Sloooow.

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Its difficult to know how to respond to you. Whatever I tell you won't speed up the pacing...

But I love this series so much I'll give it a go..

The pacing is very slow by modern standards and was pretty slow even by 80's standards - but that's the point. The Circus' organisation is slow and deliberate and, when fooled, slow to realise and slow to react. The pacing is all about setting the context in which Smiley is operating.

That long slow inexorable build up (5 episodes) to the moment when Smiley sits down and 'burns' Grigoriev (which is the first real thing he's done that would tip Karla off to how much trouble he's in) all adds to the recognition that in one conversation Smiley has flipped the balance of power on its head. Guinness and Lonsdale are both brilliant in my favourite scene.

By the way - Smiley interrogates Connie at her "dog cottage" but she's not a russian moll - she was the archivist at the Circus.

I noticed this contribution long ago, but did not care to comment. Then another reader came along (brave man) and tried to point out the differences. This is how I see it.

onepotato2 appears to have been brought up on a diet of Crash - Bang - Wallop, Shoot-'em-Up movies, such as James Bond has made famous. They are packed with action, explosions, unlikely weapons and fast cars. As for the scantily dressed, ever-available lovelies, well I've never met any of them, but a quick visit to the colourfully illustrated GeizHaus, Hamburg, might satisfy his passion.

I liken the two genres to the Comic Strip, versus the le Carre novel with its polished, scholarly, prose. They are poles apart. The first can be read in minutes, the second takes me days or even weeks, as I am a slow reader. They are about as similar as chalk and cheese.

Of course onepotato2 has every right to feel disappointed when he watches "Smiley's People." If he wants cheap thrills, this is not the place to be. But if he wants to savour the thoughtful, complex world of the Security Services who, incidentally, have their work cut out in the present Muslim terrorist era, then I think this is closer to the reality.

But if onepotato2 thinks that Batman & Robin could have prevented the Twin Towers from falling, who am I to disabuse him or shatter his dreams? It's called escapism.........

Yes, it is kind of slow paced compared to other spy flicks. But if you have read the books you know that’s the whole point, George Smiley *is* the anti-Bond. A thinker with a photographic memory who can blend into any crowd. A true believer who isn’t a dogmatist. A witness and accomplice to evil but holds the moral high ground. I guess I’m saying you have to be a le Carré fan to really get into this movie. :)

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