BACK IN THE COLD: "TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY"

Gary Oldman as spy master George Smiley in the upcoming film version of the classic thriller: TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY. Image: WORKING TITLE.

Created during the dangerous and blizzardy peak of the fascinating period of the Cold War between the East and West of the 1960' and 70s, within a period constantly referred to by its key operatives and soldier pawns in warfare as like playing a game of chess-move and counter-move, with the world as the winning prize- primarily involving academic British and resilient Americans secretly fighting against their Soviet Bloc counter-parts, ex-British spy turned author John le Carré (real name David John Moore Cornwell) would, using his experiences as a base, craft one of the most successful characters in literary publishing history, and especially the most realistic one yet for the then burgeoning espionage genre, with the birth of the subdued, often cold hearted and tough, doggedly determined and shrewd as a shark agent, George Smiley, who would, into the late seventies and early eighties, be played definitively twice, for the small screen (BBC TV) in two expert adaptations of le Carré's acclaimed books: TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY, and its sequel SMILEY'S PEOPLE (part of a trilogy, of which the original second book, THE HONOURABLE SCHOOLBOY, remains unfilmed), and which, upon first transmission, would soon win as much praise as the books they were based from. A total chameleon of an actor, Guinness, at first unsure how to play the elusive to pin down the intriguing part- a decent but emotionally reticent man who is only at his best within his job- soon used le Carré himself for inspiration - his body language, gestures, and so forth, to great success, in a portrayal which, it seems, would later go on to personally annoy or frustrate the author, who, allegedly, wasn't able to get Guinness's Smiley out of his head when planning future books, and soon decided, as it was clashing with his indivdualistic style and robbing the author of his uniqueness as a writer, to not do any more with the character (after one brief final appearance in a 1990 novel,) as Guinness seemed to have blissfully unaware stolen Smiley away from him. A great pity...

The brilliant Sir Alec Guinness as Smiley in the original 1979 version of TINKER. Image: BBC.

There may indeed be no more new George Smiley tales, but le Carré has given permission for a new actor to play the role, and carry on his complex spying game, for a feature-film adaptation of TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY, to be released in cinemas this September, with the always excellent British character actor Gary Oldman bravely taking up the challenge of both resurrecting and bringing a unique new perspective to an existing iconic character, especially one so previously well realised by such a great actor as Guinness. We're more than confident that Oldman will surpass expectations.

UPDATE: Trailer (30/7/2011): Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy: World exclusive international teaser trailer | Film | guardian.co.uk

When enemies meet! STAR TREK's Patrick Stewart as KGB man Karla encounters Smiley (Guinness) in 1982's SMILEY'S PEOPLE. Image: BBC.

Adapted by Peter Straughan and directed by Tomas Alfredson (the visual mastermind behind the superb teen vampire film LET THE RIGHT ONE IN), with a great British cast including Tom Hardy, Mark Strong, Colin Firth, SHERLOCK's Benedict Cumberbatch and Kathy Burke as Connie Sachs (played in the original TV version by Beryl Reid, who won a BAFTA for her portrayal), TINKER looks set to be a great film, and we can't wait to see how this complex tale of traitors, murder, corruption and machination, as Smiley, coming out of semi-retirement and emotionally detached from his wife, hunts for a Soviet mole within MI6, translates in its new big screen environment.

In the meantime, as we await the film, check out the two BBC adaptations on DVD-they are well worth getting hold of (and at very affordable prices online), and more than show the UK TV corporation at its very best with regards to often unequalled drama production.