such an underrated film. enthralling story. George Smiley, the anti-Bond. I never thought I'd see Smiley portrayed as well as Guiness did but Oldman's take on the character was captivating. the "old time" atmosphere of the Cold War was perfectly captured in the film. fantastic.
Every time a film clip is shown some clown will call it "underrated". Every time. Every time. There are no exceptions. This film is not underrated. Some might rate it differently. This may be because they're smarter than you. This is not impossible.
@@Dingbat-tb5wz such a bitter person you must be. apparently only you are entitled to an opinion. the fact that you insult a person for expressing an opinion shows what type of person you are and moreso what type of person you are not. here's hoping your life brightens up and that you enjoy it more.
Wahoo...what a cast !😊 For me George SMILEY will be, all my life, Alec GUINNESS, even if I like so much Gary OLDMAN. 😊 Because James Bond, we always forget than spies are simple people, Gary OLDMAN gives us a real regard on them. Simple people with simple lives except for their job.😮
I like the idea of him as the 'anti-Bond'. His backstory is that he was undercover in Germany until about 1943, running risks that would make Bond soil his Armani undercrackers.
I was thinking the same about Connie, Beryl Reid totally lived the part, Kathy Burke is a very different take on the character but an equally stellar performance.
I'm glad that Gary is playing another master spy - Jackson Lamb in Slow Horses. Jackson is different to Smiley but they both have a sharp mind. Jackson is more devious, I think.
I think I disagree. He's awfully mannered in everything I've seen in him in and exaggerates every detail until it's closer to parody. To me, he seems like a teenager's idea of a great actor.
@@Hartley_Hare I share your observations of Oldman, he would suit an Opera stage better than a close camera. His mannerisms are close to a parody. If you compare Alec Guinness, the real deal, you see how careful he is with his colors and brushes; his is the naturalistic, credible and balanced acting. A master. Oldman, I am afraid, reminds me personally of a drama teacher I had in junior high.
@@paulsynnott2709 I have no such intention or interest at all. It is my honest opinion that Gary Oldman is very overrated and it shows nowhere are clearly in Tinker. Poor fellow, didnt have the sense to turn the offer down. Big mistake. If you think otherwise, I suspect you also think Robert Downey is the best Sherlock etc.
Everyone talks about Oldman, but this entire cast was gold. Plus the cinematographer (not as well known at the time), Hoyte van Hoytema just won an Oscar. Amazing film all around - and I come back to it every few years.
Gotta love the late John Hurt for so many roles, but this was one of his best late career performances! He will always be Winston Smith from 1984 for me, but his clearing the conference room as Control ranks a beloved second!
@@gillesguillaumin6603 I don’t think anyone would debate that point with you! Sir Alec was one of a kind! I loved his character in Bridge Over the River Kwai!
I love this movie so much, every second of it. the story, the way it's told, the way it's shot, all those amazing actors... it's one of the best movies
Great cast. The more i ve watched this movie, the more i appreciate the quality acting. Oldman has created such an interesting character in Smiley. I d love to see more of this role
Too many liberties taken for my liking - Peter Guillam gay? In the book and the BBC TV series he's more of a ladies man and, in the sequel, is married (to a woman). Search out the BBC/Paramount series Smiley's People where George hunts down Karla. There's also a film starring James Mason called The Deadly Affair (book title Call for the Dead) which is a George Smiley story but Columbia couldn't use the name because Paramount had rights to the name - hence the BBC Paramount co-production. I'd like to see a film about the life of the young George Smiley as there are hints in the books of his active spying career in Nazi Germany before and during WW2.
Fantastic acting by the best of british male talent. Toby Jones is absolutely unbelievable how he transcends between different roles. An American gangster child killer, a metal detector from a quiet town, a lead in british espionage the list goes on. Brilliant talent
Not a lot of point unless you want to see them f*ck that up as well. Tbf, fitting Smiley's People into a two hour film would be as bad as tinker tailor. There is way too much detail to do it justice. Too much would have to be skipped which would basically make it incomprehensible imo. The tv series were much closer to the book. Have you seen it? I'm assuming you have the necessary attention span.
I saw this at the cinema with my daughter. As the lights went up at the end the lady sitting in the row in front of us turned to her partner and said "So George Smiley was the Mole all the time?" My daughter looked at me and mouthed the words "WTF?" Loved the period details in the street scenes though.
@@Marvin-dg8vj Yeah. I read A Most Wanted Man by the same author after seeing the movie and there were way more details that made it even more realistic
Give the 1979 TV adaption with Alec Guinness a try. The pace is glacial, yet the level of detail and caliber of acting phenomenal. I confess I prefer Hepton's Esterhase. Perfection.
