Better than I remembered (hint of a spoiler)

I can remember when this film came out and the only thing you heard about it was - Mary Poppins in a bikini AND in bed with a man. I was not impressed when I eventually saw it.
But now it seems OK. There is a reasonable story and for some reason I find 70's spy films believably dark and cynical these days. Maybe it's slight patina of age or perhaps the absence of silly gadgets and ridiculous heroics, but they just seem more intelligent. The cast is very good and to be fair Julie Andrews is lovely though I think Sylvia Syms got the better role (and is also lovely). It's not without faults and the ending could have been harder but if George Smiley had put in a guest appearance he would not have been out of place.