Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

 

 
For a change, quite a bit happening in the last couple of days, nothing earth shattering, but it keeps life moving on.

Welcome to new follower John Gray from Wales. He says about himself "Going on 50 and feeling it. A previous career nurse manager who moved to Wales in 2005. My life now is centred around life in a tiny Welsh village, a field full of animals and a pack of dogs" His blog 'Going Gently' is very entertaining, have a look...

I've been to see another phenomenal move Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Anyone who remembers the exceptional BBC series adaptation of John Le Carre's novel will understand that this movie is different and Gary Oldman's portrayal of George Smiley is equally as different as that by originally played by Alec Guinness (below). However, it is also as good and I never thought I'd say that.

A mole is operating in the highest echelon of British Intelligence and information is leaking to the Russians in this time of the Cold War in Europe. George Smiley was forcibly retired from 'the Circus' but is soon brought back unknown to the management to track down the dastardly spy! It's a complex story brilliantly brought to the big screen in a two hour seven minute film (take a cushion!). 1970s London and Budapest is wonderfully captured and the atmosphere and emotion of dark deeds shines through. 

There are no whizz bangs, CGI or anything else in the way of explosive action - this is one you have to listen to and follow meticulously. This will put some people off which is a shame - it is what it is, top quality production. It's rated 15 for a couple of scenes of violence and one sex scene (seen from across the road through a window) but don't be put off by that either, it's not gratuitous.

Some excellent performances from Gary Oldman who had a big act to follow and an unexpected gem from Tom Hardy as Ricky Tar, the man who does the services' dirty deeds. Mark Strong was a very good Jim Prideaux, an agent set up and captured by the Russians and Benedict Cumberbatch  (BBC's Sherlock Holmes) was a very credible and wonderfully portrayed Peter Guillam, Smiley's sidekick. My final word for John Hurt who as the dying 'Control,' head of the service, suspects a mole, but is marginalised and forced out  when his fears are dismissed as nonsense. This was the sort of performance that makes you shiver and makes you realise what a superb actor he really is.

This is highly recommended, especially if you like a good story.

There are dozens of variations of "Tinker, Tailor..."

The modern version is 

Tinker, Tailor,

Soldier, Sailor,

Rich Man, Poor Man,

Beggar Man, Thief

In 1475, William Caxton used a variation of the above using other 'professions,' and AA Milne in 1927 wrote:

Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor, rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief,

Or Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor, rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief, doctor, lawyer, Indian chief.

Or what about a cowboy, policeman, jailer, engine driver, or a pirate chief?

Or what about a ploughman or a keeper at the zoo,

Or what about a circus man who lets the people through?

Or the man who takes the pennies on the roundabouts and swings,

Or the man who plays the organ or the other man who sings?

Or What about the rabbit man with rabbits in his pockets

And what about a rocket man who's always making rockets?

Oh it's such a lot of things there are and such a lot to be

That there's always lots of cherries on my little cherry tree

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Sailor, Rich man Poor man, Ploughman (not Beggar man), Thief also features in a poem by Jan Struther in a book "A Pocketful of Pebbles."

Our new carpet is down and looking good. My other half is just making the curtains which will just about round it all off. We are starting to return to some semblance of normality. 

My eldest has just returned from a weeks holiday with his friends and has come back to a warm balmy day and after watching the BBC weather forecast, it seems we are in for an Indian Summer with warm air coming from the southern European continent for at least most of next week when we all get back to work! Shame we didn't have this during the summer.

Writing this, I am having a rest having spent four lovely hours in the garden tidying, cutting the grass and sweeping up the first of the autumns leaves.

Chat soon

Ta-ra

Thanks to Wikipedia for some of the sources.