Tinker,Tailor Solider,Spy

In the bleak days of the Cold War, espionage veteran George Smiley is forced from semi-retirement to uncover a Soviet agent within MI6's echelons, starring Gary Oldman as Smiley,John hurt as Control and Colin firth as bill Haydon.




Tinker, Tailor etc was the cornerstone BBC drama of the late seventies featuring as it did a rare TV performance by Sir Alec Guinness (later repeated in 1982's Smiley's People). The supporting cast was equally as strong with such as Ian Richardson and Michael Jayston adding lustre to an already stellar line-up. Whether it can be successfully remade as a film, again featuring some of the foremost English actors, remains to be seen. Le Carre's books do not always translate successfully to the big screen: for every Spy Who Came In From The Cold, there's a Russia House. The main concern for the producers must be that those of us who remember and revere the original - and therefore know the outcome - will perhaps not feel the need to see the new version, no matter how well made it might be.


As a fan of Tinker tailor etc and LeCarres, work, I hope it ca pull it off. Also I loved Sir Alec Guiness as the orignal George Smiley. His character was gritty, cold and aloof which is what Smiley was, detached. Just not swayed by Gary Oldman takingthe lead, it may well be good but it might be another of those movies that they should have left alone.

Plenty of other LeCarres books to do. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold ought to shame the government nicly and rub it in.