Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

[Beate]

Can people please use spoiler tags when they reveal plot parts? I have already had to edit two people's posts!

[David]

For the football fans among us - am I the only one who can't look at Mark Strong without thinking Dimitar Berbatov? It's the face.

[Celini]

here is the answer "It is never made clear whether a physical relationship developed with Prideaux, although Haydon's bisexuality is referred to at several points in the novel." from wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haydon

[kevinknapman]

Well I thought this was fantastic from beginning to end.
I found the slow steady pace perfect but was also impressed at how economical the screenwriters were in condensing a long and dense book into a 2hr+ film. The ingenuity in presenting certain aspects of the story in short scenes, sometimes with just a gesture or a look.
I found the whole story fascinating and managed to get lost in the storytelling without worrying too much if something wasn't that clear, comfortable in the knowledge that the pieces would fit into place further on. Which they did beautifully. I particularly liked the way Smiley set-up the uncovering of the mole in the final stages of the film.

The direction was wonderfully done and very atmospheric. Tomas Alfredson bringing some of the Swedish period touch of Let the Right One In to this very British story. Indeed the period detail was evocative without being overdone. Loved the use of cheesy pop songs at various moments. 'Mr Wu's a Window Cleaner Now', the tongue in cheek use of Sammy Davis Jr's 'The Second Best Secret Agent in the Whole Wide World' and Julio Iglesias' version of 'La Mer'. Found the sets very well done too. The 'Circus' in particular with it's split levels and industrial feel.

Acting-wise I found this almost impossible to fault. Gary Oldman was outstanding. Getting across the brilliant mind of this unassuming man in an impressively understated way. Being so used to seeing Oldman chewing up the scenery in films like Leon and The Fifth Element it was nice to see him playing it down. Channeling both Alec Guinness and John Le Carre to a certain extent but making the role his own. The eureka moments where he figured things out were both well acted and directed.
The rest of the cast were excellent, but particular credit to Tom Hardy, John Hurt and Benedict Cumberbatch. Also loved Kathy Burke's return to acting with her playful turn as Connie Sachs.

Overall I loved this. An intelligent and fascinating depiction of a time when spies were unassuming civil servants, not the globe-trotting, bone-crunching spies of today. It kept my interest throughout and would love them to tackle some of the other Smiley books at some point.

[tsoiboy]

I went to see this at the Odeon, Greenwich. tonight. It was packed with the tweed silver surfer brigade. I have to say I'm a telegraph reader myself from time to time and I do not meet the age demographic that was on show tonight maybe I should start reading something more my age like the Sun from now on.

Any way I would give this film a definite 8.5/10. I really enjoyed it. It was always going to be a film that you needed to concentrate on and if you are tired or not in the frame of mood to concentrate then I too would agree that the film would seem long, boring and convoluted. John Le Carre spy books are set in the real world and not at all like the Ian Fleming James Bond books. So not much action and lots of dialogue. It is a world of shades of greys and not black and white.

For a 2 hour film it passed by really quickly for me and I did not look at my watch once. It was a slow burner, the dialogue and flashbacks were great and required concentration. It's a film that requires your attention and if you don't you get nothing out of it. During the film there is a cameo of John Le Carre. Blink and you will miss him...... he is seen at the Christmas party.

When you consider the original series which is almost 6 hours long and to condense it into 2 hours....it is done very well and it's pretty impressive. The look of the film was great too. It brought back too many memories for me of the 70s.

I'm sure I missed something especially with the complexity of the film and I will watch this film a second time. It's an intelligent film requiring the viewer to think.

I did feel that when the mole was revealed it did not have the punch/impact that I would have liked and it felt altogether rather flat.

See this film if you are not tired else it will be lost on you.

8.5/10

PS. I too picked up a free hot dog with my O2 priority moments.

PPS. It's great that this film is splitting opinions.

[Beate]

Btw, did anyone read the credits? I happened to see that John le Carre was listed as Guest at the Christmas Party!

[June]

Well I thought this was fantastic from beginning to end.
I found the slow steady pace perfect but was also impressed at how economical the screenwriters were in condensing a long and dense book into a 2hr+ film. The ingenuity in presenting certain aspects of the story in short scenes, sometimes with just a gesture or a look.
I found the whole story fascinating and managed to get lost in the storytelling without worrying too much if something wasn't that clear, comfortable in the knowledge that the pieces would fit into place further on. Which they did beautifully. I particularly liked the way Smiley set-up the uncovering of the mole in the final stages of the film.

The direction was wonderfully done and very atmospheric. Tomas Alfredson bringing some of the Swedish period touch of Let the Right One In to this very British story. Indeed the period detail was evocative without being overdone. Loved the use of cheesy pop songs at various moments. 'Mr Wu's a Window Cleaner Now', the tongue in cheek use of Sammy Davis Jr's 'The Second Best Secret Agent in the Whole Wide World' and Julio Iglesias' version of 'La Mer'. Found the sets very well done too. The 'Circus' in particular with it's split levels and industrial feel.

