The Cold War's Frontline

The BBC miniseries version of John LE Carre's novel, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, is an excellent "thinking man's/woman's" guide to Western vs. Eastern spies in the latter part of the 20th Century. Complete with spycraft, remote locations, inter- and intra-office politics, us vs. them themes, and what could be called lone-unsung-national hero vs. the broken system themes, TTSS consistently delivers a realistic, plain look at the often seemingly routine aspects of spying.

However, in the "secret world" there is nothing trivial about routine. Every phrase, occurrence, decision, and omission has great meaning and consequence. This is what offers entertainment and suspence as the viewer is taken from personal stories to international intrigue, and back again, with ever changing scene.

A basic knowledge of British Intelligence is most benefitial to fully enjoy this video. One must know, or quickly pick up on jargon terms like "The Circus" in reference to B.I., or "scalpers" (operational case officers) to fully follow the story on all levels. This is one of TTSS's main points. There are several layers of existence, as metamorically shown in the opening credits, to "the game".

The plot centers around a George Smiley(Alec Guiness), secretly contacted by the civilian government, to conduct an independent, internal investigation that will unveil the "mole" hidden high and deep in B.I. Pitted vs. Smiley is Karla (Patrick Stewart), the Soviet's top-man in covert operations at "Moscow Center".

Who will prevail? Can one man clean up the mess? Is it just one man working alone, or does the presence of one well-placed Soviet spy have that much power to wreak havoc throughout B.I.? Who is the real enemy, mole or incompetent leadership?

Peal the layers back and enjoy. This one is riveting.