An interview with John le Carré popped up in my feed, and–apart from reveling in le Carré’s staggeringly impressive vocabulary–it made me go look for a streaming version of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Some wonderful person has uploaded the entire six-episode series to YouTube, along with the sequel, Smiley’s People, tous le deux watchable back to back.

I had forgotten just how extraordinary Alec Guinness was in that production, and I had not realized that the part of Karla was played by Patrick Stewart, a non-speaking role infused with menace and contempt. Shiver. That is totally reversed in People, when he needs Smiley to save him and his daughter from his own side and he comes as a frightened supplicant, again a non-speaking role.

One of the few book-to-screen adaptations that doesn’t dumb down the source material. Neither disappoint.

Chatter Random Saturday Alec Guinness John le Carre Patrick Stewart Smiley's People Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy