Essay Database

The little drummer girl John Le Carre's The Little Drummer Girl is one of the finest of all spy novels. The story concerns terrorism and anti-terrorism, focussing on the Israeli/Palestinian situation, and is full of convolutions and surprises. The book's multiple themes include the moral ambiguity of both sides, the coercive power of love, and the cost of violence to those who perform it. George Roy Hill's film version of the book manages to …

…many people have never seen, but is evenhanded in its revelations. It's worth seeing on this basis alone, but it also offers a moderate amount of suspense and a large helping of the kind of intellectual satisfaction given by a tight, complex plot well presented. Good performances and good production values, including fine presentation of locations, add to a rather satisfying film. A more appropriate choice of director might have led to an excellent film.