MovieChat Forums > Smiley's People (1982) Discussion > Peter Guillam and Molly

Peter Guillam and Molly

posted 17 years ago by Hal-83
16 replies | jump to latest

I have read TTSS, in which Peter Guillam is casually involved with a music student, and watched SP, in which he appears committed to his young French wife. In the latter, Saul Enderby asks Peter about his marriage and on receiving a generally positive response, mutters that he should wait three years, then glances at Molly. Throughout that meeting, Guillam had been watching the interaction between Enderby and Molly with some amusement. My question is, what did I miss between the three of them in The Honourable Schoolboy? Did Guillam and Molly have an affair before she hooked up with the boss?

Well, why don't we call it "research" or something?

[–] bmwhtly 17 years ago

In The Honourable Schoolboy, Guillam does court Molly Meakin. And, if I remember right, they do *ahem* Rock the Kazbah. But that was before either of them were married.

And good work catching the looks from Enderby to Molly, I missed that. I gues your tradecraft is better than mine :)

[–] CmdrCody 17 years ago

One other comment about Molly. While she is probably good enough for Saul Enderby as "Research," her input at the meetings she's in is to simply be a "yes man" to Enderby. With her it's "Right, Chief," or "All indicators support your view, Chief." I don't think Smiley is too impressed and doesn't even glance at her.

Now compare her with the old Head of Research, Connie Sachs. We only see her after she's gotten "the chop," exiled to her parlor. But what a memory and analytical mind. She was great. And she had to be to keep up with Control, Smiley and "...all her lovely boys."

CmdrCody

[–] bmwhtly 17 years ago

Bear in mind, Cmdr, that in Schoolboy when Smiley is brought in as cheif, he re-instates COnnie and Molly serves under her.
And the two of them do get on well.

But yes, Connie is a far more interesting character then Molly.

[–] CmdrCody 17 years ago

bmwhtly: Going on vacation for three weeks. Now, I must read "Schoolboy" to find out what I'm missing !!!

CmdrCody

[–] CmdrCody 17 years ago

bmwhtly: On vacation in Canada, I finally read "Honourable Schoolboy." You're right. "Smiley's People is more bittersweet and in perspective once we know what happened to Westerby.

CmdrCody

[–] bmwhtly 17 years ago

You're right

Oooh, I can't hear that enough.

Smiley's People is more bittersweet and in perspective once we know what happened to Westerby.

Yup.
Once you realise that smiley could have possibly got Karla in Schoolboy without resorting to Karla's tactics (which is what stung at the end of Smiley's people)

[–] Hal-83 17 years ago

Ooh, I haven't seen this thread in ages! Great responses! You've inspired me to dip into THS this Christmas. I have a very long return car trip to make and will listen to the audiobook narrated by TTSS's Guillam himself, Michael Jayston.

Well, why don't we call it "research" or something?

[–] bmwhtly 17 years ago

Let us know what you think, Hal-83!

[–] Hal-83 17 years ago

Bumping this thread after nigh on 6 months!

Speaking of Molly - was she even in the novel of Smiley's People? I can't recall her being in the meeting with Saul "Have a scaaatch!" Enderby (seriously, a great character!) and Smiley. Actually, I can't remember Guillam there either, to be honest. If their presence in that scene were plugged into the screenplay by the adaptors, I am seriously impressed. Having watched SM before having read either it or The Honorable Schoolboy, it added a lot to the scenes and displayed the passing of time with excellence.

I found the audio of THS fascinating as a thriller - though with the constant rewinding etc, I listened to a lot of it out of order and make have skipped a bit here and there, which is an obvious problem.

I could have done with less Lizzie. After showing Connie and the phantom-like Ann as genuinely fascinating women, it was kind of a bore (and a let-down, really) to hear ream after ream about slightly dim, vaguely posh, aimless and sluttish Lizzie who latches on to the wrong men. Kind of a stock Le Carre female, and a disappointment.

It actually really difficult to follow the goings on at the Circus, re Sam and Peter and Saul, and even more so when Smiley ducked his head down and became all mysterious and refusing to engage in the last 1/4 of the book.

Any kind help would be appreciated!

Well, why don't we call it "research" or something?

[–] roseytrebles 14 years ago

I read all three books before I watched any of the adaptations, and I have to say, in both the books and the miniseries, I was really disappointed that Peter didn't marry Molly! I thought they were such a great pair in The Honourable Schoolboy, and for Peter to reappear, suddenly married to a random French girl much younger than him, was kind of depressing to me. (And yes, Molly Meakin wasn't in the book Smiley's People at all, which I thought was too bad--interesting that in the miniseries they felt she had a place). I've always wondered why Le Carré decided to this. Does anyone else feel the same, or have any thoughts on why Molly was given the axe?

[–] finnegansword 14 years ago

My goodness, how seriously we take all these characters. It’s almost as if some of us half believed they were real. Now I much admire the author’s plotting of the stories, but for some reason I do not speculate along the lines that roseytrebles does. This “what if” line seems to be quite unreal. Perhaps, I ask myself, do I lack imagination? Quite possibly so. But I live in the present – in the “here and now,” not in the world of fantasy, and believe it or not something much more exciting is happening in my life at the moment.

But you raised a good point, roseytrebles, so perhaps somebody else will pick up the gauntlet and let us share their fantastic world?

[–] roseytrebles 14 years ago

Oh gosh finnegansword, I mean of course these characters aren't real and it's great that your life is exciting, but I don't think there's anything wrong with caring about the characters; I think that's what really good fiction does. And if anything, the fact that they are fictional makes the "why"s and "what if"s more fun to ask, because you know that everything about them has been selected by one person, the author, and presumably for a reason--as opposed to real life, when things just happen and it's often of no use to ask why.

Anyhow, just my two cents!

[–] finnegansword 14 years ago

Good on yer, roseytrebles, I think it sounds as though you have the makings of an author or a playwright. Have you thought about it?

[–] roseytrebles 14 years ago

Thanks, finnegansword!--I have to say you're very perceptive. I publish under the name Emit Reislyn, at Lulu.com. :) Just starting out as a matter of fact so wish me luck!

[–] finnegansword 14 years ago

Sure - what fun, I'm familiar with lulu (sounds like the cue for a song, "she'll come by herself!") and another somewhat similar internet publishing outfit contacted me recently as well. I had a 400+ page manuscript on their site, but it was historical/architectural in content. I eventually withdrew it.

We must talk, but this site is an unsuitable venue. Why not e-mail me at [email protected]

P.S. Like the cover of your book!

[–] roseytrebles 14 years ago

Okay great! I'll be writing soon. :)