Smiley's People (miniseries)


Smiley’s People is a 1982 drama miniseries in six parts, made for the BBC. Directed by Simon Langton, produced by Jonathan Powell, it is the television adaptation of the 1979 spy novel Smiley's People by John le Carré, and the sequel to Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Starring Alec Guinness, Michael Byrne, Anthony Bate and Bernard Hepton, it was first shown in the United Kingdom from 20 September to 22 October 1982, and in the United States beginning on 25 October 1982.

Plot

is called out of retirement when one of his former assets, an émigré general, is found murdered. In tidying up loose ends for the "Circus", his former employer, he discovers a clandestine operation run by his nemesis, Karla, for his own personal benefit. Smiley is able to use this irregularity against Karla, forcing him to defect to the West.

Cast

The series was produced in partnership with the BBC and Paramount Pictures with a budget of $3 million. Due to the success of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, director John Irvin had begun making movies and was unavailable. Later in pre-production, Simon Langton replaced John MacKenzie, Irvin's initial successor as director of the series. During filming, Guinness was not satisfied with Langton, writing; "I felt dubious about Simon's work... I greatly miss John Irvin's grip and inner tension." Arthur Hopcraft declined the offer to write the screenplay and was replaced by John Hopkins. Author le Carré was called in to help resolve technical difficulties within the script. In contrast to the public television broadcast of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Smiley's People was telecast in the U.S. in November 1982 as an Operation Prime Time presentation on some 100 independent commercial stations across the country.
The bridge leading from East to West Berlin for the defection scene was found in the Midlands city of Nottingham. Other location shooting was done in Berne, Hamburg, Paris, and London.

Reception

The initial reviews were good, but the enthusiasm decreased as the series progressed. A contemporary review in The New York Times described the production as a "marvelously riveting television film" and referred to Guinness's performance as stunning and the supporting company as outstanding. The review summarized the series as "the best show you are likely to see on television for the time being." In a retrospective review, Neal Justin of the Star Tribune called Guinness's portrayal of Smiley as "a master class in subtle acting." Mark Lawson of The Guardian called the adaptation, "among the most beautiful and enduring achievements of TV drama."

Awards

In 1983 Smiley's People won four BAFTA awards, including Best Actor and Best Actress, and was nominated for six others. The series also won a Peabody Award. In 2010, The Guardian ranked the series at number 17 in their list of "The Top 50 TV Dramas of All Time".