MovieChat Forums > Smiley's People (1982) Discussion > Spoilers- The Russian's plot

Spoilers- The Russian's plot

posted 11 years ago by DrNick1
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I know the Brits make a point of mentioning how Karla's plot was amateurish because he didn't dare use official resources to carry out his personal mission. However, when they get Mrs. Ostrakova to apply for her daughter to come to France, the Russians had to "disappear" her or take care of her immediately after papers are issued, because she is the only one, barring the French bureaucracy working, who is likely to ask questions when her daughter never shows up. Even in 1980, I imagine the French would be able to tell if a passport or visa they had issued had been used, as it was when Karla's daughter went to Switzerland. Instead, Karla waits quite a while before attempting to silence her.

[–] chester-copperpot-1 11 years ago

I don't know if this issue is resolved in the book, but I think Karlas general plan was to co-opt Ostrakova into believing that his daughter was really her own. She would play the part of the mother throughout, never knowing her real daughter had been substituted. He would continue to act in Russia, only sending money to the Swizz hospital, and having Ostrakova taking care of his daughter as if she was her own. Indefinitely, or as long as it would take for Karla to make his way out of Russia.

This plan failed when she contacted the General, and Otto Leipzig lured the truth out of Karlas right-hand man Kirov. Karla then had to eliminate every trace and therefore every person in the chain of events, all leading back to Madame Ostrakova. In the end, the plan backfired completely, and he had to burn himself at his employer, and flee hand and foot as a common criminal. The plan was totally unnecessary, with several completely unecessary deaths.