Jeanskynebu the audience applauded

ChanFamous I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Jemima It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

Cody One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

robertguttman Those whose idea of a spy thriller is James Bond will be disappointed in "Smiley's People". George Smiley is definitely NOT James Bond. George Smiley uses no high-tech gadgets, gets into no spectacular car chases, doesn't go to bed with a single sexy woman, and there is not one single explosion in the entire six-part miniseries. "Smiley's People" is a spy thriller intended for grownups, not adolescents. Those points being granted, however, "Smiley's People" is a brilliant, intricate, thinking-man's spy thriller, worthy of the author of "Tinker, Tailor, Solder, Spy" and "The Spy Who Came In From the Cold". An aging Russian émigré suddenly contacts British Intelligence with information about the activities of a Soviet spy-master and demands a meeting, which goes tragically wrong. Restricted by bureaucracy from getting involved in any sort of skullduggery, British Intelligence summons retired spy-master George Smiley out of retirement as an independent contractor to sort the mess out. Alec Guinness, who probably played more different sorts of characters than any other actor, considered George Smiley to be his favorite role. Unlike most of Guinness' other roles, there is nothing flashy about George Smiley. Smiley is quiet and thoughtful. He stays within himself, asking questions but giving little away. His face remains impassive and rarely betrays what he is thinking. His manner is quiet and conservative, the sort of man who would attract little attention. However, he is extremely astute and one of the most brilliant counter-espionage agents around. The fact that he is so bland meant that the part of George Smiley was probably a whole lot more difficult to play than most of the flashy character roles for which Guinness was known.Give this one an 8 for it's intricate, thoughtful plot and the superb performance by Alec Guinness.

paul2001sw-1 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' was one of the standout television series of the 1970s, a perfect adaptation of John Le Carre's best book, a spry thriller, a detective story, and a character study of every shade of English eccentric, brought to life by a perfect cast. 'Smiley's People', made a few years later, is a slightly different beast. It's a lower key tale, set right at the end of the careers of Le Carre's favourite protagonist, the fanatical moderate George Smiley and his perpetual nemesis Karla; for a thriller, there's an awful lot of sitting around while not much happens. If it lacks the claustrophobia and urgency of the previous effort, it still has the unsurpassable Alec Guinness in the lead role; and in odd moments, such as where we see Smiley visiting his neglectful wife Ann, Guinness is truly masterful in conveying so much while saying so little. It might not make too much sense if you haven't seen its predecessor; but together, the two are arguably the best work of Guinneess's long and distinguished career.

blanchjoe So much as been already said about either Tinker Tailor or Simleys People that my addition is small, however in a film world driven by special affects or minimal story content, these two film series represents some of the foremost screenplay, editing, acting and cinematography to date. This film does NOT cater to the viewer, it demands you pay attention, even small details have far reaching ramifications later in the film. This is dense story that for some may require seeing the film two or three times to understand and appreciate. The star of this story is Alec Guiness giving one of the most powerful and interesting performances of his wonderful acting career. It is a film whose only poor quality is that it does not go on longer to enjoy.

whist While still a watchable and intelligent story, Smiley's People is a distinctly different animal from its companion Tinker Tailor. Each time I've watched Smiley's People I've found myself yearning for the kinds of complexities and subtleties movies based on LeCarre''s other stories are usually rich with - alas, the yearning goes unrequited. Whereas I can watch Tinker Tailor yet again and discover an uncaught double entendre or an unnoticed directorial adumbration, I find little new after repeated viewings of Smiley's People. What makes Smiley's People so disappointing? First, the complexity of supporting characters in SP is woeful. Sometimes there are explicit claims that this or that person is a bit checkered, other times there is a hint that a person is running under false colors, but in every case what we are presented with are affable, earnest, innocuous people, and any potentially complicating factors are forgotten.Another disappointment is the generally threadbare plot. I haven't read the book so I have no idea if there is more to it than is captured in the movie, but the story strikes me as pretty under-inflated for its momentous outcome. Perhaps, in addition to an intricate plot, it is the play of dark and light across the landscape that fascinates us. But this kind of interference pattern is largely lacking in Smiley's People. Perhaps most disappointing is that Smiley's People is really not a spy movie at all. Sadly, George Smiley has been reduced to little more than another bbc shire detective. One intriguing characteristic of the spy genre is that of the minions, which each side keeps, and the perverse way these underlings are manipulated by their controllers who are always ready to gambit. In The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, for example, the spy Leamus is passed up the chain of eastern bloc dog's bodys, and each in turn is treated with contempt by his better. In Smiley's People, rather ironically, it is not his people, but Smiley who does most of the trotting around searching for clues.There is one scene, late in the movie, that reminds me of the 'old' circus and its culture. When we meet Saul Enderby and are treated to his brand of pompous asininity - a sure sign of some serious deception - I finally feel a waking interest. But alas it is too little and too late.