I thought one of the best scenes was Smiley swimming in the morning at some small pond or stream. It was understated and must have been a kind of routine we didn't read about in the books. Even there in the water he seems contemplative and serene.
3 days ago, was the 50th anniversary of Control being relieved of his duties in the movie, 14th Nov 1973, so I watched it, before I cooked toast, then as you see Percy climb the stairs after the opening credits end, I pause it, butter the toast, cut it diagonally, and then eat it when lacon bits into his toast. Don't, you will not stop when you watch.
Some of the things unsaid in this scene by Colin Firth (Bill Haydon) are great, in the book it mentions that Haydon himself wrote some of these reports, so here he is defending his own work.
Yes! I actually preferred it to the ambush in the woods scene from the mini-series. Absolute suspense for every second. I've seen it 20 times, and it still gives me goosebumps. I love the miniseries, but the movie was superb. It crammed the essential parts in, took some liberties that improved some of the plot builds (like Peter Guillam being gay and Smiley cryptically warning him to get his affairs in order before the Circus used it against him). It kept the viewer in the dark in a good way. It was too easy to follow the mini-series in comparison. I liked trying to figure it out at the same time as Smiley. The mini-series tended to have a few too many reveals. The flashback Christmas party at the end of the movie was a special touch...totally reviewed all the characters and their relationships with the knowledge we gained from seeing how it actually turned out and reevaluating our first impressions of everyone. I think it's okay to like both treatments of the book...both are spectacular for different reasons.
He was the other hero that we didn’t know would be a hero at all. I think that LeCarre has Jim Prideaux do what he (LeCarre) wished he could have done to Kim Philly.
It's a decent enough film with fine performances but it does the book a great injustice. If you're not prepared to read the novels, at least do yourself the favour of watching the brooding BBC series. It's a masterpiece.
I had a hard time remembering who was who in the 2011 film because I know exactly what Percy Alleline looks like. He's a dead ringer for Michael Aldridge! And why are they starting the meeting before Bernard Hepton arrives? OMG the night Ian Bannen was shot in the woods another guy got shot at a cafe!
The Karla trilogy from which this movie came from was great reading. Then the TV series came out and it was fairly well done. The acting was superb. George Smiley was described as a chubby old man. He came across as an anti-James Bond. Alec Guiness nailed the part perfectly. Smiley's People was also a well directed film. It is a shame that the same people who put those two TV series together did not follow up with The Honorable Schoolboy. But I've read somewhere that Guiness was not in as good of health as he'd been in the first two films. This movie version had great actors but someone lost the script. I watched it all the way to the end and was glad it was over. Yeah, I know movies don't always follow the books perfectly. But this movie seemed worse than most in that regard. The beginning made no sense (Jim was not shot in a Hungarian restaurant) and the ending was not even close to the book. Jim did not shoot Bill. Those were not complicated scenes. So why make up a different story when the plot in the book worked well? I don't know. I really wanted to like this movie. Oh well. The TV series of TTSS and Smiley's People are available on DVD. If you liked this movie for the story line then I believe you would really like the Alec Guiness versions. A series gets the luxury of having more time to develop the characters and the plot. That amount of time, in this case is well worth it. It is likely that most of the viewer of this film did not read the books. So they won't share in my disappointment of this film. This movie had plenty to offer them with first class actors. If you found the plot intriguing than I believe you will find the Guiness version to be outstanding.
A two-hour movie does not have the time to set up Jim crossing the border into Czechoslovakia, faffing around for a few hours to check his tail and then driving into the forest only to get chased around amongst the trees. And then tell the story of the entire investigation into what went wrong on the British side (the scene makes clear what went wrong on the Soviet side). This scene communicates very quickly that everything is wrong, the KGB/GRU (and AVH) know of the meeting and are on-site and Jim is enough of a professional to clock it, but not quick enough to get away and that not everyone in the Warsaw Pact were professional enough. The whole thing takes 2 1/2 minutes. The tv adaptation takes fully 20 minutes to do the same.
John LeCarré enjoyed this movie, he even makes an appearance at the Christmas Party scenes. And the only CGI in it was the 2 jets at the beginning and the woman with the file cart in the registry when Peter is taking the files
Thanks a lot! I've just learned about the TV series from you, and began to watch it right away. I like it a lot from the very first minutes. What a treat! Thank you again!
