Customer Reviews

Slow burning, totally compulsive viewing - By: J. Brooke, 12 Nov 2008
I watched this when first broadcastin 1982 & was utterly hooked - it was one of those programmes that was compulsory viewing & much discussed at work the following day. (although I remember Clive James,in his TV reviewer guise at the time, was a bit rude about the fact that it could make a heroine out of Connie, queen of the files.... well, you can't please everybody).

Anyway, the years went by, & then a couple of years ago I accidentally stumbled across this again as it was being repeated on BBC4 or some such ghetto channel. Unfortunately I'd missed the first couple of episodes (they were broadcasting it two episodes at a time) but I got hooked once more & made suitable arrangements to ensure that I caught the rest of the series - my family thought I was mad, but what the hell.

Lots of reviewers here have said that this is how BBC drama used to be, but I disagree to some extent - this is exemplary programme making by any standards. I've watched some other programmes that I thought were compelling on first viewing (I, Claudius, for example) & their age shows - still probably better than most of the rubbish spread thinly across all the channels today, but nowhere near as good as this. Don't go looking for high speed car chases, fisticuffs, or the like (although there are occasional flashes of very nasty stuff - for example when Smiley goes on the boatin Germany, or what happens to the Russian emigre's dog) - this is a slow burning, highly atmospheric story that gradually notches up the intrigue & tension, draws youin & eventually resolves with a satisfactory conclusion yet leaves enough questions dangling to wonder what happened next, & people's motives for their decisions & actions.

A terrific series,in short.

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Sublime, mesmeric, intelligent drama. - By: Fiona Jameson, 16 Jul 2008
Rarely does television or film do justice to the origonal intent of an author. But this & its accompanying series, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, may just be the exceptions to prove the rule. Beautifully adapted, exceptionally well acted, by a first class cast, including the late great Sir Alec Guinness. This drama slowly builds tension & layers of intrigue, weaving a tapestry of lies, truths, half truths, suspicions & faded memories.

If you enjoy being gently drawn into another world of pale shadows & grey ghost, forlorn memories & wistful regrets. If you have a normal attention span & an intellect that enjoys being stimulated, this is for you. If however you are of the 20 nanosecond, when is the next explosion coming generation, forget it.

Maybe one day British television will go back to what it used to do better than anyone. I doubt it, but until then we still have these fine examples of what once was.

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Superlative Television. - By: Paul Mason, 11 Dec 2007
Not quit as good as Tinker Taylor, the productions values are up there with the former; but you just knew the script was bad news for Karla! Still a great series, & superlative television, lots of well known faces acting their thespian socks off. And the great Alec Gunnies, absolutely believable as George Smiley; dawn to the smallest twitch of an eyebrow. This is very good television, where as Tinker Taylor is very very good television. If you have the first, you must have `Smiley's People' also.

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Brilliant portrayals of British and Soviet spies - By: Anthony Last, 08 Dec 2007
This is a quite wonderful performance from one of the best British character actors - Alec Guinness. His portrayal of George Smiley, an ex spy master, brought out of retirement because his nemesisin Soviet intelligence, Karla, (portrayed excellentlyin silence by Patrick Stewart)reveals a weakness that leads ultimately to his downfall at the hands of Smiley. Buy this if you like real life espionage stories rather than the James Bond type fantasies.

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Simply unmissable - By: Network English, 15 Sep 2007
Six episodes on 2 dvd's plus interviews with le Carré himself & John Irvin.
This adaptation of Smiley's People is as faultless as Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. No cut corners & absolutely true to the book. Brilliant acting throughout - I was surprised to see one reviewer below saying Barry Foster was "appalling" as Saul Enderby. Enderby is supposed to be appalling. Foster plays him superblyin my opinion.
The interview with John Irvin reveals that Alec Guinness thought Arthur Lowe more suitable for the part of Smiley. No disrespect to Arthur Lowe, but Guinness' portrayal of Smiley is perhaps one of the greatest performancesin televisual drama.
They shot TTSS & SP on film, & the quality of the picture is excellent. The directing is first class, as is the cinematography.
What a shame they never made The Honourable Schoolboy - though making that would have been the entire BBC budget for a year I imagine.
I would recommend anyone to buy these two BBC gems as soon as possible, especially at the prices they're now going for on Amazon.