SMILEY'S PEOPLE {EPISODE 4} (TV)
Summary
The fourth 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 attempts to track down Otto Leipzig and learns that he has been living on a houseboat in a ramshackle water camp — and has recently had "a visitor from the east." Smiley soon finds Leipzig brutally murdered aboard his boat; he recovers the sole clue: a scrap of a picture postcard hidden carefully in a shoe. Elsewhere, in Paris, Madame Ostrakova narrowly avoids a confrontation with a sinister men when her landlady Madame La Pierre insists that she is not at home. Smiley matter-of-factly brings the news of Leipzig's death to a shocked Kretzschmar, who turns over all of the blackmail footage created at the Blue Diamond. Smiley then visits Ostrakova, promising that he is a friend of Vladimir's, and he explains that she must take a "short holiday" for her own safety. He enlists the help of former Circus associate Peter Guillam to sneak her out by creating a false diversion with the French emergency services, though Guillam is annoyed to hear that Smiley is working as a "private enterprise."
Smiley updates Ostrakova, explaining that Leipzig has met an untimely end, and she temporarily hides at the home of Guillam and his wife. Smiley contacts Saul Enderby and requests a meeting to examine the evidence from the Blue Diamond. When Ostrakova sadly wonders if there might still be hope of a reunion with her daughter Alexandra, Smiley tells her that there is not. Guillam tells Smiley that Kirov was lured out of hiding by Karla with a false promise of a promotion. Smiley, realizing that he will likely soon re-encounter his greatest nemesis, tells Guillam that he plans to "shoot it dead with the minimum of force." Smiley and Guillam then assemble with Enderby and the others to discuss the scheme. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: BBC
- DATE: November 30, 1999
- RUNNING TIME: 0:48:15
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:05638
- 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
- Mario Adorf … Cast, Claus Kretzschmar
- Eileen Atkins … Cast, Madame Ostrakova
- Bernard Hepton … Cast, Toby Esterhase
- Beryl Reid … Cast, Connie Sachs
- Vladek Sheybel … Cast, Otto Leipzig (The Magician)
- Michael Byrne … Cast, Peter Guillam
- Barry Foster … Cast, Saul Enderby
- Bill Paterson … Cast, Lauder Strickland
- Norma West … Cast, Hillary
- Vass Anderson … Cast, Mr. Carson
- Andrew Bradford … Cast, Ferguson
- Germaine Delbat … Cast, Madame La Pierre
- Jacques Maury … Cast, Sergei
- Tusse Silberg … Cast, Alexandra
- Tessy Kuhls … Cast, Frau Kretzschmak
- Lucy Fleming … Cast, Molly Meakin
- Carl Duering … Cast, Walther
- Jonathan Burn … Cast, Edmonds
- Caroline Sihol … Cast, Marie-Claire Guillam
- Michael Feldman … Cast, Stango
- Jean Champion … Cast, Monsieur La Pierre
- Marie-Helene Daste … Cast, Madame Delbarre
- Georges Hubert … Cast, Monsieur Delbarre
- Alain Serres … Cast, Russian Agent
- Alexander Koumpan … Cast, Russian Agent
- Vladimir Tihomiroff … Cast, Russian Agent
- Robin Langford … Cast, 'Blue Diamond' Receptionist
- Nina Zuckerman … Cast, Art Gallery Receptionist
- Frank Crompton … Cast, Circus Janitor
- Jeffrey Kime … Cast, Paris Ambulance Driver
- Catherine Erhardy … Cast, Ambulance Driver's Girlfriend
- Guy Standeven … Cast, British Embassy Official
- William Wilde … Cast, 'Blue Diamond' Waiter
- Susie Silvey … Cast, Cabaret Performer
- Cindy Shelley … Cast, Cabaret Performer
- Venetia Day … Cast, Cabaret Performer
- Alex Buchanan … Cast, Cabaret Performer
- Serge Berry … Cast, Paris Policeman
- Maithias Ditner … Cast, Young Man
- Cristiane Carstens … Cast, Young Woman
- Elisabeth Goebel … Cast, Woman at Water Camp
- Ralph Richter … Cast, Young Man at Water Camp
- Jan Fedder … Cast, Young Man at Water Camp
- Edeltrand Samland … Cast, Girl at Water Camp