One small problem occurred while trying to listen to the three part radio interview with Martin Ritt. Part one seemed not to work, and it seemed to skip directly to part two. I tried this several times, on both my DVD players, but it always skipped. Whether this is simply a problem with the review disk I received, or with the product for general sale, I do not know, but it is worth mentioning for consumers. The DVD booklet has an interview and an essay. Overall, despite the audio commentary’s lack, a very good set of bonus features.
There are some other good and interesting aspects of the film, such as the appearance of George Smiley (Rupert Davies), the protagonist of many other Le Carre novels; as a friend of Leamas’s. Also, the performance by Cyril Cusack, in only a few scenes, as Leamas’s boss, Control, is superb. His tit-for-tats with Leamas are filled with the subtle interplay of men who know each other’s flaws and strengths from years of experience, and who both know how to get what they want from the other. It is looking glass moments they share, embedded in a looking glass world where there is only gray, not the stark blacks and whites of an Ian Fleming tale.
Overall, whether or not you are a fan of espionage films, this is a film to see, for it is primarily a character study, and a damned good one. Its main character simply happens to be a spy; one whose portrayer is simply nonpareil in the role. There are, as mentioned, a few nits to be picked, but this is one of Ritt’s finest films, of one of the best thriller novels ever written. Just lose the expectations that genre entails and you won’t be disappointed.
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