I mentioned in my last post that I had been watching the tv series which the BBC made over forty years ago. It holds up very well indeed. I had been reading a novel by Charles Cumming, Box 88 of which more anon, and it was very much in the mould of the Smiley novels of le Carre and made me seek this series out once more.
I found myself totally absorbed as I watched the story unfold. I now know it well but I remember when I first saw Tinker Tailor I watched it with my then husband and we both found it very complicated. It was shown on a Saturday and on the Friday evening the BBC repeated the previous episode as a reminder (this was pre video days remember) and we watched it to refresh our memory before then embarking on the next one.
I found the terminology used by The Circus fascinating. There were "lamplighters" and "scalp hunters", names for the lower echelons while those on the top floor left them to do the grubby and dirty work. The Circus has a source in Moscow "Merlin" and his intelligence was called "witchhunter" and there was a lot of lurking around in drab safehouses and hotel rooms. One feels that this is how intelligence work operates with a lack of glamour and all rather drab, unlike the world of James Bond.
So I watched all the episodes and, once again, found I could not stop watching. Some of the music is intrusive and overdone but most of the scenes where a discussion is taking place and you see the layers of treachery being peeled away have no background music at all and all the better for it. It is "wordy" in the best sense of the word, a superb script and when spoken by the likes of Alec Guinness and Ian Richardson, it is pure joy. Radio 4 did an adaptation of it some time back with Simon Russell Beale as Smiley and an actor of that stature rendered it wonderful to listen to.
I have to mention the theme music Nunc Dimittis composed by Geoffrey Burgon. It was perfect and quite haunting. Having just heard it I find it hard to get it out of my head. Here is a Youtube clip to listen to:
Today was a rainy cold day and after my morning walk I sat down with my toast and coffee and watched the film made some five years ago and starring Gary Oldman as Smiley. I remember seeing it in the cinema on the day of its release and wondering what it would be like and if it would compare to this series. I need not have wondered as it was excellent and, once more, acting of the highest order. As well as Oldman we had Benedict Cumberbatch, Colin Firth, Ciaran HInds, Mark Strong and assorted British thesps.
It has made me want to read the book again and I searched in vain on my shelves and so by the wonder that is Kindle I downloaded a copy and will be taking a look at it in the coming week.
There are several books by le Carre featuring Smiley and I have read them all, but Tinker Tailor is the stand out one as far as I am concerned and I am looking forward to tackling it once more.
The BBC also did a second series, Smiley's People and I intend to watch that again as well. With things the way they are at the moment and the winter coming in, it is good to have something as good as this ready to keep me happy.
I am away for a few days now and will be reviewing my recently read when I return.
