I think what people see in the movie is the media image of Swinging sixties London extended to the 1970s. But the central characters are all aging World War II veterans and glorified Civil Servants. For that reason, I think the TV series captured the decor and mood better. Though I do love this closing scene, even if in the Book Prideaux breaks Haydon's neck... Just like he did with the Owl...
In that shared glance Prideaux learned the truth: he knew Haydon was betraying them. They have so much backstory and emotion, heck love, for one another that he saw it in that brief glance. He was just able to stay in denial about it for so long *because* of those strong emotions and love, until it was finally irrefutable and proven beyond a shadow of a doubt. And when he learned? He killed him. Not in my opinion simply for the Service, but for himself and he killed the man he loved because of his betrayal that cost him his body and his mind. Yet you can even see him get emotional doing that, his tears eye up: he knows it has to be done for honor, country, but most importantly himself, and he manages to go through with it. Very touching and sad when you think about it. Two men who cared and loved each other (implied to be physical as well) but one betrayed the other to such an extent that he couldn't live with the knowledge. Haydon ruined Prideaux, again not just in body but in mind. And NOT JUST FROM THE TORTURE EITHER, but because the ONE MAN he LOVED BETRAYED HIM. You see his reaction to the loner student afterwards as he's just tormented by the fact that the one person he probably cared about the most in the world sold him out and let him not just be killed (which would almost be merciful because then Prideaux wouldn't have learned it as FACT, just "known" from the glance) but tortured beyond belief on every level. The man who he loved and who, at one point, loved him, betrayed him. And that's probably just as emotionally devastating and as hard to get over as the physical and psychological torture he suffered. Very sad .
Maybe I'm over-interpreting here, but Rikki Tarr looking through the window of the jewellery shop at wedding rings for Irina holds many layers of sadness. Is he clinging on to the dream that Smiley will get her back to him?
Bill sees Jim coming through the woods and moves into position to...make the shot easier? No. So he can throw Jim a final look & let his longtime colleague & friend know he remained a step ahead of him to the end.
I politely disagree , I don`t think it was an act of revenge more an act of love ( remember they had been gay partners ) he new if Bill was exchanged to Russia he would be executed
It just occurred to me that what Jim does here is extremely damaging to the Circus. The Soviets will assume that Bil was executed by the organization, which makes the Soviets more likely to execute any captured British agent.
Agreed. At first i thought it was a mercy killing to save haydon from a terrible fate awaiting him in moscow. But he was more likely to be celebrated as a hero in moscow for his years of service for karla. Jim really screwed up here.
Oh in the sequel that is exactly what happens. With no Haydon to trade for; Karla goes scorched Earth on the Circus' Eastern Bloc networks, almost completely obliterating them in a single day, radio links all going silent, nearly every agent the Circus has over there is either arrested, killed or turned, the work of years dismantled in a few days. Through a mix of luck, some legitimately daring escapes and sheer refusal to give in, Smiley manages to save a handful of them, but otherwise the Circus loses basically everything it had in the Soviet Union and the Satellite States, is humiliated in the intelligence community and has to basically dismantle ALL of its overseas bases, close all of their safe houses... To basically start all over again. Some of this damage was inevitable, the damage Bill had wrought was too extensive for there to be any hope of an easy recovery, but Jim killing Haydon absolutely made it worse and absolutely got agents killed that Smiley could otherwise have saved.
I think Jim kills Bill because he realizes this is the only time he has ever, or will ever, be in control of a situation they are both in. I think he wants revenge for all the years of emotional and physical pain Bill has caused him. And, this will be some kind of closure for Jim...no wondering where Bill is or will he ever show up again.
Love the movie love the music ! but .. why is Julio saying it's a brand new song who's gonna be very famous soon ( yes I am French ) , but acctualy it's a very old French song made by Charles Trenet .. I don't know why he said that
It's clear in the book that Haydon is bisexual. Prideaux has no other known relationships but Smiley thinks the two were lovers. I didn't see the point of making Guillam gay though.
