John Le Carré
Spy and
Spy Author
For All
Seasons.
John Le Carré has a new adaptation of "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" hitting movie theaters next week. Le Carre is that rarity of a cold war warrior - he was an agent for Britain's MI5 and MI6 who has managed to transition from the Cold War as seen in novels such as "The Spy Who Came In From The Cold" to the contemporary scene where the enemy is no longer so well defined, as is seen in "The Constant Gardener."
Le Carré's novels are not shoot ‘em up spy adventures with gadgets and femme fatales at every turn. His characters are rooted in the ordinary; they do not perform heroics in any physical sens, but are government operatives, performing their highly morally ambiguous duty. The arena is psychological, the conflicts are subtle, and the writing is always intelligent. Le Carré's novels make for a very satisfying read.
Le Carré's track record with film adaptations is impressive. The first was the adaptation of his third novel, "The Spy Who Came In From The Cold," starring Richard Burton. Further adaptations include “Call for the Dead,” Le Carré’s first novel, and the first George Smiley novel, adapted as “The Deadly Affair.” Other bright spots include "The Looking Glass War," "The Little Drummer Girl," "The Russia House" with Sean Connery, "The Tailor of Panama," and "The Constant Gardener" with Rachel Weisz and Ralph Feinnes.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy was first adapted by the BBC in 1979 and featured Alec Guinness as George Smiley, a role he reprised in the sequel, and adaptation of “Smiley’s People.” George Smiley is a recurring character in Le Carré’s fiction, and this is the fifth novel in which his archetypal non-hero appears.This most recent adaptation stars Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, and a veritable "who’s who" of British acting talent engaged in Le carré’s classic story of a mole in the British intelligence service, “the circus.” I for one will be at the front of the line buying popcorn!
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