The finest screen adaptations of John le Carré

David John Moore Cornwell, the writer who penned dozens of spy novels under the pen name John le Carré, is the subject of new documentary The Pigeon Tunnel.

And while his literary legacy will always be foremost, the brooding nature of his work made it perfect for the screen.

The Night Manager (2016)

Slick and absorbing, Danish director Susanne Bier took on le Carré’s book from 1993 for the BBC, centring on a former soldier - turned manager at a luxury hotel - embroiled in the investigation of a shadowy arms dealer. Tom Hiddleston’s suave performance was superbly countered by the low hum of menace seen in Hugh Laurie’s ‘Dicky' Roper. Le Carré himself turns up briefly in a restaurant scene.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

Let The Right One In director Tomas Alfredson truly nailed the dour, murky tone of Tinker Tailor, with Gary Oldman as intelligence man George Smiley. Assembling a dazzling cast - Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Kathy Burke, John Hurt, Toby Jones, Mark Strong, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ciaran Hinds and David Dencik, it won the BAFTA for Best Film and scored three Oscar nominations. Le Carré again appeared in a cameo role, as a party guest.

The Constant Gardener (2005)

Ralph Fiennes’ heart-breaking performance was central to City of God director Fernando Meirelles’ movie, adapted from le Carré’s 2001 novel. As low-level diplomat Justin Quayle, his desperation in trying to find the murderer of his wife Tessa (Rachel Weisz) is tragically palpable, set to the backdrop of political corruption in Kenya. It earned four Oscar nominations, Weisz winning Best Supporting Actress.

A Most Wanted Man (2014)

Adapted by Anton Corbijn from one of le Carré’s more recent novels, 2008’s A Most Wanted Man, this moody take on the kind of modern spycraft seen in the fight against Al Qaeda provided a final role for Philip Seymour Hoffman, his last before his tragic death from an overdose in 2014.

The Spy Who Came In From The Cold (1965)

The first movie made of a le Carré novel, director Martin Ritt set the bar fearsomely high, with a laconic Richard Burton superb as drunken, seemingly sidelined station chief Alec Leamas. Complex and oppressive, it’s a murky snapshot of Cold War Berlin, and the machinations of defection. It introduced the early incarnation of George Smiley, played by Rupert Davis. Burton missed out on the Oscar - but won the BAFTA.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Smiley’s People (1979 and 1982)

For many, it was Alec Guinness who truly embodied the role of George Smiley. Guinness played the enigmatic intelligence officer in 1979’s seven-part adaptation of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Direct John Irvin fixed an eye on nuance and pace over spectacle, with Guinness giving a commanding performance. The New York Times called it ‘a landmark in TV history’. Guinness returned to the role in 1982 for the equally superlative Smiley’s People.

The Pigeon Tunnel is streaming on Apple TV+ now.