Some people say, justifiably, that the film does not accurately reflect the book. Well that's true but you can say that about most film versions, its difficult as the writers have to squeeze a quart into a pint pot, otherwise the film would be at least 3 times longer. This is partly why the Alec Guinness mini series of Tinker Tailor and Smilie's People was so excellent, it allowed the time to include most of the book. Any attempt to create a film of Smiley's people would suffer the same way, which is probably why its not been made.
The serialisation on the BBC was beyond me at my young age then, however upon owning the DVD of the recent remake I was very impressed by the film and now am highly tempted to watch the original BBC adaptation of le Carre's novel with Alec Guiness as Smiley. Impressive stuff the both..
The middle book of the trilogy was the best of the three. They never made a movie or a TV series of it regretfully. You never really understand the three books unless you read the middle one. It fills in all the gaps of the politics that are not explained in the last book. Its called the Honourable school boy.
I read somewhere that BBC would not fund the budget to film location scenes of The Honourable Schoolboy - sadly shortsighted if that is true, in light of the success of the other two series but hindsight is a wonderful thing I suppose.
Great cast and well acted by all. There’s only one George Smiley though, and it’s Sir Alec Guinness. More accurately depicted according to the books. Also, Toby Esterhase was better portrayed in the original.
Having watched the original BBC series. Which, to me, is about as good as drama has ever gotten. This movie seemed lacking and almost completely pointless. But if you have never seen the BBC series. You should find it worthwhile. ☮
Can someone explain what happened in the cafe? Why did that waiter panic like that? Looked like a complete amateur, even when he was getting shouted at.
Watched it twice and finally realised I don't have the mental capacity to understand what the hell was going on. I did feel a bit left out when I saw that every other British adult male was in the film.
I didn't understand why they had to make the Guillaume character gay. It wasn't necessary plot wise and in the books the character is very much a "lady's man". It seemed contrived and very woke. I enjoyed the film and especially the performances.
I think it was added to flesh out Smiley's character...he knew it and warned his team mate that they'd use it against him--no condemnation. An old SIS veteran out of the WWII generation with the compassion to look past that and take care of his subordinate.
This film was an absolute travesty - distorting the story line of the book and completely missing the point - the original TV series hits the mark and is a true representation of my own experiences in the intelligence environment - the greatest failure of this film was the portrayal of Jim Prideaux but there are many other failings that I could cite - Bill Hayden also comes over as being too shallow.
Of course the TV series is justly famous, especially Alec Guinness as Smiley and Ian Bannen as Prideaux. I think the only performance that is definitely better in the film is John Hurt's Control, though Gary Oldman is as usual very good. But the main reason the film disappoints a little is that it has to fit a very complex plot into two hours and so tells rather than shows. It informs its audience directly rather than letting slow realisation emerge as in the book and series. The TV series used its longer running time well for that.
@Kinkette Pec I read the book after seeing the movie and also saw the TV show after the movie. I really think this comes down to running time. Movies have to get right to the point. TTSS would always be better as a mini series. I'd LOVE to see a reboot of this telling of TTSS with this same cast but as a 10 episode series on say Netflix. Ideally filmed and shot as if it was showuing us a longer fuller version of this film. I'd pay extra to be able to see such a thing. That'd actually be worth it.
As someone who's read the book and respects Le Carre a lot, I just disagree, I think it's a brilliant film. I do agree though that it does deviate from the book on just about every detail, and I don't see why that was necessary in all cases (e.g. not sure why Control needed to have been the one who recruited Esterhase instead of Smiley), but many changes were for the better (e.g. I find the Ricky Tara/Irina story to be SO much more compelling in the movie). But the look of the film, the tone, the sound design, and the way information is conveyed are just ingenious imo. And of course the whole cast is fantastic, especially Mark Strong. The look on his face at the Christmas party...one of the most moving moments I can think of by any actor.
The only "action" scenes in the whole movie: the Hungarian waiter running to shoot Mark Strong, an old guy standing up to yell at a room of guys in an orange room, and the part where Benedict Cumberbatch punches Tom Hardy who's reclining on a sofa. That's about it. The rest is just a whole lot of talking. Talking in rooms, talking outside, talking in cars, walking and talking, talking here, talking there, talking everywhere! Talking in a chair. Talking at a faire. Talking in a house. Talking while soused. Talking by some trees. Talking and eating cheese. This comment will not end until I press send.
