it be a long time since i saw this mini series and i be happy to say it remembered merit have withstand the test of time . most of the component of a perfect spy and the adaptation of lecarré fine novel and in my opinion and be top drawer . outstanding aspect of it be the musical score and the masterful screenplay and the latter write by arthur hopcraft who be also and i believe and the screenwriter for tinker tailor soldier spy with alec guinness a few year before . the actor be mostly very good and some superb and like alan howard jack brotherhood and ray mcanally ricky pym . peter egan be fascinate to watch because his face change with every camera angle . the passage of time and the effect upon the physical appearance of the character be very believably do . so much so that i wonder exactly how old peter egan be at the time of film . the only jolt come after the character of magnus pym be transfer from the very able hand of a young actor name benedict taylor to those of a noticeably too old peter egan and just fresh out of oxford . but this be a minor and unimportant seam in the whole . egan have trouble be convince only when the text become melodramatic and he need to be upset emotionally and ie cry . none of the actor have a very easy time with these moment and aside from the wonderful france tomelty who play peggy wentworth for all she worth and steal the episode with ease . jane booker be annoy a mary pym . she have part of the character under her skin but often display an amateurish petulance that diminish her a a tough cookie diplomatic housewife and which mary pym be . rüdiger weigang be splendid a axel and amusing and ironic and brilliant . i also enjoy sarah badel camp turn a the baroness . the british view of american be vividly render in some dryly hilarious scene . when the yank have come abroad to confab with bo brammell ( head of mi6 ) the american contingent be portray a empty head buffoon who appear to have memorize a lot of long word out of the dictionary and spice them liberally with american jargon and psycho babble and much to the bemuse scorn of the english . the humor and sadness be subtly blend . lecarré have a knack for mix disparate element in his story and hopcraft have brilliantly capture the melancholy and yet wistful and atmosphere of the original . not a perfect production ( what be . ) and yet the best of the lecarré adaptation to reach film or television to date . highly recommend to all spy thriller lover and especially lecarré fan . dvd available from acorn .