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A Captivating Spy Thriller Set During the Cold War
Spy thrillers deliver suspenseful and, at times, nail-biting stories, filled with mysteries and shocking twists. And such is the case of 2011’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, a captivating spy thriller set during the Cold War. The film follows the search for a mole within the British Secret Service, delivering an intriguing plot that, fifteen years later, still has one of the best twist endings.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy stars a powerful ensemble cast led by the incredibly talented Gary Oldman as George Smiley, a Secret Service agent who is tasked with finding the double agent within their group. The non-linear narrative follows Smiley as he learns more about a high-level operation, with Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy‘s shocking twist remaining one of the most memorable among spy thriller films.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Follows George Smiley Taking Over a Dangerous Task
The film begins with Control, played by John Hurt, as he sends a secret agent on a mission in Budapest. However, this mission doesn’t go as planned, leaving Agent Jim Prideaux shot in the street. This failed mission seems to be the catalyst for the British Secret Service forcing Control into retirement, with George Smiley ousted as well.
Control had information that there was a mole in the agency, and he identified the main suspects: Sir Percy Alleline, whom he nicknames Tinker, played by Toby Jones, Bill Haydon, nicknamed Tailor and played by Colin Firth, Roy Bland, the Soldier, played by Ciarán Hinds, Toby Esterhase, the Poorman, played by David Dencik, and Smiley, whom Control nicknames "Beggarman."
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Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Is Based on a Novel by John le Carré
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is based on the novel of the same name, written by former secret intelligence officer John le Carré. The name of the book comes from the nursery rhyme "Tinker Tailor," often used in England to count stones, buttons, and who shall be "it" in a game of Tag, and which goes "Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor, rich man, poor man, beggarman, thief."
After Control and George Smiley are ousted from the British Secret Service, known as "The Circus," Control dies, and new allegations about a mole or double agent come forward. Eventually, Smiley, now an outside man, is tasked with following Control’s investigation into the main suspects, which leads Smiley to a high-level operation known as "Operation Witchcraft."
This operation claims to have a Soviet spy giving British intelligence information about Soviet plans. However, Smiley realizes this is just a front, and the real purpose of "Operation Witchcraft" is for the double agent to send information about the British Secret Service to his Soviet allies. But every suspect seems to have enough means and motive to become a double agent.
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Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’s Main Villain Looms in the Background
While the main storyline in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is about a double agent in the Secret Service, the film also mentions the mastermind behind this plan, simply referred to as "Karla." Karla is a Soviet intelligence officer and the head of the fictional version of the KGB. At one point, Smiley met Karla and tried to persuade him to leave the Soviet regime.
Karla is the one pulling all the strings, planting an alleged Soviet "traitor" who is giving information to the British Secret Service under "Operation Witchcraft," and he is also the one behind the actual double agent within the Circus. Karla’s meeting with Smiley plays a role in how the mole was able to operate within the Secret Service without Smiley noticing.
Another major player in this story is Ricki Tarr, a field agent played by Tom Hardy, who many within the Circus suspected had defected after failing to return to the U.K. after a mission. However, Ricki simply fell in love with the wife of the Soviet target he was following, but still had vital information about the mole within the Circus.
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Smiley Also Finds Out That Jim Prideaux Didn’t Die After All
Jim Prideaux, the agent who was shot at the beginning of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy in Budapest, was pronounced dead. This is part of the reason why Control is finally ousted from the Circus. However, Smiley finds evidence that Jim is alive after all, and he learns that Toby Esterhase paid Jim to stay away and pretend he was dead.
Yet even if Jim didn’t die, he still suffered at the hands of the Soviet officers who captured him and tortured him to find out how close Control was to catching their double agent. Jim didn’t have enough information about Control’s knowledge, but he eventually cracked and gave the Soviet agents a lot of information about their activities before being released.
Jim later returned, but Esterhase told him to stay away and to forget about the "Tinker Tailor" business. This leads Smiley and Guillam to question Esterhase, thinking he could be the mole, as he knew about Control’s use of the "Tinker Tailor" rhyme to enumerate the suspects. However, Esterhase claims his innocence and instead gives Smiley vital information about "Operation Witchcraft."
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Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’s Twist Sees Smiley Drawing Out the Double Agent
Esterhase gives Smiley the location of the safe house where members of the Circus met with the alleged Soviet spy during "Operation Witchcraft," and Smiley, Guillam, and Ricki Tarr form a plan to draw out the mole. Ricki once again calls the Circus to give information about the mole, prompting the double agent to try to warn the Soviet spy.
But when the double agent arrives at the safe house, Smiley is waiting for him. The double agent turns out to be Bill Haydon, a great twist in this spy thriller. But that’s not the only twist, as Bill reveals that sleeping with Smiley’s wife was just part of the plan, because Karla knew that Smiley’s weakness was his wife.
The twist also includes the fact that Haydon was the reason why Jim Prideaux was saved, but also why he was shot in the first place. After Control told Jim about the Budapest mission, Jim realized that Haydon was the mole and tried to warn him. Jim and Haydon had a very close relationship, but warning Haydon meant Jim was captured and tortured.
Even if Haydon eventually pulled enough strings to save Jim’s life, Jim was tortured for a long time before being released. And, in the end, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy delivers one final twist as Jim arrives where Haydon is held prisoner after being ousted as the mole, and shoots him in the face, killing Haydon instantly.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Is Better the Second Time Around
In the era of streaming, instant gratification, and doomscrolling, "second screen" movies are rampant. However, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a film that requires viewers’ constant attention, as many scenes often have no dialogue at all. Instead, these scenes are tense and thrilling thanks to the looks, expressions, and looming danger the characters face as they investigate the double agent.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is also a film that doesn’t follow a linear narrative. Instead, the film’s storyline jumps back and forth between present and past, relying on viewers to pick up context clues to understand when these scenes are taking place. For this reason, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is even better a second time around.
After learning the clever twist in this film, audiences can watch the movie a second time and look for the clues about the reveal.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a clever and suspenseful spy thriller that currently holds an 84% Rotten Tomatoes score, with Gary Oldman earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his portrayal of George Smiley.