Because this is an actual spy movie, not an hollywood action "spy" with fast sport cars, hot women, intercourse scenes, explosions, shootouts, high speed chases, choreographed fights like a ballet with a forgettable plot about an evil secret organization wanting to dominate the world. This about actual spying, collecting scattered, scrambled evidences and rearranging them in a way that makes sense and a timeline, investigation, intelligence gathering, being cold and recollected, knowing when, how to act and what to do instead of going around explosions and non-stop adrenaline rush with explosions and blah blah blah. This movie, like many UK productions, a prime example being Utopia, which is probably the best series the TV has ever aired and seen, is a production that stimulates you and respects the audience's intelligence and respects them, instead of making everything blatant clear while shouting everything we see to the point there is just no plot, just waiting for the important part. While here, we don't know who is who until the very end, and we only truly know that if we actually understand the movie using our brains instead of having everything made blatantly clear with shouting everything while we see, having no thrill, suspense, suspiciousness and making yourself think while trying to collect the facts and understand, instead of just having everything handed to you on a silver plate with a loud speaker telling you everything you need to know even though they are things you clearly saw a second ago. A guy gets shot: THEY SHOT HIM! Someone dies: HE DIED! We see the evil organization: THIS EVIL ORGANIZATION WANTS TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD, WE HAVE TO STOP THEM! That's the kind of stuff that is simply unbearable to watch.
such an underrated film. enthralling story. George Smiley, the anti-Bond. I never thought I'd see Smiley portrayed as well as Guiness did but Oldman's take on the character was captivating. the "old time" atmosphere of the Cold War was perfectly captured in the film. fantastic.
Every time a film clip is shown some clown will call it "underrated". Every time. Every time. There are no exceptions.
This film is not underrated. Some might rate it differently. This may be because they're smarter than you. This is not impossible.
@@Dingbat-tb5wz such a bitter person you must be. apparently only you are entitled to an opinion. the fact that you insult a person for expressing an opinion shows what type of person you are and moreso what type of person you are not. here's hoping your life brightens up and that you enjoy it more.
Wahoo...what a cast !😊
For me George SMILEY will be, all my life, Alec GUINNESS, even if I like so much Gary OLDMAN. 😊
Because James Bond, we always forget than spies are simple people, Gary OLDMAN gives us a real regard on them. Simple people with simple lives except for their job.😮
I like the idea of him as the 'anti-Bond'. His backstory is that he was undercover in Germany until about 1943, running risks that would make Bond soil his Armani undercrackers.
I was thinking the same about Connie, Beryl Reid totally lived the part, Kathy Burke is a very different take on the character but an equally stellar performance.
Gary Oldman is amazing. From the quietness of Smiley to the volatile charisma of Churchill to the psychotic of his character in The Professional.
I'm glad that Gary is playing another master spy - Jackson Lamb in Slow Horses. Jackson is different to Smiley but they both have a sharp mind. Jackson is more devious, I think.
I have to say Gary Oldman is one hell of an actor in every thing he does
Your opinion only.
I think I disagree. He's awfully mannered in everything I've seen in him in and exaggerates every detail until it's closer to parody. To me, he seems like a teenager's idea of a great actor.
@@Hartley_Hare I share your observations of Oldman, he would suit an Opera stage better than a close camera. His mannerisms are close to a parody. If you compare Alec Guinness, the real deal, you see how careful he is with his colors and brushes; his is the naturalistic, credible and balanced acting. A master. Oldman, I am afraid, reminds me personally of a drama teacher I had in junior high.
@@Mr.Monta77 Well aren't we the little edgelord... 🙄
@@paulsynnott2709 I have no such intention or interest at all. It is my honest opinion that Gary Oldman is very overrated and it shows nowhere are clearly in Tinker. Poor fellow, didnt have the sense to turn the offer down. Big mistake. If you think otherwise, I suspect you also think Robert Downey is the best Sherlock etc.
Everyone talks about Oldman, but this entire cast was gold. Plus the cinematographer (not as well known at the time), Hoyte van Hoytema just won an Oscar. Amazing film all around - and I come back to it every few years.
Gotta love the late John Hurt for so many roles, but this was one of his best late career performances! He will always be Winston Smith from 1984 for me, but his clearing the conference room as Control ranks a beloved second!
his role in The Proposition was awesome. lil Australian Outback period piece
Two books I have readen and readen, and I shall read it again. I always see Alec GUINNESS figuring Georges SMILEY.🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
his best role was indeed Winston Smith but as Control he is second to none
I should have mentioned Hurt as Caligula in I, Claudius and as Chancellor Suttler in V for Vendetta! Amazing acting in both roles!
