Reilly: Ace of Spies

I originally saw this series on television when it was released in 1983. It led me to discover the music and composer for the musical sore and, hello, it is now available on a 3 DVD set of 12 episodes from Amazon to enjoy once again. A brilliant series with so many top features: 1. A young Sam Neil playing arguably his best acting role - a somewhat sleazy, mysterious and totally untrustworthy "spy for hire" who is prepared to seduce or use other people mercilessly to achieve his objectives. Yet there is an undertone to the character of some higher loyalty that attracts people to him. 2. A story based on fact about a spy for hire in the period 1900 to post WW1. With pre-WW1 intrigue between governments of Europe who take advantage of Reilley's skills and willingness to deliver. Purportedly the real life story that Ian Fleming based his James Bond character. 3. A hauntingly beautiful musical score from Dimitry Shostakovich originally written for the 1955 movie The Gadfly. Specifically The Romance of his original movie symphony which is so unique and memorable. 4. Superb supporting caste, too numerous to detail, but including Leo McKern as his arch nemesis later in the series. 5. Superb period costumes, sets and locations.

Typically British in nature, the various instalments in the stories in the series take time to build. The viewer needs to wait for this to occur and then you will be hooked by the decadence of Reilly as elements of his life are revealed and his one man venture against all odds to achieve successful mission outcomes. But you are left wondering what is his agenda? It will ultimately be revealed.

A series of mystery and intrigue that takes the viewer through factually true, interesting and technologically innovative period in history. Reilly seems to be the one person who understands the implications of the moment, but is he really in control of his own destiny?

Despite its age - originally released in 1983 - this is a quality production and worth the time to follow through to its conclusion. You will see Sam Neil at his ultimate best and wonder whether his acting career has done any better than this.

I highly recommend this series.

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.

Like a great mystery book, this series is hard to put down (or stop watching). Some mystery series lull me to sleep. This one didn't. It is definitely slow-paced as they did series this way in the 80's and PBS allowed for longer series then and allowed the writers to take their time. Longer series (like this one at 12 episodes) allows for a more leisurely pace, allowing us to sink into the stories and plots and the characters! I haven't read the book Ace of Spies on which this series is based. But these TV episodes unfold in a chapter like pace which is great. All credit to the directors, the writer and the cast.

Sam Neill definitely looks like a Bond-study role. But the weight of an actor to carry a whole series like this on one's shoulders is tremendous, and Neill does an excellent job, being in almost every scene. And then to be surrounded by a great supporting cast surely helps too. Norman Rodway, Leo McKern, Hugh Fraser, Ian Charleson, John Castle, Peter Egan, Tom Bell, Lindsay Duncan, many of whom would have major roles of their own in other PBS British imported series. It is a bit odd to hear Kenneth Cranham's Lenin and David Burke's Stalin with English accents, but forgivable since none of the other actors as Russians try for any accent.

The usual attention to detail in this period piece, production designs, costumes, etc. all add to this excellent series.

If Thames TV/PBS tried to remake this today, it would be probably watered down to just a couple of episodes and the scenes would be cut to the quick edits and many of the smaller supporting characters would be totally eliminated and there would for sure be much more on screen violence and gore and lots of loud sound effects. So for me this version is more enjoyable. I highly recommend 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 would think that anyone who watches this series and then compares it to the last 10 years or so of James Bond films will easily be able to discern serious story telling from CGI cluttered inanity.

I was mesmerized by this series and IMMEDIATELY became a fan of Sam Neil.

The sets, the wardrobe, all first rate. The supporting cast, as is so often the case with these British entries, is superb.

The direction is better than on most big budget action films and really The best espionage story ever told.

While I did enjoy Sean Connery and the earliest of Bond films this is the real deal, and Sam Neil is, forever, the man who Ian Fleming called the real James Bond.

Leave it to the Brits to get it right.