Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1979) (Episode 6)

Part 6 of 7 of the classic thriller. Part-time agent and journalist Jerry Westerby contacts Smiley about the Testify fiasco as he has an important piece of information for him, so Smiley travels abroad to see him. Confirming that the Czechoslovakia operation Testify was a set-up, George now takes a gamble and takes one of Percy Alleline's senior men into his confidence. For there to be any hope of flushing out the mole, Smiley decides they need to set a trap and for that they need to use Ricky Tarr, who is still anxious about the whereabouts of Irina. Unfortunately for them, Irina is dead, and Smiley cannot afford to let Tarr know this if their trap is to succeed... Starring Alec Guinness, Michael Jayston, Anthony Bate, Hywel Bennett, Ian Bannen, Joss Ackland, Bernard Hepton, George Sewell, John Wells, Betty Hardy, Guy Standeven, Duncan Jones, Jo Apted, Michael Beecher, Alec Sabin and Terry Pearson. With the penultimate episode things start to click into gear as Smiley plans a trap for the mole. As always amongst the thriller elements there is the human side to this which made Le Carre's work so real, and that is exemplified by Hywel Bennett as Ricky Tarr. In hiding and tormented by thoughts of his love Irina and getting her safe he is prepared to risk his life for Smiley in order to set a trap, little knowing that she is already dead. Hywel is haunting as Tarr, but the entire series is dominated by stellar performances in the cast, not least BAFTA award winner Alec Guinness as Smiley, who acts without ever seeming to, while Joss Ackland gets to make a impression in a small role as Jerry Westerby. Ackland liked the book and hoped to further the role in a later le Carre adaptation, but sadly this never materialized.