This one will certainly test your memory of history and bring back memories long forgotten. Sam Neil is excellent in the lead role of Reilly: Ace of Spies as is all the supporting cast both ongoing and limited appearances. This was a very trying time in world history with some of the most serious and dangerous world situations in the last 300 years. While watching, glimpses of James Bond and Indiana Jones flash before you and then you remember, it was them who were modeled aster Reilly and not the other way round! Plus, he was an actual person and not a storybook fictional character with his suave, debonair yet manly bearing. It is a bit difficult to keep up sometimes as the writers apparently presume that viewers are more familiar with the events without benefit of any refresher being done. Highly entertaining, very educational from an historical perspective and reminiscent of action movies of a bygone era especially with the 3 part segments in each installment. It's like being back at the Saturday matinees in theaters of yesteryear.
3 Reviews
A Spy in Search of Relevance
malvernp27 July 2023
This episode provides a transition for the activist spy Sidney Reilly, who once envisioned himself to be the next Czar of a Bolshevik-free Russia. Now he is the emigre Reilly---doomed to wander like The Flying Dutchman from London to Paris and New York---in search of self-esteem and a new life. Sentenced to death in absentia by a Russian court and treated with little respect by the British establishment, the episode ushers Reilly into a "wilderness period." He wants to continue as a high level Bolshevik irritant, while being significant in unraveling the turmoil that followed from the failed Lenin assassination attempt. Reilly was gone from Russia--but he was never forgotten.
While his associate Lockhart shared much the same adventure in escaping from Russia, he (unlike Reilly) gradually drops in importance from our story. Eventually the ailing Lenin succumbs to his injuries and dies---only to be replaced by a far more ruthless menace---Josef Stalin. Reilly himself barely dodges an assassination attempt in London, and continues to attract attention from attractive women---from the delightful prostitute known as The Plugger to the young religious mystic Caryll Houselander. All of this activity is merely the calm that precedes a much more interesting storm coming on the horizon.
Not generally noted in comments about the casting of the Reilly series is the fact that Ian Charleson played the English adventurer Bruce Lockhart. Charleson is perhaps best known to American audiences as the famous Scot runner Eric Liddell in the 1981 international hit Chariots of Fire. And Norman Rodway, a stalwart primarily of the British stage, continues to shine in his great supporting role as Cumming---Reilly's sometime superior in the often sordid but never dull world of Anglo intelligence.
While occasionally slow moving, our narrative is always interesting. Sam Neill remains a commanding presence as Sidney Reilly. And Tom Bell's Felix Dzerzhinsky is surely a close second in that department!
While his associate Lockhart shared much the same adventure in escaping from Russia, he (unlike Reilly) gradually drops in importance from our story. Eventually the ailing Lenin succumbs to his injuries and dies---only to be replaced by a far more ruthless menace---Josef Stalin. Reilly himself barely dodges an assassination attempt in London, and continues to attract attention from attractive women---from the delightful prostitute known as The Plugger to the young religious mystic Caryll Houselander. All of this activity is merely the calm that precedes a much more interesting storm coming on the horizon.
Not generally noted in comments about the casting of the Reilly series is the fact that Ian Charleson played the English adventurer Bruce Lockhart. Charleson is perhaps best known to American audiences as the famous Scot runner Eric Liddell in the 1981 international hit Chariots of Fire. And Norman Rodway, a stalwart primarily of the British stage, continues to shine in his great supporting role as Cumming---Reilly's sometime superior in the often sordid but never dull world of Anglo intelligence.
While occasionally slow moving, our narrative is always interesting. Sam Neill remains a commanding presence as Sidney Reilly. And Tom Bell's Felix Dzerzhinsky is surely a close second in that department!
After Moscow
Prismark101 May 2020
So Reilly's dreams of being the leader of Russia has ended in failure. His supporters thought they were so near and want money for another attempt in league with Russian exiles who despise the Leninist government.
In Britain there is an enquiry as to what exactly happened and Reilly's role in all this. Luckily for him the end of World War One is announced.
In Moscow Lenin recovers from his assassination attempt. In their absence a Tribunal sentences both Reilly and Lockhart to death.
It really is the start of the endgame for Reilly. There is an assassin on his tale and Dzerzhinsky plots Reilly's downfall. A psychic even shows Reilly a picture of his death.
I really wanted an explanation as to why Reilly thought he could lead Russia. There was no answer and it just makes you wonder that the man was an incorrigible chancer.
Another episode where I felt was slow going and padded. There is no way the series needed to be in 12 parts and these latter episodes could easily had been abbreviated.
In Britain there is an enquiry as to what exactly happened and Reilly's role in all this. Luckily for him the end of World War One is announced.
In Moscow Lenin recovers from his assassination attempt. In their absence a Tribunal sentences both Reilly and Lockhart to death.
It really is the start of the endgame for Reilly. There is an assassin on his tale and Dzerzhinsky plots Reilly's downfall. A psychic even shows Reilly a picture of his death.
I really wanted an explanation as to why Reilly thought he could lead Russia. There was no answer and it just makes you wonder that the man was an incorrigible chancer.
Another episode where I felt was slow going and padded. There is no way the series needed to be in 12 parts and these latter episodes could easily had been abbreviated.
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