Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

[Santa's Boyfriend]

Seriously though -

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what the hell WAS that thing the boy made?

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Something to prop up the front of his caravan, was the best I can come up with? But there's no way a thin piece of wood like that could have supported the weight of a caravan, surely?

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I assumed it was a

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wheel stopper.

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[Endicott]

I've just got round to watching this film.

Seriously though - what the hell WAS that thing the boy made?

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I don't know what it was. imdb suggests a boot scraper

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Good film. Maybe a bit rushed, as was mentioned upthread.

I didn't have a problem with Cumberbatch. Guillam is one of my favourite characters from the TV series (terrible shame he was recast in Smiley's People, Michael Jayston was perfect), and I thought BC handled it quite well.

[kidsick5000]

I assumed it was a

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wheel stopper.

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It's not a boot scraper. It's to help you get riding boots off. The heel goes into the 'v' with your other foot stood on the back of it to weight it down.
Dear god, did nobody go riding here?

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[Santa's Boyfriend]

Well that's just ruined the whole movie for me.

[Zetetic]

It's not a

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boot scraper

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- the same scene makes it perfectly explicit that he doesn't wear

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boots

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.

[kidsick5000]

Well that's just ruined the whole movie for me.

I did think twice about revealing such a key moment, that really holds the identity to Karla. But what the hell. It's crappy attempt at the book anyway and Gary Oldman is pretty pathetic throughout. Complete unmitigated arse from start to finish[nb]this last bit is utterly untrue and if Oldman doesn't get an Oscar I'll be visiting the academy members individually.Every rewatch reveals something new. I'm praying for sequels[/nb]

As for proof of what the kid made.

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It's called a boot jack
.

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[Santa's Boyfriend]

I'm pretty sure your prayers have already been answered.  They're skipping the middle book as usual though, and going straight for Smiley's People.

[Mr_Simnock]

Just watched this on a rental Blu Ray. Really enjoyed it a lot. Haven't read the books and I can't remember watching the TV series but will seek out one of them at least as I want to know more about each of the five suspects. Wish I had seen it at the cinema, so much rubbish these days would have been worth it this time. Can't think of anything to fault the film on, it was suitably grim in a lot of places, good atmosphere through out and the acting was way above average. The sound was a bit tricky though with many voices a bit tricky to pick at times and the was a touch too much film grain ( I think ) in the picture.

[Blumf]

Wish I had seen it at the cinema

Not if they were showing a loud action movie in the next screen, you wouldn't.

[Mr_Simnock]

Oh god yes, sound bleed in cinemas now is an irritating and avoidable problem. So far it has only spoiled bits of films, just one the many reasons I visit the cinema less and less.

[buntyman]

I watched this on a rental at the weekend too and although I tried my best to concentrate, I couldn't follow it properly. I had no prior knowledge of the story before watching and don't think I could give a very full outline of the plot now. I didn't think it was particularly tense or engaging and when the mole was revealed at the end, it could've been any of the underdeveloped possibles and I would've had the same barely raised eyebrows reaction. I did think Gary Oldman was very good though in his role.

[Blumf]

I'd say give it another punt now you know the story. Pay closer attention to the implications of people's actions, there's quite a lot of grim and brutal stuff, only delicately implied.

[copylight]

I found the cinematography self conscious and slavish, but the thing is, with all the need to make it look atmospheric, there was no feel for the time they were - sadly - emulating.

Meh.

[Mr_Simnock]

there was no feel for the time they were - sadly - emulating

Really? I thought they had that in droves, but then again I am referring to the political atmosphere at the time.

Pay closer attention to the implications of people's actions, there's quite a lot of grim and brutal stuff, only delicately implied

What I liked most about the film is that it is very subtle and quite grim, the last scene concerning the interrogation in Hungary was quite chilling in fact knowing what both victims in the scene would have gone through before that moment, just horrible.

[HappyTree]

I watched this last night and my general reaction was it was pretty boring. I've never read the book or seen the TV series, I just knew it would be about the Cold War. There was virtually no emotion at all and I spent most of the film imagining that Carla was some woman I hadn't seen yet and had no idea who Alleline was until just before the end when someone eventually referred to him with his face on screen. When Control was naming the codenames I couldn't see who the people were as the photos were small and indistinct. But I didn't really care, I didn't care about anything much in the film.

Oldman may have given a good impression of Alec Guinness but if he'd moved any more slowly he'd have seized up. Reviews have said that the character was old and beaten down with life, and that may be so but it was boring to watch when I didn't get to see why. I can imagine that it must have been galling to have

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his wife groped and his colleague sleeping with her

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, but imagine this I must since I saw no repercussions on Smiley to speak of. He was slow and tired all the time.

When the mole was revealed I just thought, oh right so it was

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the guy who was shagging his wife after all

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. Big deal. Nothing much came of it. And on reading all your comments above, it seems I missed all the gay subtext. Maybe I'd just stopped paying attention by then.

However, now I have seen the film and vaguely know what's supposed to have been going on I'm remembering the atmosphere and I quite like the lingering impression it's left on me. But realistic as it may be of how spying sucks your soul out until you're just an emotionless shell, it makes for a very dull film as I'm the viewer who has to sit and watch them amble about robotically for 2 hours.

[Blumf]

Cuh! Kids today.