@@gillesguillaumin6603 I don’t think anyone would debate that point with you! Sir Alec was one of a kind! I loved his character in Bridge Over the River Kwai!
I love this movie so much, every second of it. the story, the way it's told, the way it's shot, all those amazing actors... it's one of the best movies
Great cast. The more i ve watched this movie, the more i appreciate the quality acting.
Oldman has created such an interesting character in Smiley. I d love to see more of this role
Too many liberties taken for my liking - Peter Guillam gay? In the book and the BBC TV series he's more of a ladies man and, in the sequel, is married (to a woman).
Search out the BBC/Paramount series Smiley's People where George hunts down Karla.
There's also a film starring James Mason called The Deadly Affair (book title Call for the Dead) which is a George Smiley story but Columbia couldn't use the name because Paramount had rights to the name - hence the BBC Paramount co-production.
I'd like to see a film about the life of the young George Smiley as there are hints in the books of his active spying career in Nazi Germany before and during WW2.
Fantastic acting by the best of british male talent. Toby Jones is absolutely unbelievable how he transcends between different roles. An American gangster child killer, a metal detector from a quiet town, a lead in british espionage the list goes on. Brilliant talent
Detectorist!!!
@mroozo lol sorry you're right detectorist. I was feelin groovy when I wrote it
Kaleidoscope is another good movie of his. Psychological thriller.
@@sij6169 And…he proves you don’t have to look like Brad Pitt to make a living in film! There’s hope for me yet! 😉
John Hurt just killing it as Control.
John Hurt just "controlling" it as Control😊
Can we PLEASE have a sequel? Smiley's People in 2024 please
I've been waiting years for it, but I'm giving up hope.
No. Because VR OGPU totally won over those wankers.
Not a lot of point unless you want to see them f*ck that up as well.
Tbf, fitting Smiley's People into a two hour film would be as bad as tinker tailor. There is way too much detail to do it justice. Too much would have to be skipped which would basically make it incomprehensible imo. The tv series were much closer to the book.
Have you seen it? I'm assuming you have the necessary attention span.
@@howardchambers9679 chill out mate it’s a good film. The book is exceptional and they did a decent job converting it to a movie
@@howardchambers9679 spot on. All three BBC series were great. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Smiley’s People & The Perfect Spy.
A superb film. I have lost count the amount of times I have seen this over the years.
It's terrific, I loved it. It's gradual but so intense, it works like a dream. Oldman is brilliant but what a cast and it looks gorgeous.
Such an awesome movie. I wish they'd made this a series and have the same director and people do more Smiley novels.
I saw this at the cinema with my daughter. As the lights went up at the end the lady sitting in the row in front of us turned to her partner and said "So George Smiley was the Mole all the time?"
My daughter looked at me and mouthed the words "WTF?"
Loved the period details in the street scenes though.
This was such a great movie. By the third time I watched it finally got my head wrapped around all the details
it helps to read the book which is very good .It is quite close to real life
@@Marvin-dg8vj Yeah. I read A Most Wanted Man by the same author after seeing the movie and there were way more details that made it even more realistic
Give the 1979 TV adaption with Alec Guinness a try. The pace is glacial, yet the level of detail and caliber of acting phenomenal. I confess I prefer Hepton's Esterhase. Perfection.
@@Marvin-dg8vj Never read the book but the movie is amazing.
@@grumpylimey4539 Not to mention Beryl Reed's Connie Sachs. She was a scene-stealer. I rewatch her scene frequently.
this is my favorite movie.
There is so much detail in every shot shown here. It took me several viewings of the film before I began to appreciate the clues being shown.
I thought one of the best scenes was Smiley swimming in the morning at some small pond or stream. It was understated and must have been a kind of routine we didn't read about in the books. Even there in the water he seems contemplative and serene.
Apparently that's a real place and a real thing people in the UK do regularly. Like ponds specifically for swimming in. ... in very urban areas.
@@HontasFarmer80 It's known as Parson's Pleasure in Oxford.
@@HontasFarmer80 That's shot in the Hampstead Heath Ponds in London.
There are three swimming ponds on Hampstead Heath in London
Thank you for this, film still gives me chills
The first scene is so good what i imagine real espionage is like
The British version is so much better and much more brutal.
What a masterpiece
3 days ago, was the 50th anniversary of Control being relieved of his duties in the movie, 14th Nov 1973, so I watched it, before I cooked toast, then as you see Percy climb the stairs after the opening credits end, I pause it, butter the toast, cut it diagonally, and then eat it when lacon bits into his toast. Don't, you will not stop when you watch.
