SMILEY'S PEOPLE

The BBC's stunning dramatization of le Carré's works reaches a conclusion with SMILEY’S PEOPLE, the wrap to the trilogy that pits Smiley against Russian superspy Karla. The story begins with the death of the retired spy Vladimir, an event that drags Smiley himself out of retirement and sets him on a journey that will try his wits and will. Simon Russell Beale is nuanced and deft as Smiley, playing a hard and driven spy while revealing through internal monologue his vulnerable and uncertain inner self. Condensing such a rich novel into three hours is no small feat, and the BBC delivers with outstanding richness. A gem of the genre. F.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2010]