TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY

[PaykanHunter]

Is it just me, or do you guys also agree that the Citroen DS was a very poor choice for the MI6 gang in this movie. What you think?...

 

[eddyramrod]

If they're supposed to be a British unit operating inside the UK, then yes, totally. They should have been using a Rover P6 (possibly P6B) or a Hunter, or Ford Zephyr. Operating abroad might be different, but then why is the car on UK plates? Of course if it's being used by Johnny Foreigner, that's different!

[MrDuke]

I long ago gave up on any 'period' British film using the correct choice of cars: if it looks like it's more than 30 years old, they'll shove it into any setting. Strangely, the Americans appear to take great care with their choice of historic movie cars (if not the actual historical course of events) yet UK producers will ridicule anyone who points out glaring inaccuracies as a sad anorak.

[Formula Autos]

It didn't matter - it was just Guilam's car, and not used for anything covert. A pink Elvis-spec Cadillac could have been used instead and no-one's cover would have been blown. TTSS is excellent by the way, and has some top chod in the background all the way through. It's a distictly beige hued film too - VERY Autoshite.

 

As a spy's car though the DS wouldn't be the best choice. Too distinctive (and thus memorable) in Britain in 1973. Something like this would have been much more discreet:

[autofive]

if tis good enough for the chinese detective and eddie shoestring, surely its good enough for mi6

[PaykanHunter]

WOW!... I can't believe two people are already suggesting they should have used Hunters! Don't if I should be Happy or Sad!

 

The Secret Service used Hunter for Maggie thu, I covered it in this Thread: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=10423&hilit=margaret

[warren t claim]

Do the Iranian "Special Police" still run around in Hunters?

[PaykanHunter]

Do the Iranian "Special Police" still run around in Hunters?

I saw one on my last trip there years ago, and was lucky enough to capture it (you could get into a lot of trouble taking photos of the forces). But I don't believe so, they all got Mercs now!

 

Tehran-Cars-113 by ShahinS, on Flickr

[Captain Slow]

It didn't matter - it was just Guilam's car

 

 

 

In that case it should have been an MGB or maybe a Healey. Peter Guillam had a sports car in the books.

[PaykanHunter]

I know! I loved the movie, but I was really getting annoyed with the DS! It just didn't made any sense whatsoever that they would drive one, I mean what was the demographic for DS back then in the 70s in the UK?... French Intellectual Dissidents?

[MrDuke]

It didn't matter - it was just Guilam's car

 

 

 

In that case it should have been an MGB or maybe a Healey. Peter Guillam had a sports car in the books.

 

 

He had a Morgan in the Alec Guinness adaptation - had to laugh when Smiley tells Guilam it's "too young" for him, I'm pretty sure it already had a slightly middle-aged image even then!

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

I can see some reason in it, in the sense that it's so ridiculous that nobody in their right mind would think that the secret service are driving around in such a conspicuous car.

[catsinthewelder]

I had thoughts along those lines with Spooks when Harry Pearce was smoking round in a Citroen C6

[PaykanHunter]

I can see some reason in it, in the sense that it's so ridiculous that nobody in their right mind would think that the secret service are driving around in such a conspicuous car.

Well.. that was my thoughts too, but still 3-4 Dudes driving around in a RHD DS back in then in London?!... I would say they were MI6 for sure!... But what do I know I grow up in Tehran were all agents just used Paykans, simple.

[AnthonyG]

Gulliam, as a reasonably junior grade civil servant, would have struggled to buy a Morgan and certainly wouldn't have been able to shell out for a DS. A MGB would have been much more like it.

 

A government issue car in the mid 70s would have been likely to be an Austin 1800, Hunter, Cortina or Victor - all were used by the RAF for example. But I guess MI5 or SIS would have realistically had access to all kinds of stuff, however they were more likely to have been 'Q' cars such as Cortinas with V6s than flashy exotics like DS's.

[Guest]

Random Fact: My mate's husband was the location manager for this film.

[PaykanHunter]

Gulliam, as a reasonably junior grade civil servant, would have struggled to buy a Morgan and certainly wouldn't have been able to shell out for a DS. A MGB would have been much more like it.

 

A government issue car in the mid 70s would have been likely to be an Austin 1800, Hunter, Cortina or Victor - all were used by the RAF for example. But I guess MI5 or SIS would have realistically had access to all kinds of stuff, however they were more likely to have been 'Q' cars such as Cortinas with V6s than flashy exotics like DS's.

Well said! The DS was a very poor choice for this movie!

[scooters]

In the books guillam drives a draughty sports car...smiley huddles in his coat...I suspect a soft top..a spit or an mg roadster...no way would his salary stretch to a DS or a Morgan for that matter