Matrixston Wow! Such a good movie.

BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

Jakoba True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

Scarlet The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

SimonJack This 1991 British production (Thames TV) for the A&E channel is based on mystery writer John le Carre's second novel. Le Carre wrote the screenplay for "A Murder of Quality," so the necessary changes for filming were made by the book's author himself. It's interesting that this is the only story with le Carre's character, George Smiley, that is set outside the field of espionage. A number of British actors have played George Smiley in movies made on le Carre's books. They all are very good. Denholm Elliott has the role in this film. He plays a more reserved, humble character than usual. Glenda Jackson is excellent as his friend from espionage days, Alisa Brimley. Joss Ackland is very good as Terence Fielding, a school headmaster. And, Matthew Scurfield is very good as Inspector Rigby. The rest of the supporting cast all are quite good. While this story has the usual red herring or two, it wasn't difficult for me to guess early on who the culprit was. The film even seemed to make it easy with one scene in particular. While I haven't read many mystery novels of the past few decades, I do enjoy the movies based on works by mystery writers. Besides le Carre, John Grisham and others are still writing today. But no one, in my estimation, will ever top Agatha Christie as a crime and mystery writer. Her super sleuth, Hercule Poirot, remains the most beguiling of all crime solvers, in my book. Since the early 1960s, I have read and/or watched the films on all of Christie's works that have been printed or put on film. Only once was I able to guess correctly early on who the culprit was.Still, one can't have caviar, clams casino, lobster, and crepes Suzette all the time. Those are all the more enjoyable on special occasions, after many more meals of good but wholesome everyday meals. So, a movie based on a le Carre novel is enjoyable and satisfying at any time. Most movie buffs should enjoy "A Murder of Quality."

blanche-2 This time, it's Denholm Elliot as George Smiley, and the story is "A Murder of Quality" from 1991, also starring Glenda Jackson, Joss Ackland, Billie Whitelaw, and a 17-year-old Christian Bale.Smiley is asked by a former colleague (Jackson) to look into a strange letter sent to her by a junior master's wife at a boy's school, Carne. When Smiley calls the school, he learns that the woman has been murdered. Her husband is a suspect.Smiley travels to the school and works with the police. He discovers that plenty of people had a motive to kill this woman besides the husband - she was a blackmailer, not for money, but for the power of it. Another murder follows, and Smiley begins to put the pieces together.Very good film, with LeCarre writing the screenplay himself. Denholm Elliot does an excellent job as Smiley, quietly observant, perhaps lacking the bite of Alec Guinness, but good nonetheless. It was a delight to see Glenda Jackson - she's been out of acting for so long, it was a joy to see her and remember how fabulous she was. Christian Bale doesn't have a ton of dialogue, but he was instantly recognizable and did well. Joss Ackland has a showy part as a professor and gives a flamboyant performance.This is a depressing, moody film, quite dark, and highly recommended.

Lars-Toralf Storstrand Although Denholm Elliot makes a very good George Smiley, the story in «A Murder Of Quality» is so exceedingly boring and tripe that it can hardly be seen without slumbering underway.In my viewpoint it is totally in breach with the character that George Smiley has in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (series) and as far as I go it hardly qualifies to be listed among the stories of John Le Carré.The acting of Denholm Elliot as well as Joss Ackland is clear, good and supreme, and the direction of certain scenes - as purporting to the «silvery angel» is rather made up as a good idea, but just remains so intensly -boring- through and through, that I simply don't have another word for it.

vicboyd001 Strongly agree with your own comments, this early Le Carre novel is one of my favourites but this version lacks one thing to make it complete. Denholm Elliott is very good as Smiley but Alec Guinness, for any who saw him in the role in "Tinker Tailor, Soldier, Spy" and "Smileys People" will understand that he IS George Smiley. The rest of the cast are superb and in answer to that question 'Why can't Americans make Movies like this?" the Answer is that you do! Look for them in odd places, "Chiefs", "Centennial" and so on. The Movie follows the book and only really misses on that strange and quintessentially English feeling of claustrophobia that exists in Public School Towns. The Constant battle between school and town. Both deeming the other to be the outsiders. Pickup is wonderful as D'Arcy. I would love to have seen Ian Cuthbertson as Fielding but well you cant have everything can you? I strongly urge all to view this at least twice, the first time to enjoy and the second time to pick up on all the Le Carre touches. I also urge you to find an old English movie of his "A Call For The Dead" All in all a great production and as stated faithful to the original.