The Little Drummer Girl - BBC 2018

[The Fornicator]

Found it unbelievable that a young actor would get involved with a bunch of weird old spies without considerable remuneration. Risk entire career/freedom/life driving a car of explosives across continent, naa.

How many thousands enlisted in front line regiments after 9/11 for the wage you'd get working in a warehouse. Boredom and adventure is a strong pull in the yoof, warfare of all kinds relies on it.

 

[Spymaster]

For all their propaganda about how they are fighting a underground war and saving lives the fact is state security services are very usually useless, stupid and deranged.

If that were actually true it would be a lot more apparent than it currently is.

 

[redsquirrel]

If that were actually true it would be a lot more apparent than it currently is.

It is apparent, hence the long piece I posted highlighting one fuckup after another.

 

[Spymaster]

It is apparent, hence the long piece I posted highlighting one fuckup after another.

It's an interesting-ish piece but it doesn't support your assertion that the (current) security services are "usually useless, stupid, and deranged".

 

[The Fornicator]

Well the West Germans and Israelis were pretty stupid in the 1970s, not having a country - state infrastructure - for less than 30 years being one reason.

Francis Walsingham it wasn't.

 

[redsquirrel]

It's an interesting-ish piece but it doesn't support your assertion that the (current) security services are "usually useless, stupid, and deranged".

Apart from the many instances cited of the useless of MI5 - missing real spies, arresting innocent people, cocking up over Iraq, Russia etc etc.

 

[belboid]

The BND was pretty much a joke in the seventies. It had had one notable success in the years before (predicting the Russians would invade Czechoslovakia), but they were so crap no one else beleived them!

And then they were warned about Munich, but ignored it (and fucked up the rescure operation), and were largely rubbish against the Baader-Meinhofs.

 

[Spymaster]

Apart from the many instances cited of the useless of MI5 - missing real spies, arresting innocent people, cocking up over Iraq, Russia etc etc.

And you think that's "usual"?

 

[Idris2002]

The BND was pretty much a joke in the seventies. It had had one notable success in the years before (predicting the Russians would invade Czechoslovakia), but they were so crap no one else beleived them!

And then they were warned about Munich, but ignored it (and fucked up the rescure operation), and were largely rubbish against the Baader-Meinhofs.

They also found out that the Stasi had an agent in Willy Brandt's office. . . And sat on the info until it could do the maximum political damage to Brandt and his government.

 

[Pickman's model]

Anachronistic stamp on postcard, 2000s/2010s picture of queen

 

[Spymaster]

Anachronistic stamp on postcard, 2000s/2010s picture of queen

1990s phone boxes too.

 

[Chilli.s]

And the costumes are all over the place too.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

I think I've lost interest. I turned over to watch Louis Theroux instead.

 

[The Fornicator]

It's low budget. They can't afford outdoor scenes in London. Strictly dateless concrete for daytime London and Balkans for outside shots. Get over yourselves.

 

[moonsi til]

I’m totally lost , think I’m 3 episodes in. Just declared that I was done & my partner could finish without me. Have no clue what’s going on.

 

[Spymaster]

It's bloody boring but I'll see it through. I really dislike the Charlie character too.

 

[Plumdaff]

I must be the only person still rather enjoying then. Some of the bold choices really don't work - the wish you were here sequence for example - but I love the clashing dissonant colours and the attempt to do a spy thriller differently.

I like Charlie too. Or at least I think she rings true and the actor playing her is great.

 

[Pickman's model]

It's low budget. They can't afford outdoor scenes in London. Strictly dateless concrete for daytime London and Balkans for outside shots. Get over yourselves.

Oh i don't think it's difficult to date the ucl institute of education

 

[Mrs Miggins]

....and the actor playing her is great.

Yes keep an eye out for her - Florence Pugh - I've said it before but I predict great things for her...

 

[Pickman's model]

Yes keep an eye out for her - Florence Pugh - I've said it before but I predict great things for her...

Yes, I've seen it in the kipper bones

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Oh and Plumdaff - if you have Amazon Prime video or know how to get movies by nefarious means from the internet, watch Lady Macbeth - a film she was in last year. It's brilliant.

 

[hot air baboon]

1990s phone boxes too.

And the costumes are all over the place too.

if only there was some sort of record of those far off times...pictures....even some sort of moving film

 

[editor]

I'm still enjoying it even if the plot is getting dafter.

 

[Chilli.s]

I'm enjoying it too, for all its failings there's plenty of entertainment there. The acting is top quality.

 

[The Fornicator]

I don't think it's a happy adaptation. Tricky at the very best of times. Somewhere in the back of my mind there's something about le Carre's family being involved in the consent or production process nowadays. This is way too close to being simplistic bollox.

 

[not-bono-ever]

Still not clear why she filled her boots with hot Mossad counter terror action for fuck all reward though

 

[Chilli.s]

Still not clear why she filled her boots with hot Mossad counter terror action for fuck all reward though

Yeah me too, specially after seemingly sympathetic to the other side whilst a student.

 

[hot air baboon]

yeah agree - I mean you could explain it but they just haven't ( & aren't actors meant to be big on asking "whats my motivation here ? )

 

[friedaweed]

Lovin it.

 

[Chilli.s]

I always thought Le Carre's books were tosh anyway, written for daydreaming civil servants. Maybe that's just his style of character, ambiguous, or as I see it, muddled.