Acting-wise I found this almost impossible to fault. Gary Oldman was outstanding. Getting across the brilliant mind of this unassuming man in an impressively understated way. Being so used to seeing Oldman chewing up the scenery in films like Leon and The Fifth Element it was nice to see him playing it down. Channeling both Alec Guinness and John Le Carre to a certain extent but making the role his own. The eureka moments where he figured things out were both well acted and directed.
The rest of the cast were excellent, but particular credit to Tom Hardy, John Hurt and Benedict Cumberbatch. Also loved Kathy Burke's return to acting with her playful turn as Connie Sachs.

Overall I loved this. An intelligent and fascinating depiction of a time when spies were unassuming civil servants, not the globe-trotting, bone-crunching spies of today. It kept my interest throughout and would love them to tackle some of the other Smiley books at some point.

Thank you for your, as always, excellent review I was unwell this evening and was unable to make it to the screening, however up until now I was quite relieved to have missed out but now I'm starting to feel sad again!

[tsoiboy]

Btw, did anyone read the credits? I happened to see that John le Carre was listed as Guest at the Christmas Party!

He was in the conga line and crossed the screen during the Russian National Anthem.

[AYBG]

Intercutting is cool, isn't it? As a technique to either break up tension or increase it, to give a sense of omniscience or to withhold information. Or to lead into the next scene in an interesting way.
But of course TTSS is intercut the whole way through and it took me aback at first.
Obviously as a result you're no way near as grounded as you would be in a Spielberg-era (1975-present) Hollywood film. And yet, that was precisely the point. For all my fears that this would be more tiresome overly British masturbation, Tomas Alfredson brought in a great deal of European sensibility.
See, despite the experienced cast and all the nostalgia, the stunning cinematography made it clear: this is a revisionist text. We're looking at the period with hindsight. Unlike the British films from the 60s the film's mise-en-scene seemed to be taken from, the camera was far from static, and the cinematography somewhat ingenious (unlike the nonsensical King's Speech). One of the first shots is in Control's base. It's very cluttered and you look around at everything. Then John Hurt and Mark Strong enter from stage left, but they're framed in the top corner. In other words there is as little direction as possible as to where our eyes should be looking, which is the primary job of a director usually. There's a great tension as a result. You're not going to be spoon-fed everything. You have to join the dots.

At other times, the approach is the opposite but the effect the same. We're outside a rather nice house. To the right there's some teens reciting lines for a play. The camera ever so slowly moves to the right and forward, drawing our attention to the shadowed doorway in the middle. Smiley (Oldman) enters from stage right. The camera is still making us look at that entrance. There's going to be something (or someone?) significant about to happen. Nothing. A woman walks out! Can't see who she is. Followed by someone else! They walk out of shot. They're anonymous. The shot ends. Tension for the sake of tension. The film plays a lot like this and yet still takes your surprise. There's a fantastic double red herring at one point.
[spoiler]We realise that Bill was having an affair with Smiley's wife before it's said, so we know how he knew to come in. The idea of him getting his information because he's the mole is quickly shot down, and our suspicions are averted because we figured that out for ourselves first. We think we're ahead of the game. In reality, the game is still being played on us! Rather like Operation Witchcraft, eh!
Other than that, I was disappointed that it was Firth, yes. He was always the leading contender for me. Too famous to have a small role. Too nice a screen persona. Because it couldn't be him, it had to be him. It's why Zack Snyder turned down Tom Cruise's bid to star in Watchmen.[/spoiler]

The cast is of course absolutely full of talent, so much so that even Stephen Graham has to make do with a bit part. It's somewhat impressive how the starriness doesn't overwhelm the film. In a flick like Ocean's Eleven, it's integrated. Here, we need to believe in the characters. And maybe it's helped by the fragmented structure or the large quantity of them mixed up with character actors, but we do. There isn't a single weak link. It's frustrating that I can't even openly tell you which actor impressed the most - a fantastic performance - because even that is a spoiler.

[spoiler]Mark Strong![/spoiler]

Obviously this film isn't for everyone, and I think if people are too conditioned to plot-driven high concept flicks it's not their fault, but if you like European films you'll dig this film. 9/10.

Thanks a_person for my tickets!

[Celini]

I strongly disagree with this

but if you like European films you'll dig this film. 9/10.

I love European films and I am very much use to them; but I guess to love this one you need to understand it!
I would have needed to do some research before... and know the characters! there is so many of them, and all have a rather unstated role in the film.

I honestly can't give it a rating right now (and this is the first time this happens to me); I will probably have to read the books or watch the TV serie before watching the film again and appreciate it fully