Smiley's People - Differences Between the UK and US series (Parts Three and Four)

Following on from my previous post on the 6th June looking at parts one and two, this post highlights the differences between the third and fourth episodes of the US version of Smiley’s People and the 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.

Part Three (54 mins, 32 secs)

Scene Moved (and Shortened)

The episode opens with Ostrakova’s journey home from hospital in an ambulance. It is significantly shorted and we don’t see the Ambulance driver’s girlfriend. 

Scene Moved

The scene which opens the UK episode 3 of Smiley parking in Horse Guard’s Parade and walking towards his club appears next.

Missing Scene

The entire scene at Smiley’s Club is cut so it now appears to the viewer that Smiley parks his car and walks to Toby’s Gallery as that scene follows immediately on.

Shortened Scene

Smiley’s journey to Oxford is truncated.

Missing Scene

Ostrakova’s conversation with her neighbour has been cut.

Missing Scene

When Smiley arrives in Hamburg the scene of him checking out where Villem caught the ferry is missing.

Missing Scene

The scene of Smiley entering and paying for membership of the Blue Diamond is missing.

Shortened Scene

As Smiley waits in the club for Kretzschmar the footage is very slightly condensed. NB: No explicit footage appears to have been cut for the International print.

Shortened Scene

The episode ends with Smiley saying to Kretzschmar ‘But you do have an address where I can find him’. The remainder of the scene is missing.

Part Four (54 mins, 30 secs)

Shortened Scene

Smiley’s journey to Travemünde has been truncated.

Shortened Scene

After talking with the young couple Smiley’s journey to the boat camp is condensed.

Shortened Scene

Smiley’s search of Leipzig’s boat is truncated. NB: It’s possible that the image of the bloodied sink may have been cut as a necessity for US television.

Missing Scene

We don’t see Smiley arrive at Lubeck station, park the car or hide the keys.

Shortened Scene

The taxi journey from the station to Kretzschmar’s house has been trimmed.

Missing Scene

The scene where the neighbour brings Ostrakova food and leaves it outside her door is missing.

Missing Scene

The scene where Guillam sends Stango to London is missing.

Shortened Scene

The introductory scene with the family in the farmhouse has been trimmed.

The final two episodes will be compared in a future post.