Disappointing, very disappointing..

Rating: 4/10 (12 February 2012)

I desperately wanted to be moved by this film. This is one of the most important pieces of literature in the genre and deserved to be introduced to a newer and younger audience. I was expecting something with shark-like bite, but sat through pickled herring instead. Sadly, it was a colossal failure and in no way measures up to the depth and nuance of the book.
Several key "actors" were completely missing from the film; namely WW2, Cold War, Vietnam. The backdrop of the film was completely missing. Without somehow acquainting the audience with the wartime experiences of the characters, they appeared to be drawn from the cast of Glengarry Glenross. These were supposed to have been men and women who had a close acquaintance with death, both through the war and on into the Cold War. Where was the gripping tension of the East West nuclear scrum? Why wasn't the spectre of Vietnam even alluded to? Unfortunately, Gary Oldham is completely miscast here. Smiley is an intellectual turned loose in the fields of war, not a social studies teacher. He trained and ran agents, got shot at, killed people, played the great game, charmed a debutante. The Smiley we got was so retiring that he retired from view.
The biggest shame was not using flash backs to fill in the blanks. So much of this story is understated, with the expectation that the audience is acquainted with Eritish school boy life, the British caste system, military life, de-colonialization, Cold War politics, Cambridge life in the 30's. Somehow those missing pieces had to be brought out. Also, the long and bleak intro just did not make any sense. The frequent cutaways to the trainyard with voice over was completely pointless. Yes, there were trains in 60's London, just as there are today. So what.
I can understand the author's keenness to be involved in the project in order to acquaint a new audience with one of his masterworks. I am sure, deep in his secret heart, Alec Guinness prowls the streets of London with a copy of Grimmelshausen tucked under his arm, his umbrella at the ready as he ruminates on the perils of a Secret Service which couldn't keep it's secrets. Please rent or watch the BBC series to really get a sense of the true depth of this masterwork.