Rent Cambridge Spies (2003)
3.7 of 5 from 75 ratings
3h 54min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- In 1934, four brilliant, but seemingly conventional young men at Cambridge University are recruited to spy for the Soviet Union. Fuelled by youthful idealism, a passion for communism, a talent for lying and a hatred of Hitler and fascism, they began a 20-year career of deceit and treachery.
- Actors:
- Tom Hollander, Toby Stephens, Rupert Penry-Jones, Samuel West, Stuart Laing, Darrell D'Silva, Anna-Louise Plowman, Ronald Pickup, Marcel Iures, Angus Wright, Patrick Kennedy, Colin Higgins, John Light, Imelda Staunton
- Directors:
- Tim Fywell
- Studio:
- BBC
- Genres:
- British TV, TV Dramas, TV Thrillers
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Reviews (2) of Cambridge Spies
Very good - Cambridge Spies review by NB
Well written and directed, with an excellent cast. The characterisations of these complex people are subtly conveyed.
2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.
Excellent 4-part TV Drama on Burgess, Maclean, Philby, Blunt, from a pre-woke 2003 & better for it - Cambridge Spies review by PV
This 4 part drama dates from 2023 and thank goodness - so there is no attempt to created female characters who never existed or impose colourblind casting fakery on real history, as in the awful recent ITV drama A SPY AMONG FRIENDS - very slow, boring and a northern lass who never existed was created to woke up the story, and of course she has an unlikely Jamaican husband who never existed either. NO NEED for any of it.
It seems that we have to rely on the archive for decent dramas like this which cannot be made anymore without the wokiedokies making them into preachy woke pc finger-wagging lectures. Tickboxery does not make for good drama which just has to tell a good story well, NO lectures or preaching.
This excellent series does just that, a superb cast is utterly convincing as all the main characters, Burgess, Maclean, Philby, Blunt et al. Not sure how accurate the portrayal of the American is - but drama needs the plot points, beats and jeopardy at the end. How true is this true story? No idea.
Watch with the superb story of Guy Burgess in Moscow AN ENGLISHMAN ABROAD (1983) and also watch RED MONARCH from the same year I think to see just how deluded these posh boys were in betraying Britain to support the USSR (Stalin referred to them and others in the west supporting Russian communism as 'useful idiots').
Also Julian Mitchell's great 1980s theatre play made into a film ANOTHER COUNTRY with colin Firth and Rupert Everett romanticises the schooldays or Guy Burgess. Wotch a watch. Very much influenced the Style Council's LONG HOT SUMMER video of the time.
Those who want a challenge should watch the original 1979 TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY though it was famous at the time for being rather baffling.
5 star great drama.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.