SMILEY'S PEOPLE {EPISODE 5} (TV)
Summary
The fifth in this six-part miniseries about retired British spy George Smiley and his reluctant return to the world of espionage, based on the 1979 novel by John le Carré.
In this episode, Smiley, Enderby, and the others examine the evidence from the Blue Diamond, including the explicit film featuring Kirov, Leipzig, and the two women, and then analyze the detailed confession given by a panicked Kirov upon realizing that he had been captured on film. Kirov describes his meetings with Karla and his assignment to "find backgrounds" for future agents — including a 26-year-old woman who catches Smiley's attention. Kirov reveals that Karla has a secret bank account in Bern, Switzerland from which a Soviet bureaucrat named Anton Grigoriev withdraws $10,000 monthly. Enderby, assuming that Kirov has already been killed for his actions, spells out the whole plot, starting with Madame Ostrakova's letter to Vladimir and Vladimir's connection to Leipzig, concluding that Karla killed both Vladimir and Leipzig. Karla also attempted to kill Ostrakova, to cover up Kirov's leak, but for some reason chose not to move the bank account in question.
Esterhase provides Smiley with an old photo of Karla, though Smiley grimly states that he wants only "the original." He later visits his estranged wife Anne and urges her to remain hidden, heavily implying that he intends to part from her forever for her own protection. Esterhase then escorts Smiley to track down Grigoriev, explaining that the Soviet is having an affair with "little Natasha" from his office and is a "complete catastrophe" when it comes to tradecraft, meaning that he will, hopefully, be easy to capture. Smiley and Esterhase camp out in a cafe across the street from the Swiss bank in question, and Esterhase is pleased when they capture footage of Grigoriev collecting the $10,000, as usual.
Grigoriev then returns home to his "niece" Tatiana, revealed to actually be Ostrakova's adult daughter Alexandra. She demands answers from her "uncle" about her strange imprisonment and their highly uncertain relationship. Soon, Esterhase contacts Smiley and excitedly reveals that Grigoriev has journeyed back into the city on his own, and Smiley decides to take the opportunity to grab him. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: BBC
- DATE:
- RUNNING TIME: 0:51:15
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:05639
- GENRE: Drama, mystery/suspense
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, mystery/suspense; Spies; Cold War; Murder; Literature - Adaptations
- SERIES RUN: BBC - TV series, 1982
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Jonathan Powell … Producer
- Simon Langton … Director
- John le Carré … Writer
- John Hopkins … Writer
- Patrick Gowers … Music by
- Alec Guinness … Cast, George Smiley
- Barry Foster … Cast, Saul Enderby
- Bill Paterson … Cast, Lauder Strickland
- Michael Byrne … Cast, Peter Guillam
- Bernard Hepton … Cast, Toby Esterhase
- Anthony Bate … Cast, Oliver Lacon
- Siân Phillips … Cast, Lady Ann Smiley
- Rosalie Crutchley … Cast, Mother Felicity
- Michael Lonsdale … Cast, Anton Grigoriev
- Patrick Stewart … Cast, Karla
- Tussie Silberg … Cast, Alexandra
- Lucy Fleming … Cast, Molly Meakin
- Julia McCarthy … Cast, Millie McCraig
- Andrew Bradford … Cast, Ferguson
- Richard Leech … Cast, Uncle Harry
- Dudley Sutton … Cast, Oleg Kirov
- Vladek Sheybal … Cast, Otto Leipzig (The Magician)
- Inioo Gallo … Cast, Franz
- Margaret Henry … Cast, Mrs. Tremera
- Lucinda Curtis … Cast, Sister Beatrice
- Victoria Elliott … Cast, Grigorieva
- Marion Garai … Cast, Litzi Meinertzhagen
- Margrit Knecht … Cast, Dolly Meinertzhagen
- Lucinda Curtis … Cast, Sister Beatitude
- Eugene Lipinski … Cast, De Silsky
- Joe Praml … Cast, Skordeno
- Roswita Dost … Cast, Sanitarium Nurse
- Hans Peter Blumer … Cast, Thun Cafe Proprietor
- Silvia Jost … Cast, Bernese Housewife
- Leila Soravia … Cast, Bernese Child
- Patricia Bornhauser … Cast, Girl Hiker