Smiley's People (1982)

Alec Guinness: George Smiley

Photos 

Quotes 

• Lauder Strickland : Oh dammit, George, that whole era is dead.

  George Smiley : And so is Vladimir! And I wish to God we'd got half his courage and one tenth his integrity.

• George Smiley : What was it you used to say? "I wouldn't trust Saul Enderby any further than I could throw Oliver Lacon."

• Toby Esterhase : George, do me a favor, okay? You want a Hungarian babysitter someday, call me. You go messing around with creeps like Kirov and Leipzig, you better have a creep like Toby look after you. You're an old spy in a hurry, George. You used to say they were the worst.

  George Smiley : Oh they are, Toby, they are.

• George Smiley : I'm afraid Vladi's disappeared for good, William. It's in the papers. He's been shot dead. The police will want to ask you questions. I have to hear what happened and tell you how to answer them.

  Villem Craven : Bozhémoy! For the others, I give nothing. For Vladi, everything. I love this man. After the death of my father, Vladi become father to me. Sometimes I even say him, "my father". Not "Uncle". "Father".

• Toby Esterhase : Grigoriev has a salad. She has steak and chips, glass of beer, and a slice of cake. George, the guy will fold, believe me! You never had a wife like that.

  George Smiley : No, I don't think I ever did.

  Toby Esterhase : You think he wants to be locked up in a two-room flat in Moscow with that bitch for the rest of his life? Ha hah, don't worry.

• George Smiley : You are Counselor Anton Grigoriev of the Soviet Embassy in Bern, yes?

  Anton Grigoriov : Grigoriev? I am Grigoriev. Yes, well done! I am Grigoriev! And who are you, please? Al Capone? Who are you? And why do you rumble at me like a commissar?

  George Smiley : Then, Counselor, since we cannot afford to delay, I suggest you study the incriminating photographs on the table beside you.

• Saul Enderby : Well, why doesn't he dig up his treasure? Put it somewhere else and cover his traces? The shit's in the fan, he knows that, Kirov's confessed!

  George Smiley : Perhaps the treasure refuses to be moved. Perhaps Karla's options have run out.

  Saul Enderby : It's daylight madness to leave that Swiss bank account intact!

  George Smiley : It was daylight madness to use a fool like Kirov. It was madness to approach Ostrakova, and madness to believe that by killing three people he could stop the leak.

• George Smiley : It's simply a question of whether your Service wants the product. I can't see that anything else is ultimately of very much importance.

  Saul Enderby : Can't you, by God! Oh, I want him all right. I want the Mona Lisa, and the Chairman of the Chinese People's Republic, and next year's winner of the Irish Sweep. I want Karla sitting in the hot seat at Sarratt, coughing out his life story to the inquisitors. I want the American Cousins to eat out of my hand for years to come. I want the whole ball game, of course I do.

• [on Grigoriev] 

  George Smiley : So which way will he jump when we hit him?

  Toby Esterhase : Burning, George, that's always a hazard, know what I mean? Some guys get heroic and want to die for their countries suddenly. Other guys roll over and lie still the moment you put the arm on them. Burning, that touches the stubbornness in certain people.

• George Smiley : [about Otto Leipzig]  And he had a partner, yes that comes back to me too. An immigrant. An East German.

  Toby Esterhase : Hm! Worse than East German. Saxon. Name of Kretzschmar. First name Claus, with a "C". Don't ask me why. I mean these guys have no logic at all. Claus Kretzschmar was also a creep. Blond creep, lot of muscles.

  George Smiley : But that was long ago, Toby.

  Toby Esterhase : Who cares? It was a perfect marriage.

  George Smiley : [to himself]  Then I expect it didn't last.

• Toby Esterhase : This an interrogation, George?

  George Smiley : You know me, Toby.

  Toby Esterhase : Sure I know you. You want matches so you can burn my feet?

• Oliver Lacon : God, how I hate autumn.

  George Smiley : How's...?

  Oliver Lacon : Abandoned me, dammit. Ran off with her pesky riding instructor, blast it. Left me with the children. Oh, the girls are all farmed out to boarding school, thank God!

  George Smiley : I'm sorry.

  Oliver Lacon : I don't see why should you be? Not your wife.

• Oliver Lacon : George, do you think we set our women up too high? Is that where we English middle-class chaps go wrong?

  George Smiley : It may be, Oliver, yes.

  Oliver Lacon : Well, if it isn't, then why does Val always fall for shits? We were always taught that women were to be cherished. That if we didn't make them feel loved every moment of the day, they'd go off the rails! This chap Val's with, she annoys him, speaks out of turn...

  [Lacon makes a punching motion] 

  Oliver Lacon : It's mad that he hasn't given her a black eye! You and I never do that.

• [Lacon is handling an antique book on Smiley's desk] 

  George Smiley : Oliver, would you mind leaving that alone? It's not mine, and it's worth half the gross national product.

• [Smiley sees Peter Guillam's Porsche for the first time] 

  George Smiley : What a perfectly revolting little car! How ever will we all fit in?

• Toby Esterhase : The Grigorievs left their house five minutes ago. She's driving. Most likely they die before they get here.

  George Smiley : Did she drive last week?

  Toby Esterhase : Also the week before. She insists. George, that woman is a monster.

• Saul Enderby : Oh, that reminds me, George. Did you twist that young fellow Mostyn's tail, by any chance?

  George Smiley : Whatever do you mean?

  Saul Enderby : Yes, I thought so. That's why I sacked him. Tried to sell him to the BBC, but they wouldn't have him. What's he up to now, Strickland?

  Lauder Strickland : He's in retreat, sir. Joined an order of Franciscan monks near Ipswich.

  Saul Enderby : Ipswich, eh? Cold bloody spot to pray.

• George Smiley : Good afternoon, Mr. Brownlow.

  Mr. Brownlow : Oh, hello sir. How's Lady Ann?

  George Smiley : She's very lucky. I've bought her a present. I was wondering if I could put it in your safe and come back for it later?

  Mr. Brownlow : Doesn't tick, does it?

  George Smiley : Only in wet weather.

• Vladimir's Neighbour : Are you a burglar, dearie?

  George Smiley : I'm afraid not. Just a visitor.

  Vladimir's Neighbour : Still, it's nice to fancied, isn't it dearie?

  George Smiley : Very gratifying. Thank you.

• George Smiley : And the safety signal? The signal which says "I am not being followed".

  Villem Craven : Was Hamburg newspaper from yesterday.

  Stella Craven : Oh, Bill. Bill, you stupid bloody fool.

  [she walks away] 

  Stella Craven : I mean why didn't they just put it in the bloody post, whatever it is, and be done with it?

• George Smiley : What do you want me to do?

  Oliver Lacon : I want you to bury him, in both senses. I want you to pour oil on the waters, not muddy them.

  George Smiley : [deliberately]  Tell me what you want me to do, Oliver.

  Oliver Lacon : It's what I don't want you to do. He was a man with an obsession. So were you once. You know who his buddies are, who he hunted with. Speak to them. If there's any milk been spilt, I trust you to get it back into the bottle. You're his executor, George. Tidy him up. Keep us out of it. And don't wander.

• Toby Esterhase : You want a picture of Karla, George? I get you one more up to date than that, authentic provenance, no question.

  George Smiley : Thank you, Toby. I'm only interested in the original.

• Ferguson : I'm still on the side of the angels.

  George Smiley : I didn't know we had any angels.

• George Smiley : You're very piano, Peter.

  Peter Guillam : I'm just feeling my age.