Acclaimed Academy Award®-winning documentarian Errol Morris pulls back the curtain on the storied life and career of former British spy David Cornwell—better known as John le Carré, author of such classic espionage novels as The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and The Constant Gardener.
The film spans six decades of modern history, set against the turbulent backdrop of the Cold War leading into present day, featuring footage of le Carré’s final interview, along with archival footage and dramatized vignettes. “The Pigeon Tunnel” is a deeply human and engaging exploration of le Carré’s extraordinary journey and the nebulous line between fact and fiction.
The Pigeon Tunnel has won various awards including an award for Documentary Screenplay from the Writers Guild of America and it has three News & Documentary Emmy nominations: Outstanding Writing: Documentary; Outstanding Cinematography: Documentary and Outstanding Editing: Documentary.
'It’s only 90 minutes long. Yet with a subject this complex and commanding, that’s almost too short.'
'For le Carré fans, The Pigeon Tunnel is a must-see, but the film will also be useful to people wanting an introduction to his work.'
'Maybe the best reason to watch The Pigeon Tunnel, though, is that it is a reminder of what documentaries can be when they’re made by a real filmmaker with sophisticated and cinematic ambitions.'
'[The Pigeon Tunnel] feels like a collaboration of kindred spirits. It is, above all, utterly entertaining and, though one hesitates to admit it, thoroughly convincing.'
'Rich anecdotes, the professorial observations, the carefully phrased confessions after the director’s philosophical softballs about a life steeped in betrayal and imagination — they’re all handsomely presented in one of Morris’ most atmospheric packages.'
