[1970s glasses (top right) / gary oldman quote]

early emphasis on eyeglasses in “tinker tailor soldier spy” signals to the viewer the importance of observation in unraveling a dense mystery that the film’s look enhances;  each shot is somehow artfully, visually obscured…

frames from tinker tailor soldier spy: directed by tomas alfredson / cinematography by hoyte van hoytema / art direction by tom brown and zsuzsa kismarty-lechner / production design by maria djurkovic / costume design by jaqueline durran

screenplay by bridget o’connor & peter staughan based on the novel by john le carre