Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Chapter 5 Smiley Investigates (4/5)

[trixwiz7]

What charts on who's progress? At 1:53 when Smiley asks about whether the Russians knew Control's charts on General Stedchek's career. I've almost certainly misspelt the General's name. But who is he and what are the charts. I've been following this series through but that has lost me. Is the General Stedchek the same person as Paliakov?

[jittyslitter]

@trixwiz7 agree - don't know- maybe not impt?

[ShuMaotastic]

@trixwiz7 Stefchek's. Control's chart on Stefchek's career. Poly is different person to Stefchek

[VidkunQL]

@trixwiz7 Stefchek is the General whom Control sent Jim to contact, the one who claimed to know the identity of the mole. Smiley is trying to find out how much the Russians knew about Control's plan, and maybe in which direction the information had traveled.

[shap25]

In his own quiet way, Smiley is doing to Jim what the Russians did: keeping him moving to ease his talking. Genius.

[puskascat]

"... and you were never one to see him straight ..." Levels of irony!

[TheKristobald]

@puskascat Yes, and it's very poignant. Smiley thought Jim was reluctant to tell him Karla's joke because of his collapsing marriage - then Jim starts defending Bill, with a touching loyalty. The two men have different feelings about the matter, but their loneliness is pretty much the same : George has been deceived by Ann, with Jim's former love.

[picard714]

@TheKristobald Not only poignant, but heartbreaking. What starts as an interview for Smiley to further his molehunt, becomes for Jim almost a confession. Wracked with guilt that he broke, but able to find the catharsis in it at the same time. Outstanding work by Ian Bannen!