Tinker, Tailor etc was the cornerstone BBC drama of the late seventies featuring as it did a rare TV performance by Sir Alec Guinness (later repeated in 1982's Smiley's People). The supporting cast was equally as strong with such as Ian Richardson and Michael Jayston adding lustre to an already stellar line-up. Whether it can be successfully remade as a film, again featuring some of the foremost English actors, remains to be seen. Le Carre's books do not always translate successfully to the big screen: for every Spy Who Came In From The Cold, there's a Russia House. The main concern for the producers must be that those of us who remember and revere the original - and therefore know the outcome - will perhaps not feel the need to see the new version, no matter how well made it might be.