Smiley's People (1982)

Smiley’s People (1982) is a British six-part spy drama by the BBC, directed by Simon Langton and produced by Jonathan Powell. It is an adaptation of John le Carré’s 1979 novel of the same name and a sequel to Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, excluding the second book in the trilogy, The Honourable Schoolboy, which was not filmed due to budget constraints. Starring Sir Alec Guinness, Michael Byrne, Anthony Bate, and Bernard Hepton, it aired in the United Kingdom from 20 September to 25 October 1982 and in the United States beginning on 25 October 1982. When George Smiley is called out of retirement to wrap up his friend’s affairs, he discovers that his former organization, the Circus, is more concerned with politics than finding out what happened. As he delves into clues from his friend’s past, he uncovers a connection to a high-ranking member of the Russian Secret Service and a potentially deadly secret. Smiley must piece together the puzzle while staying one step ahead or one step behind the Russian killers.

The series, which had a budget of $3 million, was a collaboration between the BBC and Paramount Pictures. Initially, John Irvin was set to direct after the success of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy but had to pass due to his commitments in making movies. As pre-production progressed, Simon Langton stepped in as the new director, replacing John MacKenzie who was initially chosen as Irvin’s successor. According to Michael Jayston (who could not reprise his role from Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy for various reasons), this decision was made at the request of Guinness himself who was dissatisfied with MacKenzie. However, during filming, Guinness also expressed dissatisfaction with Langton’s work stating that he missed Irvin’s direction and intensity. The screenplay writer Arthur Hopcraft declined the offer and John Hopkins took over instead. To address some technical issues with the script, author le Carré was brought in for assistance.