Plot: Based on the New York Times best-selling book written by Ben Macintyre, this six-episode limited series dramatizes the true story of two British spies and lifelong friends, Nicholas Elliott and Kim Philby. The latter became the most notorious British defector and Soviet double agent in history. Philby’s deeply personal betrayal, uncovered at the height of the Cold War, resulted in the gutting of British and American intelligence.
Review: The story of Kim Philby, one of the most notorious spies discovered during the Cold War, has been told many times over in both books and documentaries. While speculative stories and alternate histories abound, Philby’s tale has inspired John Le Carre’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and the Matt Damon film The Good Shepherd. While these stories and adaptations have been interesting, the true story is fascinating in its own right. The new limited series A Spy Among Friends offers a fictionalized but faithful retelling of the events surrounding the discovery and pursuit of Philby by his close friend and fellow spy Nicholas Elliott. While elements are changed for dramatization, A Spy Among Friends captures the backroom dealings and intricate plotting needed to uncover and pursue the double agents hiding within the British secret service.
Told across six episodes, all directed by Nick Murphy and written by Alexander Cary, A Spy Among Friends is a classy espionage drama. While some British series recently have toyed with humor in spycraft, notably AppleTV+ series Slow Horses and Britbox’s Stonehouse, A Spy Among Friends does not have much levity to share. The story is serious and sometimes dour as it explores the duplicity of Kim Phelps and the investigation spearheaded by his close friend Nicholas Elliott. The story is comprised mostly of interrogations, backroom conversations, and dealmaking perpetrated on both sides of the Berlin Wall. As the story unfolds, we are given a constantly shifting narrative. In one moment, a scene is presented to us, and we believe what we see only for that same scene to either be a few seconds longer or be shown from a slightly different angle later in the episode, which completely alters our understanding of who is guilty, innocent, or playing both sides. It is a fascinating and sometimes frustrating technique that keeps you on guard until the final episode’s end.
While some may lament A Spy Among Friends‘ slow and deliberate pacing, the series is worth the investment. Damian Lewis is shrewd and calculating as Elliott, a spy and a gentleman who rarely raises his voice but is constantly a step ahead of everyone around him. Lewis has proven his acting chops on series like Homeland and Billions, but he is excellent here as one of the old boys torn between protecting his friend and his country. Equally good is Guy Pearce, who gives a performance that ranks among his best as Philby. While Philby’s treasonous actions were never in doubt, Pearce plays the double agent as someone as talented as James Bond but collapses under the psychological stress of playing both sides. Pearce has always been great at portraying morally ambiguous characters, but he makes Philby a tragic figure who is impossible to dislike despite his actions. In the first episode of the series, Philby and Elliott undergo parallel interrogations that reveal vastly different narratives and show the key differences between the two friends. By the end of the series, it becomes quite clear who the better spy was.
This series showcases many actual historical figures, including CIA agent James Jesus Angleton (Stephen Kunken), Philby’s fellow spy Anthony Blunt (Nicholas Rowe), and 007 creator and former spy Ian Fleming (Edward Baker-Duly). Still, it is the fictional character of Lily Thomas who is the most fascinating in this ensemble. Portrayed by Anna Maxwell Martin, Lily Thomas is the rare woman in a field that men at the time heavily populated. In the 1960s, British intelligence and global spy agencies were dominated by men who honored the mentality of brotherhood and status. Thomas represents a lower class background and a mixed race marriage which conflicts at the core of who Nicholas Elliott and Kim Philby report to and commiserate with. Martin is excellent in this role as she puts the pieces together from all levels of MI6 and beyond and susses out who can be trusted and who the traitors are. She represents our entry into this byzantine world and proves many points in this tale that would have been lost with an all-male cast.
Series creator and writer Alexander Cary, a veteran of writing for series like Homeland, adapted Ben MacIntyre’s non-fiction tome, one of many detailing the exploits of Philby’s crimes. On top of adding Lily Thomas and tweaking plot elements and timelines to make for better television, Cary addresses the various theories and rumors that encircled the Philby case. By constructing a house of cards within the trust of MI6 and within the KGB and CIA, this story captures the fervent paranoia of the Cold War era. Director Nick Murphy, a veteran of period series, drives the 1960s-era look of London and other parts of Europe. The umbrellas, waistcoats, and cigarette smoke are aplenty in every scene, which evokes not only the low-tech espionage tactics but also focuses on the verbal and psychological skills that made a spy or double agent a vital element of the politics of the time. Both Cary and Murphy are critical of the pomp of other spy stories adapted in the past and focus on making this story as accurate as possible while also making this tense television.
A Spy Among Friends is an indictment of how class and pedigree overshadowed the actions of people in positions of power. Told in a classy and restrained fashion, this series is not as sexy as James Bond and nowhere near the action of Mission: Impossible. But, thanks to the stellar performances from Damian Lewis, Guy Pearce, and Anna Maxwell Martin, A Spy Among Friends is a smart and taut series that introduces a story most North American viewers are probably unfamiliar with in a way that British storytellers have long excelled at. It is worth watching to unpack the fascinating layers in this tale; it is more than worth investing in for fans of these great actors.
A Spy Among Friends premieres on March 12th on MGM+.
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