Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Director: Tomas Alfredson
Cast: Gary Oldman, Toby Jones, Colin Firth, David Dencik, Ciarán Hinds, Benedict Cumberbatch and John Hurt
Releasing in cinemas: 19 January 2012
Rated: MA 15+

The great writers never go out of fashion. One of those whose work continues to inspire filmmakers is the renowned thriller novelist John le Carré. From The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965) to The Constant Gardener (2005), his works have been the basis for some 15 films and television shows over the years. Now hot Swedish director Tomas Alfredson (Let the Right One In) takes on possibly the most quintessentially British of his novels with Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

Editions of the novel typically run to around 400 pages, so this is no easy story to bring to the big screen. The tale has previously been filmed, in the late ‘70s as a seven-part TV mini-series - which should tell you something about the Byzantine complexity of the source material.

Alfredson’s solution to the dilemma of jamming this intricately detailed story into a palatable 2 hours is to adopt a highly impressionistic approach to the film. Events that took up considerable space in the book and the mini-series (the demise of Control, for example) are handled with a broad - but deft - brush.

The advantage of this approach is that Alfredson is able to tell the story visually, rather than resorting to lengthy dialogues to explain what has happened. The flip-side, of course, is that it makes more demands on the audience to keep up. This certainly isn’t a movie for anyone looking for light entertainment or a good laugh. The mood is sombre - reflected in the dulled palette of mostly wintry tones employed by cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema - and the action largely subdued.

The plot is based on real events - namely, the discovery of the so-called Cambridge Five group of traitors (which included Guy Burgess and Kim Philby) within the British intelligence service. It’s the early 1970s, and after a mission in Budapest goes horribly awry, the head of MI6, known by the code-name Control (John Hurt) suspects there’s a Soviet spy at the very heart of the organisation. He narrows the list of possible “moles” down to four - Percy Alleline (Toby Jones), Bill Haydon (Colin Firth), Toby Esterhase (David Dencik) and Roy Bland (Ciarán Hinds). But with Control forced out and Alleline now in charge, weeding out the mole from the close-knit group will be tough. Control organises for retired agent George Smiley (Gary Oldman) to come back to “the Circus” to head up the investigation. With trusted agent Peter Guillam (Benedict Cumberbatch) assisting, Smiley begins the laborious process of catching the rat.

For fans of the novel, it’s worth noting that while the basic story (including the identity of the “mole”) remain intact, some details have been changed. The mission that goes wrong at the start of the story, for example, has been changed from Prague to Budapest (this was apparently done for economic reasons). Other characters have personal details changed, and some of the time lines are shifted.

None of that however should detract from what is a finely crafted and intelligent spy thriller. This is certainly a slow-burning film. Many of the important plot points drop out of phone calls or examining documents. When the action does happen though - such as “that bloody business in Budapest” - it’s handled with considerable skill and a good degree of realism.

Given the nature of the film, the acting is critical, and the cast deliver. In the pivotal role of Smiley, Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight) produces one of the performances of his career. Known for his over-the-top roles, here he plays Smiley with a world-weary countenance but a spring in his step once the chase is on. As the four potential moles, Toby Jones (Captain America), Colin Firth (The King’s Speech), David Dencik (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo [2009]) and Ciarán Hinds (The Debt) are all fine; with Jones in particular standing out as the prickly Scot, Alleline. Everyone’s favourite British actor of the moment, Benedict Cumberbatch (War Horse) brings subtlety to the role of Guillam; while John Hurt (Melancholia) has some nice, if limited, moments as Control. You may need a sharp eye however to catch the man himself, John le Carré, in a small cameo appearance

For fans of le Carré or the spy genre in general, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy will undoubtedly be compulsory viewing. It shouldn’t be limited though. This is a film with an intelligent script and fine acting that will appeal to those who like complex and demanding cinema. While I appreciate this probably leaves out a large swag of the movie-going audience, this remains a high calibre film of real quality.  

David Edwards