The BBC’s 1982 BAFTA-winning adaptation of Smiley’s People to BritBox on July 14th.
Based on the third novel in John Le Carre’s Smiley versus Karla trilogy, the six-part series sees Sir Alec Guinness return as spymaster George Smiley who is once again roused from retirement following the murder of a Soviet defector. His investigation eventually leads him to a final reckoning with an old nemesis, the Soviet spymaster known only as ‘Karla’ (Patrick Stewart).
The series also stars Beryl Reid, Eileen Atkins, Barry Foster and Michael Byrne and won four BAFTAs, including Best Actor (Guinness) and Best Actress (Reid).
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy – Guinness’s first outing as Smiley – is already available to stream on the service.
Other drama highlights coming to the service include series 4-6 and selected episodes of series 1 of The Avengers on July 1st, and the 2013 version of The Lady Vanishes.
Based on Ethel Lina White’s The Wheel Spins, the one-off drama shares its name with Alfred Hitchcock’s 1938 adaption of the same novel (also available on BritBox) though it stays much closer to the source material.
Iris Carr, a young socialite befriends an older woman while travelling by train. But soon, the woman disappears. Will Iris be able to find her?
Tuppence Middleton, Tom Hughes, Keeley Hawes, Alex Jennings and Stephanie Cole head the cast.
