The best spy film of the decade does not play host to James
Bond or Jason Bourne. Tinker Tailor
Soldier Spy, adapted from John Le Carre’s celebrated novel of the same
name, offers a unique take on the shady underworld of international espionage.
Tomas Alfredson, director of the chillingly beautiful Let the Right One In, abandons the girls, guns and action that have
become synonymous with the genre. Instead, Tinker
Tailor launches an assault of malicious whispering, unbearable silence and
sweat inducing tension. This is a film in which the smallest of details
register in a big way.
Set in London in the early 1970’s, Tinker Tailor focuses on the lives of those employed by the British
secret service. A disastrous operation in Budapest leads to the sacking of
Control (John Hurt) and his right hand man, George Smiley (Gary Oldman). When
it becomes clear that one of his former colleagues is a double agent, Smiley is
lured back into the world of international espionage to identify the traitor. What
ensues is a complex tale of betrayal, corruption and deceit.
Tinker Tailor
boasts an ensemble cast showcasing the very best acting talent Britain has to
offer. Man of the moment Tom Hardy plays the rough and ready Ricki Tarr, a British
agent operating in Russia. It is Tarr who first discovers the double agent in
the midst of the secret service, and Hardy is typically convincing as a man living
on the edge, oozing both vulnerability and guilt whilst maintaining the tough
image associated with the man who beat batman to a pulp. Benedict Cumberbatch
excels as Peter Guillam, Smiley’s closest ally, demonstrating an emotional
depth lacking in his portrayal of Mr Holmes in the BBC’s primetime drama
Sherlock. Familiar faces Colin Firth, John Hurt, Mark Strong, Kathy Burke and Toby
Jones are all stellar throughout, each cast perfectly in their respective
roles.
Despite the strong performances from the supporting cast,
the film rests heavily on the shoulders of its protagonist; George Smiley. Gary
Oldman has carved out an extremely successful career through his numerous
portrayals of villainy. Indeed, the villains of Oldman are a loud, overstated
breed; think of his appearances in True Romance, Leon and the Fifth Element. Only
recently, with his roles in both the Harry Potter and Dark Knight franchises,
has Oldman been seen to portray the hero. In a career littered with defining
performances, Smiley stands as the most impressive of them all; the jewel in
the crown.
Oldman is almost undoubtedly the best working actor without
an Oscar nomination to his name. In this respect, it is easy to see the
similarities between Smiley and the man portraying him; both are overlooked,
underappreciated and shun public attention. Both are utterly dedicated to their
respective crafts. Alfredson presents Smiley as a true mystery; an unsolvable
riddle with which the audience are expected to engage. Framing, lighting and
setting are utilised in order to distance Smiley from the viewer, making the
aging spy seem all the more enigmatic. Also, at numerous points in the film the
spectacles of Smiley play host to reflections, effectively hiding the character’s
eyes from the audience. This is by no means unintentional on the part of
Alfredson. If one is to refer to the old English proverb which describes the
eyes as the windows of the soul, what can be said of Smiley?
Mysteriously, Tinker
Tailor proved both a critical and commercial success, despite leaving audiences
bewildered by its complex narrative. Certainly, a large part of the films allure is rooted in the
considerable challenge of keeping up with events as they unfold on screen, yet Tinker Tailor can be seen to offer more
than just a gripping story. Indeed, Tinker
Tailor devastatingly depicts the toll that such a profession can take on a
human life; Smiley himself stands as a testament to the sacrifices that a spy
must endure.
One criticism that seems to be levelled at Tinker Tailor is that the big reveal isn’t
the gut wrenching experience it ought to be. True, the unmasking of the double
agent does present itself as an anti-climax; the audience are deprived of
Smiley’s initial confrontation with the traitor he has so doggedly pursued. But
so what? Tinker Tailor is a film concerned
with people, not in entertaining the masses solely through its narrative. Indeed,
the mole’s identity is actually of little concern, it is the journey of Smiley
that really demands our attention.
Alfredson layers the filmic journey of Smiley with plenty of
subtle hints which allow us to identify the double agent. When Smiley labels
the chess pieces, the Russian informant Polyakov is a black rook, and Bill
Haydon is tellingly posted on the white rook. Early in the film, Smiley sits in
his house studying the painting given to him by Bill Haydon, in a sense looking
at Bill himself, thus establishing the two as nemeses from the start. Perhaps
most obviously, in one of his earliest lines Control states that “a man should know
when to leave the party”. Later in the film, during a flashback to a Christmas
party, Bill Haydon “leaves the party” to be with Smiley’s wife as his colleagues
sing the USSR anthem, thus leaving little doubt to the identity of the traitor
in the finale.
Tinker Tailor is
undeniably a thriller for grown-ups. Themes of betrayal and corruption are
prevalent, and important clues required to solve the narrative puzzle are
subtle. Alfredson deserves praise for his refusal to compromise; the audience
are treated as equals; as (dare I say it) intelligent. Combine this lack of
compromise with its grainy imagery, and a formal composition of long lens
shots, rack-focus, tracking shots and a drab colour palette; Tinker Tailor could be mistaken for a film
of the 1970’s.
With its Terrence Malick like pacing, melancholy tone and
demanding narrative, Tinker Tailor is
certainly not a film for everyone. Yet those who can stomach the demands of
Alfredson will be rewarded with what is one of the most compelling, intelligent
and downright beautiful films in many, many years. The glacial atmosphere drips
from every frame, and the minute details of Alfredson’s world are inhaled by
the viewer. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
can genuinely lay claim to be the best espionage film ever made. So it’s true
what they say; slow and steady wins the race…
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