Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1979)

There's no denying the fact that the BBC's 1979 television adaptation of John le Carré's novel 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' is a difficult and challenging series, but fans of the novel and of le Carré's work in general should be more than thrilled to see the densely complex story brought to life with terrific detail and authenticity. This is a show which demands that its viewers listen carefully to every conversation and utterance. Much like the real life of a spy, the smallest, most seemingly-fruitless piece of information could mean the difference between the security of a nation and its downfall.

Revealing the inner-workings of intelligence-gathering, and the high-risk stakes placed on protecting one's country, the show dispels the glamourized fantasy adventures of secret agents. From its opening moments, we are instantly immersed into the dark, anxiety-ridden world of espionage, where even a scheduled meeting between the head officers inside a bland room fills with tension. There is no idolized, operatic display of hand-to-hand combat or gun-fights. This is an environment where a single glare of the eyes is just as nerve-wracking as looking down the barrel of a gun, where literally no person can be trusted, not even those believed to be intimate friends.

This is the life of a spy — dreary, shadowy, terribly pessimistic, and frightfully lonely. No one in 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' encompasses this thankless existence better than our would-be hero, George Smiley. Played exquisitely by Sir Alec Guinness, who is probably best remembered as Obi-Wan Kenobi, the character is methodical, highly systematic, and extraordinarily patient. Under Guiness' expertise, Smiley appears remote and indifferent on the outside, never cluing us and others around him in when he is provoked or troubled. Behind his blank stares, the man is constantly thinking, calculating, and reasoning through information as it becomes available.

On the surface, we follow Smiley as he is brought out of a forced retirement in order to hunt down a mole in the upper ranks of the "Circus," an ironic codename for MI6 given the current plot. With the valued assistance of Peter Guillam (Michael Jayston), Smiley sifts through various bits of information, peeling away and examining layers, patterns, and connections, in order to slowly expose a deadly game of wits. But while the discovery of that double agent keeps us invested, culminating in a fast-paced and exciting conclusion, the real genius of the story lies in the brief glimpses into the lives of these clandestine spies. On top of that, there's a recurring theme of the hard-nosed, traditional methods for intelligence gathering versus the younger, more career-oriented generation.

This miniseries is a finely made adaptation of a labyrinthine puzzle that's as terrifically engaging as it is thoroughly complex. The opening credits to each episode feature a matryoshka doll, showing one angrier than the former, up to the final, faceless figurine, is one of the most fitting ever devised. It aptly and brilliantly alludes to the game played between different intelligence establishments, gradually uncovering one secret after another, while the final reveals the empty rewards. The memorable show is a mesmerizing and moody tale of high-stakes intrigue which fans of true espionage genre entries can relish for many years to come. And here's hoping one day, we'll see the original seven-part series as enjoyed in the U.K.

The Blu-ray: Vital Disc Stats

Acorn Media brings 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' to Blu-ray as a two-disc package with a cardboard slipcover. Inside a blue amaray keepcase on opposing panels, the two are Region Free, BD-50 discs with each containing three episodes. After a brief promo piece for the distribution company, viewers are greeted by a fairly standard main menu window with music and full-motion clips. The second disc also contains all the special features.