Benedict Cumberbatch as Peter Guillam

Benedict Cumberbatch as Peter Guillam

I love the character of Peter Guillam in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (by John le Carre).

Here are some facts about him:

  • He has no family.
  • He is blond and ‘good looking’ – and is about 40.
  • In the book he is having an affair/fling/whatever with a 20 something student called Camilla (who plays the flute).
  • He is friends with George Smiley, and acts like his inside man.
  • He is getting quite nervous and freaked out by the end of the book (“His nerves were so taut”), and appears to be losing it slightly.

He is human. I keep repeating this word in conjunction to Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy because I feel that le Carre has made believable characters, or more specifically, believable flaws. Guillam is losing it and Smiley is confused (and losing it too), mainly in conjunction to his ex-wife (Ann) and how events seem to be catching up with him.

I don’t like Smiley as much simply because of the way he acts. He is calm, and is a bit too controlled, I find. He figures things out. He is the big cheese in films who tells the villain what they have done (and how they worked it out), while the villain is held at gunpoint. Get what I mean? I don’t like characters that are too controlled.

Guillam’s flaws make him more human.