This movie has grown on me progressively over the years! I return to it to soak it in n also to study it.
Love love love the ending!!!
Some of the things unsaid in this scene by Colin Firth (Bill Haydon) are great, in the book it mentions that Haydon himself wrote some of these reports, so here he is defending his own work.
What a beautiful scene the 1st one
Yes! I actually preferred it to the ambush in the woods scene from the mini-series. Absolute suspense for every second. I've seen it 20 times, and it still gives me goosebumps. I love the miniseries, but the movie was superb. It crammed the essential parts in, took some liberties that improved some of the plot builds (like Peter Guillam being gay and Smiley cryptically warning him to get his affairs in order before the Circus used it against him). It kept the viewer in the dark in a good way. It was too easy to follow the mini-series in comparison. I liked trying to figure it out at the same time as Smiley. The mini-series tended to have a few too many reveals. The flashback Christmas party at the end of the movie was a special touch...totally reviewed all the characters and their relationships with the knowledge we gained from seeing how it actually turned out and reevaluating our first impressions of everyone. I think it's okay to like both treatments of the book...both are spectacular for different reasons.
I sometimes find myself humming “Mr Wu, what shall I do…..”😅
Mark strong was great in this film
He was the other hero that we didn’t know would be a hero at all. I think that LeCarre has Jim Prideaux do what he (LeCarre) wished he could have done to Kim Philly.
Nobody says "Shut up!" like John Hurt
fantastic book, fantastic movie.
If you haven't seen 'Smiley's People', the Guiness series, it's epic.
It's a decent enough film with fine performances but it does the book a great injustice. If you're not prepared to read the novels, at least do yourself the favour of watching the brooding BBC series. It's a masterpiece.
I had a hard time remembering who was who in the 2011 film because I know exactly what Percy Alleline looks like. He's a dead ringer for Michael Aldridge! And why are they starting the meeting before Bernard Hepton arrives? OMG the night Ian Bannen was shot in the woods another guy got shot at a cafe!
Best spy movie of all time.
Magnificent. The scene in Budapest was completely different in the original, of course, but it makes perfect sense.
Absolute masterpiece.
I always thought it was great that George had such a hot wife. And the way the film suggests her crazy attractiveness without showing her face once.
Mark Strong is unbelievably good.
The Karla trilogy from which this movie came from was great reading. Then the TV series came out and it was fairly well done. The acting was superb. George Smiley was described as a chubby old man. He came across as an anti-James Bond. Alec Guiness nailed the part perfectly. Smiley's People was also a well directed film. It is a shame that the same people who put those two TV series together did not follow up with The Honorable Schoolboy. But I've read somewhere that Guiness was not in as good of health as he'd been in the first two films.
This movie version had great actors but someone lost the script. I watched it all the way to the end and was glad it was over. Yeah, I know movies don't always follow the books perfectly. But this movie seemed worse than most in that regard. The beginning made no sense (Jim was not shot in a Hungarian restaurant) and the ending was not even close to the book. Jim did not shoot Bill. Those were not complicated scenes. So why make up a different story when the plot in the book worked well? I don't know. I really wanted to like this movie. Oh well.
The TV series of TTSS and Smiley's People are available on DVD. If you liked this movie for the story line then I believe you would really like the Alec Guiness versions. A series gets the luxury of having more time to develop the characters and the plot. That amount of time, in this case is well worth it. It is likely that most of the viewer of this film did not read the books. So they won't share in my disappointment of this film. This movie had plenty to offer them with first class actors. If you found the plot intriguing than I believe you will find the Guiness version to be outstanding.
A two-hour movie does not have the time to set up Jim crossing the border into Czechoslovakia, faffing around for a few hours to check his tail and then driving into the forest only to get chased around amongst the trees. And then tell the story of the entire investigation into what went wrong on the British side (the scene makes clear what went wrong on the Soviet side).
This scene communicates very quickly that everything is wrong, the KGB/GRU (and AVH) know of the meeting and are on-site and Jim is enough of a professional to clock it, but not quick enough to get away and that not everyone in the Warsaw Pact were professional enough.
The whole thing takes 2 1/2 minutes. The tv adaptation takes fully 20 minutes to do the same.
John LeCarré enjoyed this movie, he even makes an appearance at the Christmas Party scenes. And the only CGI in it was the 2 jets at the beginning and the woman with the file cart in the registry when Peter is taking the files
Thanks a lot! I've just learned about the TV series from you, and began to watch it right away. I like it a lot from the very first minutes. What a treat! Thank you again!
