Intelligent evocation of the cold war

Rating: 10/10 (5 February 2012)

An intelligent film for an intelligent audience which captured the era beautifully. Writing, directing, design, cinematography and acting were all first rate. I had wondered how the book and the TV series could be cut down to two hours while keeping the slow burn pace and sense of intrigue. It managed it very well. I will enjoy watching this film again in the future as well as enjoying the BBC serialisation and reading the book again. Perhaps it helps to have been alive in the UK in the 50s and 60s and to have been aware of the politics of the time which saw the exposure of Philby, Burgess and Maclean. While I thoroughly enjoyed it I can understand completely that others might find it boring. It is slow moving and it's not always clear what's going on - criticisms that were levelled at the BBC version at the time it was made. But I have enjoyed them both very much.