Research Task - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011, Tomas Alfreson) by Maria Beardall

Research Task

'In 1970s England the head of MI6, Control (John Hurt), dispatches an agent (Mark Strong) to meet with a Hungarian general who knows the identity of a Soviet spy in the organization's ranks. However, the mission goes wrong, and the general dies before he can reveal the information. Undersecretary Oliver Lacon (Simon McBurney) calls veteran agent George Smiley (Gary Oldman) back from forced retirement to ferret out the mole and stop the flow of vital British secrets to the Russians.'


KEY:
Camera
Editing
Sound
Mise en Scene

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (http://moodle.centralsussex.ac.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=36523)

1st Scene:

Secretive room

The first scene starts off  very quietly and secretively with an OTS shot which causes curiosity as to why the man waits at the door for it to be opened in the mysterious, dark hallway and who both the men are. An older man opens the door and doesn't seem threatening as he is smaller, wearing light, baggy clothing and also seems slightly annoyed to disturbed. He says 'trust no one Jim' as they walk in and that shows the audience that they are companions and on the 'same side'.

The mise en scene is firstly an old room, which is very messy and full of books. It seems more like a place that is harmless and for information, and as the first and second characters walk over to a desk in a pan of the room at the end of the room this seems routine - who is in charge and what are they doing together? The two men walk slowly, the older with a limp to show he isn't dangerous. Music is playing in the background, presumably an Italian opera song which makes the scene seems slightly nerving, yet there is no suspected threat in such a suburban sitting room - too dull to hold any real, dangerous action. The pan/tracking shot of them walking to sit down and the slow cuts whilst talking shows the pace is slow, therefore this scene holds information and the two pick up conversation. 

'Off the book mission'

They converse in shot reverse shots about 'Russian identities' and 'unfinished business' in calm and reserved voices. The one in command, portrayed by John Hurt, smokes a cigar casually to show that they are very informal. The Italian music gives clues that the calm doesn't last forever as it is so out of place and almost eccentric compared to the two of them and that both are very intellectual. The scene then fades quickly to a flash forward with the sounds of diegetic Foleys of an plane to suggest travel without having to literally show it.

2nd Scene:

Cutaways of each other walking to destination

In this scene there is a very smooth pan of the street as the camera cuts from one side of the street to the other - tracking the two men as they walk towards the destination they are both meeting at. There is a sense of curiosity raised as they repeatedly look at each, shown by editing of cuts to each other and their eyeline, other as the camera has them in the frame at a mid shot, whilst people and vehicles pass in and out of the shot, changing the depth of field to create a busier and more rushed feel to the streets. There is a piano and wind instrument playing as non diegetic music to suggest interest as it is first of all light but deeply felt and strings which heighten as their voices begin to talk of important topics and their voices whilst discussing continues to play/narrate over the two men traveling to meet. The character who opened the door says 'there's a rotten apple and we must find it', describing an agent who has turned against them.

3rd Scene:

New scene, new establishing shot

The music changes as it slows and gets longer with mostly string instruments, and diegetic music from the cafe starts to play over it to show the transition.

The man he is meeting is supposedly on his 'side' yet seems very odd as his costume is presented very well, with a dark roll neck jumper and a smart blazer. Compared to this, the first agent looks very relaxed yet both don't look at ease - their body language looks uncomfortable and odd, a hint to the audience that something isn't right and puts them on edge.  

Nerves shown by the waiter

The waiter seems oddly shaken and not composed as he struggles to hold the drinks which aren't good qualities of a waiter and seems extremely nervous - a bead of sweat has dropped from his perspiring head - noteing warning signals that something isn't right as otherwise he wouldn't act so oddly to the audience.

Noticing the details

There are then cutaways to and from the agent seen in the previous scene to direct the audience of where he is looking and picking up as he does how everything seems very odd and staged. Noises such as birds and bands playing are made louder in editing to create a sense of what senses the agent is picking up on as he looks around and body language is key as the audience see the onlookers stare and then look away once the attention is on him, and with the diegetic music being intensified and exaggerated such as the band playing it all begins to seem nerving and unnatural for the audience. These many cuts to simple situations notify that these are important to view and this therefore creates tension and suspense as the cuts become more frequent to them suggest the more evidence that there is an unusual atmosphere forming.

The pace of editing picks up quicker as he looks around more and realizes everyone is watching him and waiting where it is indirectly said to the audience that this situation is a trap - subjectively noticed with the agent that the audience have been with since the beginning. His facial expressions begin to change and alert the audience as he looks increasingly worried as he realizes he is outnumbered and stuck. Tension and drama is created as the audience don't know if he will die or live. The first agent  feels extremely uncomfortable - given away when he asks the second man where the person they are waiting for will be and the second smirks and says 'here soon', which immediately isn't the appropriate response a fellow spy should have to the odd goings on following all the cutaways suggesting there is abnormal behaviour; to which it is realised he is the 'bad apple.'

Shot down

The first agent abruptly leaps up and knocks over a chair in panic seen as the movement was very unmade and the audience realise he knows its too late. There are mid shots of him quickly walking away as the waiter runs out and shouts 'block off the area' etc. in a different language which generically confirms he is the antagonist. He then shoots and the shots ring out diegetically and there is a final shot of the agent falling as it cuts to black.

Conclusion:

• it works well as a thriller as it has suspense and creates a climax using cutaways so the audience subjectively view it just like the character is
• it appeals to 17-25 year olds as it is thrilling in the sense that it is unknown that the antagonist was one of the agents supposed friends - this catches people off guard and creates excitement and shock
• its organised by creating smooth transitions from one scene to another using voice overs from previous scenes and a fluid mix of music