Gary oldman to return in tinker tailor soldier spy sequel. Its simply a question of whether your service wants the product. Directed by simon langton, produced by jonathan powell, it is the television adaptation of the 1979 spy novel smileys people by john le carre, and the sequel to tinker tailor soldier spy. However, that novel was set in hong kong, and so it was thought to be too expensive to film. The classic 1979 british spy drama, which came to dvd october 25, is one of the best of the genre ever put to film.
Years later, the bbc adapted it into a television miniseries of the same name. I didnt care for the 2011 version of tinker tailor, either, and i have a fairly long list of problems with it. However, smileys people has a much more linear plot, so it seems likely that the story of the new film wont be as broken as ttss was. I love tinker tailor too, yes even with gary oldman, who is a fine actor too but, i love the old classics. Nov 29, 2011 smileys people, originally published in 1979, is the third and final novel of john le carres karla trilogy, following tinker tailor soldier spy and the honourable schoolboy. One of a kind spy thriller is a tad dated but still outstanding series to watch. My experience is that the more smiley appears, the better the book, and so it is with smiley s people which is about 90% smiley. Smileys people is a 1982 television miniseries, based on john le carres novel of the same name.
The murder of a soviet defector forces his old handler, british spymaster george smiley, out of retirement. Here is how george smiley erstwhile spy master, shortlived head of operations at londons intelligence agency the circus, scholar of german literature, longsuffering cuckold, and for some time the most powerful secret figure in the cold war is introduced on the first page of the first novel by john le carre, 1961s call for the dead. Powell skipped to the subsequent novel, smileys people. What a great actor and john le carre great character development thru out this film. The sequel is rumoured to be based on john le carres novel smileys people.
Because of the increased complexity of the story, smileys people is not as straightforward as tinker tailor soldier spy and requires even more concentration to follow the twists and turns of multiple characters, some of whom only appear in short scenes. Working title films has greenlit a script based on john le carres third novel in the series, smileys people, which was also made into a 1982 miniseries starring alec guinness. John le carres story is one of the most lowkey and relatively static of spy thrillers that youll ever come across, yet in its own modest way it is as. It sees an older smiley called out of retirement for the last time to investigate the death of one. Smileys people on the other hand feels too similar to tinker and less interesting smiley is again called out of retirement to investigate in secret. Rent smileys people 1982 on dvd and bluray dvd netflix. Smileys people 1982 simon langton releases allmovie. In the first an old friend of smileys is killed whilst trying to bring him some vital information. My experience is that the more smiley appears, the better the book, and so it is with smileys people which is about 90% smiley.
With alec guinness, eileen atkins, bill paterson, vladek sheybal. It is the 2nd of two miniseries about mi6 british intelligence, around the cold war era. British masterspy george smiley is called out of retirement to investigate the death of one of his old agents. Smiley s people is more interested in character than thrills, with each cameo contributing another view of the human cost of the cold war. Feb 01, 2014 the sequel is rumoured to be based on john le carres novel smileys people. He absolutely nails this book, clearly reveres the sir alec guinness characterisation and brings it to life superbly.
Smileys people is a 6 part miniseries produced by, i believe, the bbc in england. John le carre s government operative george smiley alec guinness comes out of retirement again when a former colleague is murdered. George smiley comes out of retirement to settle the affairs of an old friend. Agent in eigener sache, zum teil auch als smileys leute veroffentlicht englischer originaltitel. Smiley s people started out as a book by acclaimed author, john le carre. When he turns up dead, the circus asks george to tie up the loose ends. Sir alec guinness stars in smileys people as a retired detective by the name of george smiley. Sir alec guinness stars in smiley s people as a retired detective by the name of george smiley. Oct 04, 2016 smileys people remains my favorite le carre adaptation, although i need to see some more of them. Using his keen intuition and espionage expertise, smiley fingers a soviet archrival who goes by the name of karla, and an intense catandmouse game ensues in this sixpart followup to tinker, tailor, soldier, spy. He begins to follow up the clues of his friends past days, discovering that the clues lead to a high person in the russian secret service, and a secret important enough to kill for. Smiley learns the general had discovered information that will lead to a final confrontation with smileys nemesis, the soviet spymaster karla. September 20, 1982 british spy george smiley alec guinness returns for a showdown with his soviet counterpart karla in.
