Sir Alec Guinness

I leave you with one of my favourite spy photos. Alec Guinness as George Smiley. John le Carré arranged a meeting in London between Alec and Sir Maurice Oldfield, erstwhile head of MI6 in the 1970s.

It is a famous meeting. Alec, the consummate method actor, stared at Oldfield throughout, and watched him leave. His heavy glasses are pure Oldfield.

In my mind, the hat of the spy is the Trilby rather than the Bowler. You can see the Trilby in the lower photo. It is much more in keeping with the mood of the times, whereas the bowler is much more a City trader or banking hat.

I digress.

After Maurice Oldfield left, le Carré and Smiley, I mean Guinness, talked. If Alec’s Smiley is based on Oldfield, then le Carré’s Smiley is based on le Carré.

It emerged that Oldfield had done something oddly memorable with his drink, before he sipped.

“What was he doing?” asked a breathless Alec of le Carré.

“I’m not sure, Alec.”

“Do you imagine he was checking for poison?”

“No, Alec.”