MovieChat Forums > Smiley's People (1982) Discussion > Smiley's attitude in 'The Honorable Scho...

Smiley's attitude in 'The Honorable Schoolboy'

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

How come when Guillam (in a fit of guilt for sending Sam Collins on an errand to the Foreign Office in the first place) repeatedly warns and even begs George to keep Sam Collins close, he is icily told to sit down and shut up by George. All the while, the mission in Hong Kong goes to hell in a handbasket and Guillam's instincts, while not saving the day, surely would have helped matters in some manner. As a reader, this was especially frustrating to observe this pig-headedness.

In addition - why does Sam go over Smiley's head to liaise directly with Lacon and Enderby (the eventual new head of the Circus) in in the first place? Was it a given that George was only managing things in the interim, to clear up the havoc wrought by Bill Hayden, and would be given the boot in the near future? Or did he have some other idea that George was in over his head with the Drake Ko/Jerry Westerby business?

Argh. Some things are too subtle for me.

What Would Ashley Judd Do?

[–] alfa-16 16 years ago

Sam was an Atlantic man and knew which way the wind was blowing and also had a few his own cards, concerning his activities in the Far East, concealed from George.

[–] Hal-83 15 years ago

Of course! You're completely right, he was an Atlantic man, going back to his CIA connections in Vientiane.

But what I never understand is why Smiley is so unwilling to listen to Guillam's concerns in Honkers, and goes so far as to assign him to physically be elsewhere when the major stuff is going down.

What Would Ashley Judd Do?

[–] alfa-16 15 years ago

The service is too weak to handle the product. George is playing everybody and intends the whole operation to be a present to American intelligence to restore the Service's reputation. Sam will try to reap any benefits.

By the time Smiley's People comes around, the service has recovered enough to shut the Americans out, though they consider tossing them Grigoriev to distract them from the main event and possibly give them an idea of how far they are going to revise their practices.

[–] Hal-83 15 years ago

Many months on, thanks for your reply. It makes a lot of sense.

Glitter on the mattress, glitter on the highway...

[–] alfa-16 15 years ago

Intelligence work requires patience.
—-———-————-——-——~
You're welcome.

[–] finnegansword 15 years ago

Alfa-16

"Intelligence work requires patience."

**************

Boy! If you are going to use a quotation, get it RIGHT.... Smiley’s words were (when travelling in Peter Guillam’s car down to Lacon’s mansion,(in TTSS)

“Now, Control always preached that good intelligence work is gradual, and rests on a kind of gentleness. The scalphunters were the exception Control allowed to his own rule.”

Thursgood, Headmaster,
Thursgood’s Preparatory School.

[–] alfa-16 15 years ago

I wasn't quoting.

I was using Moscow Rules, however.

[–] finnegansword 15 years ago

Don’t prevaricate! See me after school…
Thursgood. H.M.

*******

(afterthought - will these boys ever grow up?)