Trivia for
"Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" (1979) More at IMDbPro »

• Alec Guinness loosely based some of his character's look on that of Sir Maurice Oldfield, a former head of British intelligence.
  
  
• Alec Guinness was very concerned that he wasn't the right type to portray the "frog-like" George Smiley. At one point during filming, he suggested that the production team ask Arthur Lowe to replace him.
  
  
• The Czechoslovakia scenes were filmed in and around Glasgow, Scotland, which producer Jonathan Powell says "was a very rough, poverty-stricken place" in 1979.
  
  
• Smiley's address is No. 9 Bywater Street, Chelsea. Scenes at his home were filmed at the real No. 10 Bywater Street.
  
  
• The closing music is a setting of the Nunc Dimittis, the prayer from St. Luke II 29-32
  
  
• Before filming began on the series Alec Guinness asked John le Carré to introduce him to a real spy. Le Carré introduced him to Sir Maurice Oldfield. During their meal Guinness studied Sir Maurice intently; including noticing his loud orange tanned shoes. In the series, if you look carefully, during the interview with Ricki Tarr, you'll see that Alec is wearing "loud" orange shoes.
  
  
• John le Carré recalls that, after Alec Guinness saw Sir Maurice Oldfield run his finger around the rim of his wine glass, he asked whether he was checking for poison.
  
  
• Parts of "the Circus" office interiors were filmed in the offices of the BBC. John le Carré told the producer that the BBC offices matched his image of the Circus.
  
  
• John le Carré claims that Alec Guinness "stole my hairstyle" for George Smiley.
  
  

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