simondclinch-1 It's a good plot, at one point I thought that it would have been better if the enemy played the game as flawlessly as Smiley. But by the end I changed my mind - everything had to happen the way it happened! For me this was better than Tinker, Tailor although the plot accelerates as it goes on so require some patience at the beginning, which is well rewarded as the exciting finale draws closer.Also well acted. Once again though I was distracted somewhat by mispronunciation of foreign names. I was particularly surprised that Bernard Hepton, who had previously played a German in the Colditz series, couldn't pronounce his "own" name, "Esterhase" (est'rr haaze - the last e pronounced the same way as the first one) The BBC really ought to invest in that area - they are still apt to mispronounce place names on the World News for example. Also "Kantonalbank von Bern" is a bit clumsy - but just have to drop the "von" to make it authentic. I particularly liked some of the correct little details such as a "Turkischer Imbiss" in Berlin - it brings back memories of my own experiences there.So I still give it a 10, well-deserved relative to what else is available in the genre. It's so hard to get authentic spy fiction on screen and too easy to get silly spoofs instead.

Spondonman which is to paraphrase John Le Carre's own description of George Smiley played by Alec Guinness in this. I'm glad the Creator himself called the craft of spying absurd, there's a lot of people who apparently think it an essential art form and necessary for all our safety. And he also said he thought it was Guinness's performance which held people glued to the end, to which I can only agree too. There's a remarkably seamless continuity between this, the sequel TV series to Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy – seamless in all departments that is and not just in Alec Guinness's performance. And eleven brilliant hours all told. To me it's as good as the first, a splendid and engrossing pair of miniseries from the days when UK BBC often still broadcast for higher common denominators. Alas, since then they've settled firmly into the gutter, producing year after year of cheap unloved tripe and remembered by no one.Complicated tale of "modern" and old systems of espionage clashing, of smoothing over the many consequences of various past causes, of West & East blurring in the middle, of a spy story expertly related, and basically of staunch Briton Smiley hoping to find his old adversary the master-crafty Russian Karla had an ancient Achilles Heel after all. It's all beautiful to behold, all walking and talking with plenty of thinking required for full enjoyment. The only (slight) downer to me was that the sex club scene went on for an unnecessarily long time. Probably for Smiley too!As with Tinker I had to especially concentrate during the first episode but again found it more than worthwhile and completely memorable. Everyone who can appreciate this gem is another of Guinness's People.

rusoviet ...I viewed all three DVD's with anticipation to the 'wrap up' on the final episode. In the end I found the explanation wanting. It isn't the fact that the effort made by the legendary Karla was not credible as much as it was 'and?' Many hold that the story line is compelling - it was until the end and there, as usual for LeCarre we have his documented moral equivalency of 'west' vs. 'east'.One senses in LeCarre an affection towards the mindset of the bolsheviks it brings to mind Lenin's admiration for the Jesuits. Respect for their commitment but little for their beliefs - it would seem LeCarre has both respect for both commitment and their contempt for the bourgeois.

blanchjoe So much as been already said about either Tinker Tailor or Simleys People that my addition is small, however in a film world driven by special affects or minimal story content, these two film series represents some of the foremost screenplay, editing, acting and cinematography to date. This film does NOT cater to the viewer, it demands you pay attention, even small details have far reaching ramifications later in the film. This is dense story that for some may require seeing the film two or three times to understand and appreciate. The star of this story is Alec Guiness giving one of the most powerful and interesting performances of his wonderful acting career. It is a film whose only poor quality is that it does not go on longer to enjoy.