Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (TV Mini Series)

Tarr Tells His Story (1979)

Hywel Bennett: Ricki Tarr

Photos 

Quotes 

• Irina : You should be careful what you say about my husband. He's an important man, he has influential friends...

  Ricki Tarr : You frightening me off, Mrs. Boris? I've got quite a name for looking after myself. I'm your original Australian self-made success story. Rags to richess and punching all the way. Bureaucrats don't scare me, not even the bloody Russian kind!

  Irina : Don't call me Mrs. Boris. My name is Irina.

• Ricki Tarr : [reporting to Thesinger]  And I am telling you we're definitely in the wrong ball game with this Johnny! That is a professional, a Moscow Centre-trained hood!

• Irina : I need someone to help me. You'll have to be quite brave, Lawrence...

  Ricki Tarr : Tony...

  Irina : I shall call you Lawrence. Colonel Lawrence, Like in "Lawrence of Arabia"?

  Ricki Tarr : He was English.

  Irina : I know.

• George Smiley : It's very unusual for Moscow Centre to use a husband-and-wife team. Hard to believe. Unless of course they have children in Moscow, hostages...

  Ricki Tarr : They have.

  Peter Guillam : Common-law marriage. Unofficial, but permanent.

  Ricki Tarr : There's a lot the other way around these days, believe it or not, Mr. Smiley.

• Ricki Tarr : Nags me a bit, though, this Boris. Makes his rounds every night, does he?

  Tufty Thessinger : Never missed yet. I told you, my boys...

  Ricki Tarr : Well, before I go, I might just take a peep inside Boris's kennel, see what's under the mattress. Can't be any harm in that, can there?

  Tufty Thessinger : Orders is orders.

  Ricki Tarr : I like keeping my hand in. It's been quiet lately. You can get rusty.

  [Tarr walks towards the door] 

  Tufty Thessinger : Well, enjoy yourself, my son, but don't break any eggs, Ricki, please.

  [Tarr smiles at him and walks out the door] 

  Tufty Thessinger : I have to live here, remember!

• [first lines] 

  [Tarr arrives in Lisbon] 

  Ricki Tarr : Our resident buffoon - old galloping major called Tufty Thesinger - wanted a helping hand.

• Ricki Tarr : My boss says you've got your eyes on a likely piece of merchandise for us. So what's your style, this Boris?

  Tufty Thessinger : He's a real Flash Harry!

  [Tarr looks at Thesinger] 

  Tufty Thessinger : Exactly. Not your common in-the-garden Russian granite face at all!

• Peter Guillam : I'm doing what I can to check...

  Ricki Tarr : Well, you be damn careful baby, because I don't want the wrong people on my back!