Was Smiley the mole?

well, since I am correct that smiley wasn't the mole, what are you complaining about? reading the synopsis of the film,i. See that the mole is the same person as in the tv series. judging by the synopsis, the essentials in the film appear to be the same as in the Tv version. So no need to get your knickers in a twist.

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Tarr's telex to the Circus prompting the mole to arrange Irina's abduction was sent on November 20. Smiley and Control had been dismissed six days earlier on the 14th, so Lacon knows Smiley is free of suspicion and appoints him to investigate.

Your dates are correct, but everything else you say above is very questionable.

In the film, Irina & Tarr go on a spree, perhaps calling attention to themselves. On Tarr's return, he sends a telegram, while Tufty looks on. Tarr leaves and returns, to find Tufty has been tortured and killed by the Russians. Irina is then captured by the Russians.

Did the Russians learn of the telegram by torturing Tufty? Dunno. But if not, why was Tufty's torture-murder thrown in? It does not happen in the book.

While it is still possible to suppose that the mole somehow triggered Irina's capture, it is impossible not to notice that every reference to this from the novel has been systematically removed and/or changed. The "stalling" of London Station is downplayed to a single lazy non-response, rather than the active delaying tactics seen in the novel. Tarr goes AWOL -- not because Irina's capture convinces him the mole is on his heels -- but rather because Tufty's murder makes him afraid he will be blamed because of "how it looked". In the book, Tarr wants vengeance against the mole for Irina's capture; in the film, he instead blames himself, and wants the mole captured because he hopes the mole can be traded for Irina. In Tarr's final rant against Percy's stalling, which is otherwise right from the novel, the line "That's how he got my Russki girl" is removed. Most importantly, the story of Irina's capture is moved to the middle of the story, and is NOT presented as a reason for suspecting there is a mole.

In any event, there is no indication in the film that Tarr tells Lacon anything about Irina's capture. He just says there's a mole right at the top of the Circus. Lacon credits this because Control once said something similar; and not because any other proof is offered.

Indeed, there is a positive indication that Tarr said nothing about Irina to Lacon, not even offscreen. Tarr assumes Smiley knows about the mole, presumably because he believes that Lacon passed on to Smiley whatever Tarr told Lacon. But Tarr still assumes Smiley knows nothing about Irina or her capture:

TARR: I needed to see you.
SMILEY: Why?
TARR: There's a woman. I need you to trade for her. I need you to get her back off Karla.
SMILEY: A woman?
TARR: Her name's Irina.

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