Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Quotes
In the bleak days of the Cold War, espionage veteran George Smiley is forced from semi-retirement to uncover a Soviet agent within MI6.
George Smiley: I want to talk about loyalty, Toby. Control recruited you, didn't he? He found you starving in a museum in Vienna, a wanted man. He saved your life, I heard. And yet, when the time came... when it came to picking sides between him and Alleline, you didn't hesitate. It's understandable, perhaps, with your war experience. You survived this long, I suppose, because of your ability to change sides, to serve any master.
Easterhase: What's... what's this about, George?
George Smiley: It's about which master you've been serving, Toby.
Easterhase: What's... what's this about, George?
George Smiley: It's about which master you've been serving, Toby.
Control: I know that Moscow has planted a mole, and I know it is one of five men.
[starts placing out chess pieces with photos on them]
Control: Alleline: Tinker. Haydon: Tailor. Bland: Soldier. We leave out "Sailor", too much like "Tailor". Esterhase: Poorman.
Jim Prideaux: And the fifth?
Control: Smiley.
[starts placing out chess pieces with photos on them]
Control: Alleline: Tinker. Haydon: Tailor. Bland: Soldier. We leave out "Sailor", too much like "Tailor". Esterhase: Poorman.
Jim Prideaux: And the fifth?
Control: Smiley.
Minister: I thought Lacon had made it clear to you: keep your nose bloody well out of Witchcraft's business!
George Smiley: It's Lacon's advice I'm following.
[to Lacon]
George Smiley: You told me to follow in Control's footsteps.
Minister: I wouldn't consider that sound advice, given the mess Control left us with. It has taken Alleline - and if I may say so, myself - this long to get us back in the game.
George Smiley: The man Alleline and the others meet is called Polyakov. You believe his role is to bring information from Witchcraft to you. His real role is to receive information from the mole, to take back to Karla.
Minister: [laughing incredulously] That... that's not possible.
George Smiley: Made possible, by you, in the house which you persuaded the Treasury to pay for.
Minister: Witchcraft's intelligence is genuine! It's been gold!
George Smiley: It's just enough glitter amongst the chickenfeed. Control didn't believe in miracles, and he didn't believe in Witchcraft. But you were lazy, and you were greedy, and so you hounded him out of the Circus and you let Karla in. You've opened negotiations to exchange intelligence with the Americans...
[Realizing the implications of what Smiley is saying, the Minister starts to tremble]
George Smiley: What they tell the Circus, they'll be telling the Kremlin. Witchcraft's information, the "gold" Karla let you have, it wasn't to lure you. It was to lure the Americans. Now... do you want to take credit for that?
George Smiley: It's Lacon's advice I'm following.
[to Lacon]
George Smiley: You told me to follow in Control's footsteps.
Minister: I wouldn't consider that sound advice, given the mess Control left us with. It has taken Alleline - and if I may say so, myself - this long to get us back in the game.
George Smiley: The man Alleline and the others meet is called Polyakov. You believe his role is to bring information from Witchcraft to you. His real role is to receive information from the mole, to take back to Karla.
Minister: [laughing incredulously] That... that's not possible.
George Smiley: Made possible, by you, in the house which you persuaded the Treasury to pay for.
Minister: Witchcraft's intelligence is genuine! It's been gold!
George Smiley: It's just enough glitter amongst the chickenfeed. Control didn't believe in miracles, and he didn't believe in Witchcraft. But you were lazy, and you were greedy, and so you hounded him out of the Circus and you let Karla in. You've opened negotiations to exchange intelligence with the Americans...
[Realizing the implications of what Smiley is saying, the Minister starts to tremble]
George Smiley: What they tell the Circus, they'll be telling the Kremlin. Witchcraft's information, the "gold" Karla let you have, it wasn't to lure you. It was to lure the Americans. Now... do you want to take credit for that?
Ricki Tarr: Mr Guillam, I'm sorry I was out for so long.
[Guillam attacks Tarr]
George Smiley: Ricki's been helping us, Peter! He's been telling us all about his adventures.
Peter Guillam: He's a double, George! There is no mole! Irina's been locked up by Moscow!
[turns on Tarr]
Peter Guillam: I stole that, because of you! I spied on my own, because of him! Do you know how that makes me feel?
[Guillam attacks Tarr]
George Smiley: Ricki's been helping us, Peter! He's been telling us all about his adventures.
Peter Guillam: He's a double, George! There is no mole! Irina's been locked up by Moscow!
[turns on Tarr]
Peter Guillam: I stole that, because of you! I spied on my own, because of him! Do you know how that makes me feel?
George Smiley: [discussing the veracity of a new report] Where did you get this?
Control: I didn't. Percy and his little cabal walked in with it.
Easterhase: Look, Control...
Control: Shut up!
Bill Haydon: Style, appalling. Blatantly a fabrication from beginning to end. Just could be the real thing.
Control: Smiley is suspicious, Percy.
George Smiley: Where did it come from? What's the access?
Percy Alleline: A new secret source of mine.
George Smiley: But how could he possibly have access?
Percy Alleline: He has access to the most sensitive levels of policy making. We named the Operation Witchcraft.
Control: Well, Percy and his pals bypassed us Smiley. Gone straight to the minister. Percy has been allowed to keep the identity of his new friend top secret.
Control: I didn't. Percy and his little cabal walked in with it.
Easterhase: Look, Control...
Control: Shut up!
Bill Haydon: Style, appalling. Blatantly a fabrication from beginning to end. Just could be the real thing.
Control: Smiley is suspicious, Percy.
George Smiley: Where did it come from? What's the access?
Percy Alleline: A new secret source of mine.
George Smiley: But how could he possibly have access?
Percy Alleline: He has access to the most sensitive levels of policy making. We named the Operation Witchcraft.
Control: Well, Percy and his pals bypassed us Smiley. Gone straight to the minister. Percy has been allowed to keep the identity of his new friend top secret.
[Alleline's telex arrives from London]
Ricki Tarr: Read it aloud.
Ben: "Personal for Tarr from Alleline: require clarification before meeting your request. Quote, 'information vital to safeguarding of the Circus', unquote, does not qualify, send further information."
Ricki Tarr: [laughing maniacally] That's the way, Percy boy! You keep stalling. I warn you, Ben, we've got some really lousy people in this outfit, I wouldn't trust a fucking one of them!
Ricki Tarr: Read it aloud.
Ben: "Personal for Tarr from Alleline: require clarification before meeting your request. Quote, 'information vital to safeguarding of the Circus', unquote, does not qualify, send further information."
Ricki Tarr: [laughing maniacally] That's the way, Percy boy! You keep stalling. I warn you, Ben, we've got some really lousy people in this outfit, I wouldn't trust a fucking one of them!
