Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (TV Mini Series)

Tarr Tells His Story (1979)

Susan Kodicek: Irina

Photos 

Quotes 

• Irina : I like being in the presence of Christianity. I understand why some women become nuns. Give themselves, their whole lives given... willingly. There's freedom in that.

• 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.

• Irina : It's the way we look for things, isn't it? We don't stare. We don't seem to be looking. We are not like tourists or prostitutes or pickpockets. We just know how to see.

• Irina : I've read everything about Scotland. It's the Garden of Eden, isn't it?

• 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.

• Irina : Boris isn't as good as he ought to be. He enjoys showing off too much, so he misses things. He missed you, didn't he? But you didn't miss him, did you, Colonel?

• Irina : I know something. Something so important, it's one of the biggest secrets ever. It would make you so famous... but it's so secret...

• Irina : Have you heard of Karla? He is an old fox, the most cunning of them all, and he works so secretly some people don't even know he exists.

• Irina : Do you know what is meant by the word "mole"? Moles burrow deep into the fabric of western imperialism.

• Irina : [in a diary, to Tarr]  Lawrence, listen: I'm talking to you. This is my gift for you in case they take me away before I can speak to Alleline. I would prefer to give you my life, Lawrence, but I think it more likely that this wretched secret will be all I have to make you happy. Use it well.