Smiley is suspicious, Percy!
awesome film, wish there were more like it
What a film 👍
I love this new version and old one the same.
yes...
this is quite the film.
Some people say, justifiably, that the film does not accurately reflect the book. Well that's true but you can say that about most film versions, its difficult as the writers have to squeeze a quart into a pint pot, otherwise the film would be at least 3 times longer. This is partly why the Alec Guinness mini series of Tinker Tailor and Smilie's People was so excellent, it allowed the time to include most of the book. Any attempt to create a film of Smiley's people would suffer the same way, which is probably why its not been made.
The serialisation on the BBC was beyond me at my young age then, however upon owning the DVD of the recent remake I was very impressed by the film and now am highly tempted to watch the original BBC adaptation of le Carre's novel with Alec Guiness as Smiley. Impressive stuff the both..
You should, it's brilliant.
It's on YT, in its entirety, uninterrupted... along w Smiley's People.
probably the most realistic espionage movie.
A real story on espionage....Best time...of intelligence's services! Real humint!
Superb.
The middle book of the trilogy was the best of the three. They never made a movie or a TV series of it regretfully. You never really understand the three books unless you read the middle one. It fills in all the gaps of the politics that are not explained in the last book. Its called the Honourable school boy.
I read somewhere that BBC would not fund the budget to film location scenes of The Honourable Schoolboy - sadly shortsighted if that is true, in light of the success of the other two series but hindsight is a wonderful thing I suppose.
Needs a sequel
Honorable School Boy, y'think, or Smiley's People?
Just great acting.
This and Let The Right One In would make a perfect double bill
I second the motion. Tomas Alfredson is the director of both films.
Both mesmerizing.
1:32 when did *mrs doubtfire* become part of the operation?
There was a second series of Tinker Taylor ( I’m old enough to have watched it,loved it.) so they could make one.
You can re-watch both series for free on YT now.
My favorite, just enough gold in the chicken feed.
please please please get Gary Oldman back in the role for smileys people!
Fantastic
Someone has to mash this up as a prequel to Slow Horses.
Who played this version of Elgars salut d'amour and is there a full length version of it?
best best best best
The more I watch this the More I understand it very complex
Not a patch on Alec Guiness but very watchable…
I thought Gary Oldman hit the right note. He is very capable
Can't stop wondering why the one boy looks like Truman Capote.
yes, great movie ,not sure why though
Hayden at 5:02- but i did not do anything.
Real Spycraft basically is shown here in this movie, as well as the other books by Le Carre. James Bond is fantasy.
"A real war."
Did the “waiter” mean to kill the woman holding her baby or did he just miss while aiming for Pideraux?
Es bestial 2:52 2:55 🎉
Fue uno ,una por uno.
Desmantelar.ese fue su exito. 4:18 4:19 4:19
Great cast and well acted by all. There’s only one George Smiley though, and it’s Sir Alec Guinness. More accurately depicted according to the books. Also, Toby Esterhase was better portrayed in the original.
So what’s the context?
Hungarians couldn't have been more obvious if they'd all worn trench coats, sunglasses, and fedoras.
Having watched the original BBC series.
Which, to me, is about as good as drama has ever gotten.
This movie seemed lacking and almost completely pointless.
But if you have never seen the BBC series.
You should find it worthwhile.
☮
Can someone explain what happened in the cafe? Why did that waiter panic like that? Looked like a complete amateur, even when he was getting shouted at.
Watched it twice and finally realised I don't have the mental capacity to understand what the hell was going on.
I did feel a bit left out when I saw that every other British adult male was in the film.
Keep watching until the glasses make sense. Then it will all make sense.
hardly the best scenes ,... for me its when smiley reminiscent on his meeting with karla
Alec Guiness version is still unbeatable...
Tried to read this book. Impossible
What is the Hungarian spook eating, sliced sausage on toast?
Typical eastern European "sandwich" on a single slice of bread
The original is even better than this remake
I didn't understand why they had to make the Guillaume character gay. It wasn't necessary plot wise and in the books the character is very much a "lady's man".
It seemed contrived and very woke.
I enjoyed the film and especially the performances.
I think it was added to flesh out Smiley's character...he knew it and warned his team mate that they'd use it against him--no condemnation. An old SIS veteran out of the WWII generation with the compassion to look past that and take care of his subordinate.
This film was an absolute travesty - distorting the story line of the book and completely missing the point - the original TV series hits the mark and is a true representation of my own experiences in the intelligence environment - the greatest failure of this film was the portrayal of Jim Prideaux but there are many other failings that I could cite - Bill Hayden also comes over as being too shallow.
