Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - Differences Between the US Six-Part Series and the UK Seven Part Series (Parts 1-3)

This post highlights the differences between the US six-part version of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and the original UK version of the series. Although the timings of the US episodes are listed, it is not worth making any comparisons as the US version runs much slower due to frame rate differences. 

As with Smiley’s People, the US Acorn Blu-ray release is not region locked and will play on UK Blu-ray players. (I have tested the discs on two different machines with no problems.) The picture quality is not up to the restoration that was done by the BBC for the UK Blu-ray release in 2019, but this package boasts a nice selection of extras that don’t appear on the UK release. They are as follows:

• Exclusive interview with John Irvin (29 minutes) – the best extra on the disc
• Deleted scenes (11 minutes) – nothing new for UK audiences
• Interview with John le Carré - the exact same interview appears on the US Blu-ray release of Smiley’s People
• Production Notes – some interesting nuggets about the production here
• A four page ‘booklet’ featuring a glossary of main characters and terms
• John le Carré biography

The comparison below looks at each of the first three US episodes and highlights the differences with the content of the UK series. Episodes 4-6 are covered here.

Part One (51 mins, 28 secs)

Shortened scene The dialogue at the end of Control’s briefing with Prideaux is placed over footage of Prideaux travelling to the Czechoslovakian border. 

On-screen caption added After the conclusion of Prideaux’s ambush and capture the screen fades to black and the caption ‘Six Months Later’ appears. The narrative picks up with Smiley’s first appearance in the bookshop. 

Part Two (54 mins, 25 seconds)

Missing scene Ricki Tarr’s observation of Boris is much shorter and doesn’t include the scene where he is dancing.

Scene added A very short scene of Ricki Tarr walking back to Thessinger’s office the morning after he spied on Boris was added.

Missing scene The scene where Tarr reads Irena’s final line about him remembering so few prayers from his childhood is missing, as is his observation ’You see, she was crazy’.

Shortened scene We only see the first half of the scene where Smiley is unpacking at the Hotel Islay.

Missing scene The conversation Mendel has in the kitchen and reception with the owner of the Hotel Islay is missing.

Shortened scene When Lacon, Guillam and Smiley are at the Hotel Islay, Lacon says ‘Don’t take any unnecessary risks’. The cut back to Guillam and Smiley is missing.

Missing scene When Guillam visits the Circus for the first time, the end of his discussion with the doorman and his journey up in the lift is missing.

Scene moved Smiley’s visit to see Connie Sachs is moved later in the narrative to part 3.

Missing scene While at the Circus Guillam’s trip to the loo is missing. After leaving Strickland, he immediately makes his way to the Night Duty Officer’s Room.

Scene altered Music plays over the scene where Guillam opens the safe in the Night Duty Officer’s Room.

Shortened scene Guillam now only looks at one log book in the Night Duty Officer’s Room safe.

Different episode ending The episode ends with Guillam leaving the Night Duty Officer’s Room.

Part Three (54 mins, 23 secs)

Different recap The recap combines the scene at the Hotel Islay where Lacon says ‘Don’t take any unnecessary risks’, with Guillam discovering pages are missing from the Night Duty Officer’s log book.  

Scene moved Smiley’s visit to Connie Sachs begins this episode. The narrative picks up afterwards at the Hotel Islay where Guillam reports back about his trip to the Circus.

Missing scene In the flashback, the conversation between Haydon and Smiley in the corridor at the Circus is missing.

Shortened scene Also in the flashback, Smiley’s conversation with Control where he tells Smiley ‘There are three of them and Alleline’ is shortened.

Scene added For Guillam’s second visit to the Circus an establishing shot of the exterior of the Circus has been added.

Shortened scene Guillam’s entrance to the Circus has been cut down slightly.

Missing scene After Esterhase asks Guillam to come with him to meet Alleline the journey up in the lift is cut.

Shortened scene At the end of Guillam’s interrogation by Alleline, Guillam's final line ‘I wouldn’t know Bill, would I’ is cut.

Shortened scene The start of the dialogue between Guillam and Smiley in the car on their way to see Tarr is missing.

Different episode ending The episode ends with Smiley and Guillam in the car. Smiley concludes that Source Merlin works to Moscow Centre and that Karla is the source for the Circus information about Tarr.