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Smiley's People

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About this listen

 George Smiley is one of the most brilliantly realised characters in British fiction. Bespectacled, tubby, eternally middle-aged and deceptively ordinary, he has a mind like a steel trap and is said to possess ‘the cunning of Satan and the conscience of a virgin’. When a Russian émigré is found murdered on Hampstead Heath, Smiley is called out of retirement to exorcise some Cold War ghosts from his clandestine past. What follows is Smiley the human being at his most vulnerable and Smiley the case officer at his most brilliant; and it takes to a thrilling conclusion his career-long, serpentine battle with the enigmatic and ruthless Russian spymaster Karla... Starring the award-winning Simon Russell Beale as Smiley, and with a distinguished cast including Anna Chancellor, Lindsay Duncan, Maggie Steed, Alex Jennings and Kenneth Cranham, this enthralling dramatisation captures every nuance of le Carré’s complex and compelling novel - the final book in John le Carré’s Karla trilogy. ‘a radio triumph... Simon Russell Beale’s pitch-perfect master spy’ - Financial Times. Dramatisations Espionage Mystery Spies & Politics Thriller & Suspense Exciting Fiction Adaptation Suspense Russia
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I'm not sure why the BBC did a remake of this programme ,the original starring Bernard Hepton as George Smiley was better, no reflection on the actors of course but the scripting was not as good and not as straightforward,Part of the original start is missing,The original starts with a courting couple stumbling across Vladimers body on Hampstead Heath and a panic stricken Oliver Lacon dragging Smiley out of bed to investigate.
Also who was that disembodied woman's voice? was that supposed to be Smileys thoughts?
Verdict? Not as good as the original

Not As Good As The Original

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I've been looking for this for so long. Simon Russell Beale sounds even more authentic than Alec Guinness!

Superb!

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I know this book well. While I was ill with covid , I thought I'd like to hear it with Simon Russell Beale portraying George Smiley. It proved to be just right.

The Perfect Smiley

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eautifully read and produced and a thoroughly engaging narrative. Can?t wait to listen to it again.

Totally engaging

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The story whilst interesting, is not as gripping as tinker tailor soldier spy. But the or for Manchester were brilliant as ever from Simon Russel beale as smiley.

Good buy

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