MovieChat Forums > Smiley's People (1982) Discussion > Why did Saul Enderby sack Mostyn?

Why did Saul Enderby sack Mostyn?

posted 8 years ago by suicidea
14 replies | jump to latest

I know this may sound like a stupid question, but why did he? Is it because he spoke to Smiley and gave him information behind the backs of Oliver Lacon and Strictland, i.e. his superiors? If so, how did Enderby find out about it? Or is there another reason?

During their meeting, the dialogue goes as follows:

Enderby : By the way, did you twist that Mostyn fellow's tail, by any chance?
Smiley : What do you mean?
Enderby : I thought so. That's why I sacked him.

I'm not a native speaker of English, and checking the dictionary doesn't always help one understand the subtle meanings, particularly for this series. I hope someone explains this.

Never be complete.

[–] finnegansword-772-990306 8 years ago

This is a very good question. As an admirer of Alec Guinness the actor who plays George Smiley, I suspect that the emphasis was on the words "What DO you mean?" From this obtuse answer Saul Enderby's suspicions are confirmed, and the unfortunate Mostyn was suspect of being loyal to more than one master.

I have not played the scene on the CD for a long time, but this is the way I remember it. Mostyn thought that Smiley's contribution on the training course was the best lecture he had heard and said so.

[–] jd-276 8 years ago

In the book he resigns.

[–] SurlyRed 8 years ago

Which is more plausible of course. I suspect the screenplay had Enderby sack him to fit the narrative that Enderby is a twat. He probably promoted the incompetent Section Head too, further confirming George's view that only idiots get promoted within the Circus.

This still doesn't really explain why Enderby sacked Mostyn. I suspect Mostyn bore the blame for Smiley turning into a rogue elephant and going beyond his brief. But that theory doesn't square with Enderby's dialogue with Smiley. So the the mystery remains. Good innit?

[–] antoni109 8 years ago

Yes... mostly the suspicion that he told Smiley things that he shouldn't have. Also some blame for the whole episode with the General - someone had to take a fall even though it was not his fault.

I got the feeling that if he'd had Smiley as a mentor he would have done well in the Circus - another sign that only idiots get promoted etc...

[–] jd-276 8 years ago

Fits with my interpretation: sacks a useful man, promotes the good looking girl - who may or may not have been any good; we don't get to find that out - and doesn't take advice.

The other thing worth remembering at the end is that Smiley makes Enderby look pretty foolish. It's a luxury only George can afford because he's been dragged in to solve a problem the Circus can't solve for itself. For that reason he gets to play his own game and if Enderby looks like an idiot in the end, well, that's the price which has to be paid.

[–] lawrenceconwayvulcan 7 years ago

I thought there was a line of dialogue that suggests Mostyn's superior was not going to be in his job for long. In my experience I have found that the idiots get promoted because the good people have moved away or don't go for promotion because they do not want to have anything to do with mangement and the interview system just allows outright lying to win out.

[–] jd-276 7 years ago

Yes there is. I think it was smiley who said it but was it said in connection with Mostyn or was it just a line to show his general dissatisfaction?

[–] 7 years ago

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[–] nomilarac-325-779515 7 years ago

Enderby suspected disloyalty from Mostyn, mainly because of the admiration for Smiley he displays throughout, and he expresses directly to Smiley when he tells him he "was the best thing of the two years" at Sarrat. This was certainly overheard by Strickland and dutifully reported, even though it isn't shown too well in the way that scene is filmed.

It is also made clear that Smiley notices there are some details missing from Mostyn tale, which Strickland as a faithful servant dutifully reports to Enderby. Enderby then rightly suspected Smiley could have tried to "twist Mostyn's tail" to get the whole picture.

Also, at the end of his tale when he says he "feels like a Jonah" cos of Vladimir's death, Mostyn displayed a sensitivity or tenderness that could be seen as a weakness or inappropriate for his job. There's no place for his type in sir Saul Enderby's secret service, so to speak.

It's the whole theme of the series, really.

[–] jd-276 7 years ago

I don't agree. Certainly there's an element of that in the series but it's probably not worth over analysing it because the whole thing gets taken over by events anyway. The circus wins in the end because of Karla's final move. Trying not to give anything way here. Don't forget: Vladimir is Mostyn's first agent and he's dead. Probably the worst thing that can happen if you're running an agent, whether it's his first or his lat. So the book version of him resigning is actually more plausible. I don't care for the series in that respect, even though I think it's brilliant.

[–] 7 years ago

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[–] hamlet-16 7 years ago

If recall rightly doesn't Mostyn end up in a monastery?

I also do wonder what happened to Stephen Riddle who played Mostyn?

[–] jd-276 7 years ago

In the TV series, yes. In the book, no. He resigns but I can't recall his fate beyond that.

[–] 7 years ago

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