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Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy poster

“One of Britain's master spies is working for the enemy. Can George Smiley beat him at his deadly game?”

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979)

First aired September 10, 197950m/ep1 season · 7 epsEnded
7.6

126 votes

War & PoliticsDramaMystery
Official Site

Overview

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a seven-part BBC2 spy drama written by Arthur Hopcraft, adapted from John le Carré's eponymous 1974 novel. The serial, which stars Alec Guinness, Alexander Knox, Ian Richardson, Michael Jayston, Bernard Hepton, Anthony Bate, Ian Bannen, George Sewell and Michael Aldridge, was broadcast from 10 September to 22 October 1979. George Smiley, the ageing master spy of the Cold War and once heir-apparent to Control, is brought back out of retirement to flush out a top level mole within the Circus. Smiley must travel back through his life and murky workings of the Circus to unravel the net spun by his nemesis Karla 'The Sandman' of the KGB and reveal the identity of the mole before he disappears.

Created By

John Irvin, John le Carré

Top Billed Cast

Alec Guinness

Alec Guinness

George Smiley

Michael Jayston

Michael Jayston

Peter Guillam

Anthony Bate

Anthony Bate

Sir Oliver Lacon

George Sewell

George Sewell

Mendel

Seasons

Status

Ended

Language

Czech

Type

Miniseries

Last Air Date

October 22, 1979

Networks

BBC Two

Production

BBCParamount Pictures

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User Reviews

Peter McGinn

Peter McGinn

7.0

I tried to watch this drama series a year or so ago and didn’t get far. It isn’t bad but it has a slow pace, which I am usually fine with, but I am not into spy stories. I gave it a second try recently and had no trouble finishing it this time. There is some action and a small amount of drama, but mostly it is conversation and a slow-burning tension running through it. I confess I occasionally wasn’t sure who was doing what off screen, but i never completely lost the thread. Alec Guinness is very good. He gives what seems like a restrained performance, playing a man who fights emotions t…

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CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

7.0

With the Cold War at it's height, the head of the British counter-espionage agency - "Control" (Alexander Knox) is giving a clear impression that he is losing the plot. He is visibly ailing so his subordinates gather like vultures waiting to take his place. His preferred candidate is the redoubtable, semi-retired, "Smiley" (Sir Alec Guinness) and pretty swiftly we discover that is because the old man is not so doting after all, and is suspicious that there is a spy in his midst. Who can he trust to investigate the matter? There were seven parts to this BBC drama and each episode delivers some…

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