Of course the TV series is justly famous, especially Alec Guinness as Smiley and Ian Bannen as Prideaux. I think the only performance that is definitely better in the film is John Hurt's Control, though Gary Oldman is as usual very good. But the main reason the film disappoints a little is that it has to fit a very complex plot into two hours and so tells rather than shows. It informs its audience directly rather than letting slow realisation emerge as in the book and series. The TV series used its longer running time well for that.
@Kinkette Pec I read the book after seeing the movie and also saw the TV show after the movie. I really think this comes down to running time. Movies have to get right to the point. TTSS would always be better as a mini series. I'd LOVE to see a reboot of this telling of TTSS with this same cast but as a 10 episode series on say Netflix. Ideally filmed and shot as if it was showuing us a longer fuller version of this film. I'd pay extra to be able to see such a thing. That'd actually be worth it.
As someone who's read the book and respects Le Carre a lot, I just disagree, I think it's a brilliant film. I do agree though that it does deviate from the book on just about every detail, and I don't see why that was necessary in all cases (e.g. not sure why Control needed to have been the one who recruited Esterhase instead of Smiley), but many changes were for the better (e.g. I find the Ricky Tara/Irina story to be SO much more compelling in the movie). But the look of the film, the tone, the sound design, and the way information is conveyed are just ingenious imo. And of course the whole cast is fantastic, especially Mark Strong. The look on his face at the Christmas party...one of the most moving moments I can think of by any actor.
@kinkettepec8821frankly I disagree .
Kathy Burke has a face for radio.
The actors chosen for this movie were all wrong. Long live the original series.
I've not watched the series but I've read the book and then subsequently watched this, and Gary Oldman in particular did a stellar job
Nothing is genuine anymore
A poor, clumsy remake of the original with Alec Guinnes.
No need for a sequel
Strictly mediocre
Go watch the bbc mini series with sir Alec Guiness
The only "action" scenes in the whole movie: the Hungarian waiter running to shoot Mark Strong, an old guy standing up to yell at a room of guys in an orange room, and the part where Benedict Cumberbatch punches Tom Hardy who's reclining on a sofa. That's about it. The rest is just a whole lot of talking. Talking in rooms, talking outside, talking in cars, walking and talking, talking here, talking there, talking everywhere!
Talking in a chair.
Talking at a faire.
Talking in a house.
Talking while soused.
Talking by some trees.
Talking and eating cheese.
This comment will not end until I press send.
Because this is an actual spy movie, not an hollywood action "spy" with fast sport cars, hot women, intercourse scenes, explosions, shootouts, high speed chases, choreographed fights like a ballet with a forgettable plot about an evil secret organization wanting to dominate the world.
This about actual spying, collecting scattered, scrambled evidences and rearranging them in a way that makes sense and a timeline, investigation, intelligence gathering, being cold and recollected, knowing when, how to act and what to do instead of going around explosions and non-stop adrenaline rush with explosions and blah blah blah. This movie, like many UK productions, a prime example being Utopia, which is probably the best series the TV has ever aired and seen, is a production that stimulates you and respects the audience's intelligence and respects them, instead of making everything blatant clear while shouting everything we see to the point there is just no plot, just waiting for the important part.
While here, we don't know who is who until the very end, and we only truly know that if we actually understand the movie using our brains instead of having everything made blatantly clear with shouting everything while we see, having no thrill, suspense, suspiciousness and making yourself think while trying to collect the facts and understand, instead of just having everything handed to you on a silver plate with a loud speaker telling you everything you need to know even though they are things you clearly saw a second ago.
A guy gets shot: THEY SHOT HIM! Someone dies: HE DIED! We see the evil organization: THIS EVIL ORGANIZATION WANTS TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD, WE HAVE TO STOP THEM!
That's the kind of stuff that is simply unbearable to watch.
Hey that’s funny and can I tell me if Prideaux dies in this movie can’t work that out I’m not the bright and I don’t wanna watch. Lolthanks
As I remember, Mark Strong does a bit of shooting himself in this movie.
you could always watch Steven Seagal
I know. Isn't it beautiful?
This movie was a pass only. Compared to the original BBC series, it runs a poor second.
Doesn't shine a trickle of light, to Alec "genius" But licking his Boots he tried?
atrocious movie, absolutely sucked.
V. Good but 'A Spy Among Friends ' is better.
this movie was terrible. Everything about it cheap and cut rate. It really makes me wanna vomit. It’s so bad.
Smiley is suspicious, Percy!