I realize I'm asking readers here, but...
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
The Maltese Falcon
Watch them or read them?
I'm ashamed to say that I can't really speak for The Maltese Falcon, but I can comment on Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. First off, the TTSS novel is absolutely top notch, realistic spy fiction set in depths of the Cold War. Le Carre's writing captures the heart of his characters, the melancholy settings the spy trade takes place in, and the fear and uncertainty of espionage. I can't recommend it highly enough.
The 1978 British miniseries of TTSS does a helluva job of putting the book onto film. Obviously there's a lot they can't cover, but it's a very faithful adaptation overall. However, what really makes the miniseries is that Alec Guinness is simply perfect as George Smiley, the aging spymaster brought back from retirement to catch a mole in the heart of the British intelligence agency. If you decided you wanted to watch an adaptation of TTSS rather than reading it, that's the one to go with, with the caveat that it's not what you would call fast paced television.
Finally, there's the 2011 film version. I've seen it a couple of times now, and I have to say that if you were determined to condense TTSS down into a two hour film, Tomas Alfredson does about as good a job as is possible in trimming the story down to the basics. The production values of the flick are superior, with wonderful set design, costuming, and damn fine actors across the board, with Gary Oldman doing a damn fine job of playing George Smiley. However, a lot is lost from the novel, to the point where the film version of TTSS is a different beast entirely, a dense espionage thriller that alludes to, but doesn't have time to explore, the development of it's characters. Now, I think it's a fine film, but I'm glad that I saw it after having read the book first.
So, read the novel and/or watch the miniseries, then see the film.
FnordChan
