tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post4818365171648146461..comments2024-03-28T15:01:21.285-04:00Comments on SleuthSayers: Smiley's SeriesLeigh Lundinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-13445849891122459932013-04-16T22:33:58.030-04:002013-04-16T22:33:58.030-04:00The CRIBB series was on in the US the same year as...The CRIBB series was on in the US the same year as the godawful NERO WOLFE series with William Conrad. It drove me crazy to watch the British do so well what the Americans couldn't do worth a damn.Robert Loprestihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-40303092533759721572013-04-16T12:13:06.374-04:002013-04-16T12:13:06.374-04:00I have these on my Netflix queue. (Back when they...I have these on my Netflix queue. (Back when they came out, I didn't have a TV set)<br />By the way, another excellent miniseries that I recently watched via Netflix was "Fortunes of War" with Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh, based on the novels by Olivia Manning. How do you survive as an alien resident overseas in wartime? Not much mystery, but lots of suspense - and excellent acting, locations, costumes... Worth it for Ronald Pickup as Prince Yakimov alone.Eve Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03015761600962360110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-53279676693629327522013-04-16T10:29:25.541-04:002013-04-16T10:29:25.541-04:00Rob, I hadn't heard before about le Carre'...Rob, I hadn't heard before about le Carre's reaction to Guinness's performance. It reminded me of Peter Lovesey "losing" his character Sergeant Cribb after that series of novels was dramatized (around the time of <i>Tinker Tailor</i>). If I'm remembering right, the Cribb adaptaions were one of the early jewels of the PBS <i>Mystery</i> show. Terence Fahertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05928381496296429254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-89872767720645552082013-04-16T09:57:38.593-04:002013-04-16T09:57:38.593-04:00I loved those series, and the books. I was frustr...I loved those series, and the books. I was frustrated by the movie because, in order to fit the story into two hours they left out the cleverest bit - as Smiley said, the way Karla turned the Circus inside out. (For those who have seen the movie but not the series or book: why did the non-traitors in the Circus protect the traitor? There is an excellent reason...)<br /><br />My favorite part of TTSS is the last line, delivered by Sian (sp?) Phillips as Lady Anne in a scene that did not appear in the book. And by the way, it is a sign of the quality of the series that they hired Phillips and Stewart for sign tiny (but vital) roles.<br /><br />LeCarre says he decided to resolve the Karla story with SP and stop writing about Smiley because watching Guinness film TTSS had actually changed his mental view of Smiley, and he wanted to keep it pure, so to speak.<br /><br />One final beloved moment. Smiley is waiting to meet the mole and talking to his assistant on the phone. The assistant hears a noise. It's Smiley checking his gun.<br /><br />"What are you doing?"<br />"Fiddling."Robert Loprestihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-75866890726071313892013-04-16T09:53:08.354-04:002013-04-16T09:53:08.354-04:00How true about TV shows becoming period pieces ove...How true about TV shows becoming period pieces over time--and ever more quickly nowadays. I've been watching the original Prime Suspect (1991) with Helen Mirren on Netflix, and it's fascinating to see how many details are now history, eg rotary-dial phones and the nonstop smoking. It also must have been one of the first detective shows to include a fair amount of forensic detail.Elizabeth Zelvinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13944424094949207841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-6633706551505644422013-04-16T08:15:06.236-04:002013-04-16T08:15:06.236-04:00You are "spot on" as Smiley might say ab...You are "spot on" as Smiley might say about these wonderful series, Terence. Oddly, not so long ago I took the same stroll that you did, and enjoyed the videos even more the second time around.David Deanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13005457506363262838noreply@blogger.com