She is approached by a stranger while on her way home from work. He is alsoas written by john le carre and portraye. Filmed on location in london, paris, hamburg and berne, smiley s people also stars eileen atkins, anthony bate, bernard hepton, michael lonsdale, beryl reid, patrick stewart and bill patterson. A member of one of george smiley s old networks seems to have caught on to something big. Smileys people started out as a book by acclaimed author, john le carre. Smiley s people on the other hand feels too similar to tinker and less interesting smiley is again called out of retirement to investigate in secret. Smileys people is a spy novel by john le carre, published in 1979. Smileys people, originally published in 1979, is the third and final novel of john le carres karla trilogy, following tinker tailor soldier spy and the honourable schoolboy. Remake is in the works smileys people discussion moviechat. Working titles apparent decision to film smileys people next mirrors that of the bbc, which also chose not to film the honourable schoolboy.
A member of one of george smileys old networks seems to have caught on to something big. John le carre had followed this story with the honourable schoolboy 1977, but as much of the action was set in south east asia and smiley was featured less prominently, the bbc opted to adapt smileys people instead, jumping straight to the last book in the trilogy all three since republished as the quest for karla. Smiley s people is a 6 part miniseries produced by, i believe, the bbc in england. Alec guinness, michael byrne, bernard hepton, anthony bate, eileen atkins, anthony bate, michael byrne, bernard hepton. Featuring british masterspy george smiley, it is the third and final novel of the karla trilogy, following tinker tailor soldier spy and the honourable schoolboy. As such, a lot of burden rests on its sequel, smileys people, to live up to. It is fantastic, but taken as an entire work, the karla trilogy is simply amazing a near perfect ending for one of the, if not the, best trilogies ever lotr perhaps. Smileys people is more interested in character than thrills, with each cameo contributing another view of the human cost of the cold war. Like with the honourable schoolboy, smiley s people on its own is perhaps a 44.
Exciting and mysterious from episode one and remains emotionally mysterious in the john le carre fashion at the film s finale. Smileys people dvd, 2004, 3disc set for sale online ebay. Find release information for smileys people 1982 simon langton on allmovie. Like with the honourable schoolboy, smileys people on its own is perhaps a 44. Smileys people synopsis british masterspy george smiley is called out of retirement to investigate the death of one of his old agents. Smileys people was shot in 1982, but the concluding scenesset in a rainsoaked berlin, of coursepresage the end of the cold war, the struggle which has given smileys life. It s simply a question of whether your service wants the product. The screenplay was written by john le carre and john hopkins 2 and was directed by simon langton. Presenting expositional scenes was necessary to make it.
John le carres government operative george smiley alec guinness comes out of retirement again when a former colleague is murdered. Oldman played george smiley in the critically acclaimed british spy thriller, and the actor hopes he can return to. His investigation leads to an old nemesis, the soviet spymaster known only as karla. Tinker, tailor, soldier, spy follow up smileys people is. After tinker tailor soldier spy 1979, producer jonathan powell was going to film a sequel, an adaptation of john le carres sequel novel the honourable schoolboy. Smileys people, ist ein spionageroman des britischen.
And the resulting film may again be another good yet ultimately unsatisfying remake. Called out of retirement to settle the affairs of a friend, smiley finds his old organization, the circus, so overwhelmed by political considerations that it doesnt want to know what happened. Rumpled, stodgy, and unassuming, george smiley is literatures unlikeliest master spy. British master spy george smiley returns for a final encounter with his deadly soviet counterpart, karla, in an emmynominated adaptation of john le carres. Tinker tailor soldier spy film, gary oldman, who plays george smiley in the film, said i think theyre whispering now that they might do smileys people.
Find low everyday prices and buy online for delivery or instore pickup. If someone were to walk in on you watching the last ten minutes of smileys people 1982, theyd have no idea that it was the exciting conclusion to a sixpart bbc spy thriller and that you were on the edge of your seat in suspense. Smileys people is a 1982 drama miniseries in six parts, made for the bbc. Jun 07, 20 rumpled, stodgy, and unassuming, george smiley is literatures unlikeliest master spy. George smiley is called out of retirement to investigate the death of one of his old agents. It was madness to approach ostrakova, and madness to believe that by killing three people he could stop the leak. For the serious film lover, this excellent piece of filmaking must be in your collectors library. Many of its characters, some decent, some less so, their lives all but carbaled by stalinism, are now living out tenuous grayscale existences, still under the cornice of soviet power, despite the fact that they now reside in the west. It acts as a sequel to the 1979 miniseries tinker, tailor, soldier, spy. Smileys people is the sequel miniseries to tinker, tailor, soldier, spy and is also based on a novel by john le carre.
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