[Serge]

Finally got around to seeing it and quite enjoyed it. Actually, that makes it sound like I'm giving it a covert slagging, which I'm not! I suppose the problem (for me) was that I watched the TV version for the first time within the last couple of months, so inevitably I'm going to compare it to that, and it's pretty much always going to come up short. The main problem I had with it was Oldman, who just seemed to spend the entire film deliberately channeling Guinness[nb]Though I did read the comment above about Oldman saying he based him on Le Carre - I wonder if Guinness was similarly inspired?[/nb] and generally not being as good. I was also vaguely irritated by the attempts to make Karla a Keyser Soze-esque character, not showing his face, etc. I'm guessing they've got someone in mind to play him in the sequel[nb]It would be good if they got Patrick Stewart again...![/nb] who they didn't want to pay to be in this one? Again, the scene between Guinness and Stewart in the TV version is incredible.

But I did think that for the most part it was very well cast - though I wish they'd got someone with a bit more presence for Esterhase[nb]Yes, my avatar makes it clear that I'm biased here.[/nb] and I agree that Kathy Burke was miscast - I assume Julie Walters was busy that day? And I really am going to have to get around to reading the damn books at some point.

[kalowski]

I've been on a right old TTSS kick recently. The book is marvellous, so deep and dense and full of great scenes. I love how Le Carre just made up loads of spy-like phrases, "lamplighters" et al, that sound so right.

I watched the TV series over the last week. I enjoyed it, and Alec Guiness was marvellous, as was Richardson, but it was slow, and very theatrical. MY wife mentioned how compared to some of the rubbish that was on at the time it must have seemed groundbreaking, but time hadn't been kind. Half the bosses of the circus are like camp pantomime dames,

And I watched the film again last night. Following the TV series, everything made perfect sense, the period detail was perfect, and the acting sublime. It really is becoming one of my favourite films. Oldman was brilliant, channelling Guiness but making the role his own.

Embarrassingly, I hadn't realised there were two sequels. I read Smiley's People last year thinking it was the follow up. I have The Honorable Schoolboy on my shelf ready to read.

[Piggyoioi]

Saw this at the cinema, similarly to others i had trouble following the plot, being confused in a movie is usually a death nail but i seemingly enjoyed it non the less.

Heard the tv series is better, which i have on DVDs, so once i find out how the play the archaic thing i'm looking fwd to giving it a watch.

[Inspector Norse]

I thought it was great. Slow, ugly and convoluted, sure, but is that necessarily a problem in cinema? Not everything has to be fast and furious (see what I did there?). I found it gripping.
I reckon the people who make The Handmaid's Tale took a hell of a lot of stylistic cues from it.

[kalowski]

Saw this at the cinema, similarly to others i had trouble following the plot, being confused in a movie is usually a death nail but i seemingly enjoyed it non the less.

Heard the tv series is better, which i have on DVDs, so once i find out how the play the archaic thing i'm looking fwd to giving it a watch.

I don't think the TV series is better. The acting is much worse (apart from Guinness and Richardson, and Hywel Bennett). It's stagey. It breathes more, being a good two hours longer, but it feels very theatrical.

[Piggyoioi]

I don't think the TV series is better. The acting is much worse (apart from Guinness and Richardson, and Hywel Bennett). It's stagey. It breathes more, being a good two hours longer, but it feels very theatrical.

For some reason i'm always more forgiving of subpar acting on older or foreign shit so hopefully i can get past it.

[Blumf]

I would really like to see more films/TV shows like TTSS, spy dramas set in Cold War Britain. You've got the le Carrie stuff, Harry Palmer, and Callan, all have a great feel to them. Instead of trying to make Bond work, lets get some cynical spy thrillers out.

[Piggyoioi]

I would really like to see more films/TV shows like TTSS, spy dramas set in Cold War Britain. You've got the le Carrie stuff, Harry Palmer, and Callan, all have a great feel to them. Instead of trying to make Bond work, lets get some cynical spy thrillers out.

Have you seen the Ipcress file? It has a plot just as confusing as TTSS but its really worth a watch. Made as a lowkey realistic response to the Bond franchise. Great looking film. Michael Caine plays a short sighted (literally) intelligence officer, manchurian candidate exploits ensue.

[Blumf]

Yep, and Funeral in Berlin, and Billion Dollar Brain (bit too fantastical that one).

[Piggyoioi]

Yep, and Funeral in Berlin, and Billion Dollar Brain (bit too fantastical that one).

I havent seen the third one, heard its mad - worth it just for the cinematography?

Steven Soderbergh released an edit with all three films playing at once at the same time which was pretty interesting.

[Blumf]

I havent seen the third one, heard its mad - worth it just for the cinematography?

Well, considering the films starting out as a reaction to Bond, it does tend to lean into Bond villain territory a bit. Certainly worth a watch if you've enjoyed the others though.

Steven Soderbergh released an edit with all three films playing at once at the same time which was pretty interesting.

A dangerous and crazed individual.

[mothman]

I would really like to see more films/TV shows like TTSS, spy dramas set in Cold War Britain. You've got the le Carrie stuff, Harry Palmer, and Callan, all have a great feel to them. Instead of trying to make Bond work, lets get some cynical spy thrillers out.

Toby Whithouse's The Game might be up your alley then, it's clearly inspired in look by the TTSS film. Though it's not very good, all in all, it's still an interesting curio.