Reilly - L'as des espions

Fabulous work by Neill, as usual, in this early work. This series, for the most part historically accurate, covers the almost unbelievable espionage/covert ops careers in history by a man virtually unknown until this series ran. Fascinating perspectives on the political machinations going on in Europe & Asia at the time, most of which Sidney Reilly was involved in at one time or another. This is almost never seen since its initial few runs on PBS, but if it comes back, do NOT miss it. I wish I had taped it now....

"Reilly: Ace of Spies" is the most realistic treatment of international espionage that I've ever seen - probably, of course, because Reilly was a real person. His exploits are doubtless exaggerated here, but perhaps not too exaggerated. The scripts certainly seem realistic, and that's the important thing.

What the series does best is recreate the early 20th century in incredible detail. The lavish sets and costumes establish a wonderful period "look," while the dialogue and narration work well together to outline the era's politics, major concerns, and even technology. There's a lot of exposition, but it never feels dry.

Throughout the first half of the series, Reilly changes locations and missions frequently, ensuring that the episodes always feel fresh. The second half is dedicated entirely to Reilly's ambitions in Russia. I'm not sure which half I prefer - they're both satisfying in different ways.

My only problems with the series are minor ones. David Suchet is a great actor, but he's unmistakably European, and it bothers me to see him play a Chinese character in the second episode. I also think Margaret, Reilly's first wife, has a very drippy persona. That might be intentional, but nevertheless, I can only take her in small doses.

Otherwise, this is a faultless historical thriller. Sam Neil really is superb as Reilly; he manages to convey complex emotions while overall maintaining a tough-guy exterior. The supporting cast is solid, and the historical figures who appear, especially Lenin and Stalin, come across as convincing and extremely charismatic.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about this series is that Reilly often employs ruthless means to achieve his ends. This means that he's not always sympathetic; sometimes, the series allows you to hate its protagonist. That's pretty bold TV-making, in my opinion, and I quite respect it.

When the series first came out it captivated me and to this day I have not been able to find the complete series on either VHS or DVD. It is one of those TV mini-series that the Brits do so well and Sam Neill is just superb in the lead role. The VHS listed is the first episode and in case you are wondering it gets better. I do wish that now they are bringing out series like "Friends" and "Cheers" on DVD that they (whoever they are) would look into bringing out the complete series of this great piece of work. I'm afraid the quality of the picture might be poor (as I found out when I got "Piece of Cake") but it would be still worth it. Rating 876 out of 880!!!!

I fortuitously got turned onto Reilly courtesy of a television review in the Toronto Star, to which I am eternally grateful. I might have missed it otherwise. Reilly was a terrific series. Heavily romanticized and perhaps not quite factually accurate to be sure, but an absolute, rewarding joy nonetheless. The original PBS broadcast of "Mystery" was embellished by the intros and epilogues rendered eloquently by the late great Vincent Price, whose narrative provides a valuable context. Shostakovitch's score sets the tone---romantic, redolent of a bygone era. The series was my introduction to Sam Neill, whose facial image---hard-eyed, with that ruthless slash of a mouth---prefaces the credits. Wonderful set and costume design. Good supporting cast, particularly the wonderful Leo McKern. Terrific script by Troy Kennedy Martin. This inspired me to see out paperbacks on Reilly. A worthwhile addition to anyone's television collection, to stand alongside Patrick McGoohan's The Prisoner.

Back in 1983, my wife and myself watched a 12 part series on TV. My wife thought it was very good. I thought it was excellent. The leading roll was played by an actor named Sam Neil who played the master spy Sidney Reilly as if he were made for the part.

For two decades, I spoke about this series and spent the last of these years waiting for the DVD.

Well, we've viewed the four disk DVD set and I can tell you that Reilly Ace of Spies is even better than I remembered. My wife (a critical reviewer) was just as impressed... far more so than she was some two decades ago.

I won't go into a plot explanation of this series because you can read the bio of Sigmund Rosenblum (aka Sidney Reilly) in many movie reviews and several books. What I can say is that the series very closely parallels what was written about him.

Worthy of note is the acting of Sam Neil, who reached his acting peak in this initial major work.

Mr. Neil (not normally known for his dynamic theatrical presence) played his roll with a versatility that moved easily from calm sophistication to blistering intensity. Keep track of his eyes. They speak with a communicative clarity that he has rarely been equaled.

I'm giving this DVD series a never bestowed (by me) 10 out of 10. A Must see and a classic work.