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10/09/1979 War & Politics, Drama, Mystery 0h 50m
76
User score

One of Britain's master spies is working for the enemy. Can George Smiley beat him at his deadly game?

Overview

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a seven-part BBC2 spy drama written by Arthur Hopcraft, adapted from John le Carré's eponymous 1974 novel. The serial, which stars Alec Guinness, Alexander Knox, Ian Richardson, Michael Jayston, Bernard Hepton, Anthony Bate, Ian Bannen, George Sewell and Michael Aldridge, was broadcast from 10 September to 22 October 1979. George Smiley, the ageing master spy of the Cold War and once heir-apparent to Control, is brought back out of retirement to flush out a top level mole within the Circus. Smiley must travel back through his life and murky workings of the Circus to unravel the net spun by his nemesis Karla 'The Sandman' of the KGB and reveal the identity of the mole before he disappears.

Top billed cast

  1. Alec Guinness

    George Smiley

  2. Michael Jayston

    Peter Guillam

  3. Anthony Bate

    Sir Oliver Lacon

  4. George Sewell

    Mendel

  5. Bernard Hepton

    Toby Esterhase

  6. Robert MacNeil

    Self – Host (uncredited)

  7. Ian Richardson

    Bill Haydon

  8. Hywel Bennett

    Ricki Tarr

  9. Michael Aldridge

    Percy Alleline

  10. View more

Full Cast & Crew

Current Season

Season 1

 1979 | 7 Episodes

George Smiley, the ageing master spy of the Cold War and once heir-apparent to Control, is brought back out of retirement to flush out a top level mole within the Circus. Smiley must travel back through his life and murky workings of the Circus to unravel the net spun by his nemesis Karla 'The Sandman' of the KGB and reveal the identity of the mole before he disappears.

View All Seasons

Reviews

A review by CinemaSerf
Written by CinemaSerf on 2024-10-26
With the Cold War at it's height, the head of the British counter-espionage agency - "Control" (Alexander Knox) is giving a clear impression that he is losing the plot. He is visibly ailing so his subordinates gather like vultures waiting to take his place. His preferred candidate is the redoubtable, semi-retired, "Smiley" (Sir Alec Guinness) and pretty swiftly we discover that is because the old man is not so doting after all, and is suspicious that there is a spy in his midst. Who can he trust to investigate the matter? There were seven parts to this BBC drama and each episode delivers some ...read the rest
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Status
Ended

Original Language
English

Original Name
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Keywords