guillam drove Smiley out into the poring rain to brief Lacon, and Karla. And, “Give my best to Ann, George.” What a production. I think it was PBS. Over several weeks. We are always spell bound when we replay it. Thank you for reminding us.