Allegory Of The Catholic Faith – As the third episode of A Spy Among Friends begins, a bus full of passengers stops so a soldier can check the identifications of the passengers. Nicholas Elliott (Damian Lewis) tells Kim Philby (Guy Pearce) that he might be allowed to return home if he confesses to everything he has done. His family won’t have the slightest idea of the things he has done. In the present, Kim remembers this conversation while lying in bed. Nicholas warns him that he’ll be tried for treason if he offers anything other than a full confession. They’ll scream for his blood until they get it because his biggest sin was to make a mockery of them. Kim tells him that they’re having friends for dinner including Dick Beeston from The Times and Miles Copeland from the CIA.

Nick insists this isn’t a game and the patience in London is wearing thin. Kim says questions will be raised if he doesn’t show up. Nick says the Americans know nothing and no one knows he is there, but Kim thinks otherwise since they’re in Beirut. Nicholas gives him 24 more hours and his hands will be tied after that. The female spy wakes up her partner who has fallen asleep during his watch. Lily Thomas (Anna Maxwell Martin) learns that the Americans are involved. Michael Whitney Straight appeared at the FBI field office in Cincinnati to confess he had been recruited by the Russian Intelligence Service while at Cambridge sometime in the ‘30s with Philby and the others. He claimed all contact with RIS was terminated in November 1945. Moments after turning himself in, a Telex alerting the US Embassy in London was delivered to a basement flat in Westminster.

It is just around the corner from Nicholas Elliott’s house. Lily finds it odd that he has decided to turn himself in now, but Roger Hollis (Adrian Edmondson) suggests he got wind of Philby’s defection. Flora Solomon (Anastasia Hille) confirms the Americans are onto Nicholas since they know Philby gave him something in Beirut. They need to find out what it is before the Americans do. Nicholas attends the party. Nicholas approaches them with a gun and asks for Erich Vermehren (Tom Radisch). He is reminded that they’re in Turkey and it is neutral. Once he shoots a woman, Nicholas finds out which one of them is Vermehren. Nicholas tells him that they need to go now. Elizabeth (Lucy Akhurst) asks Nicholas if anyone is home and whether he was in Beirut again. He says Istanbul during the war when he was good at this.

Nicholas tries to escape with Erich and the others. He reminds Erich that they’ll never know he has defected unless one of them gets caught and talks. They eventually convince Erich to go through with it so he gets back into the vehicle which leaves moments later. In the present, Nicholas asks about Suzie who has a horse face although Elizabeth doesn’t think so. He questions if she could get on the guest list for a private view at the Queen’s Gallery this afternoon. Elizabeth asks what is going on and what he is up to, but Nick stops her by putting his finger over his mouth and warning her about the recording devices. James Jesus Angleton (Stephen Kunken) listens to their conversation. Galina (Monika Gossmann) answers the door. Sergei (Karel Roden) comes in with a gift from Russia. As Sergei gets him ready to leave, he tells him that he’ll become a real Russian today.

Lily continues listening to the conversation between Nicholas and Kim before she is given information about James Angleton and others. As they get into a vehicle, Sergei asks Kim if he doesn’t like Galina. Nicholas tells Kim that he doesn’t want it to come to a trial because he wants to salvage something useful out of this mess. He believes Kim knows he is wrong deep down. Nick asks if he has ever given a moment to think about all the people that have been killed because of him. While drunk, Kim begins talking to Nick about Jesus and religion. Nick finds it humorous that he is comparing himself to that. Michael Straight (Orlando Wells) is told they’re going to need more than just the names of a few comrades. He is told he won’t get points for Kim Philby since they already know about him. Nicholas goes to the gallery to talk to John Profumo (Roger Barclay) about the situation with Kim.

Anthony Blunt (Nicholas Rowe) greets him seconds later. Nick tells John not to be a cunt because he is hearing that they’ll all have a laugh at his expense in the not too distant future. In private, Anthony tells Nicholas that Kim had them all fooled and not just him. The spy in Russia receives a message via Morse Code. Kim gets a passport that can be used in the Soviet Union and German Democratic Republic only. The spy relays the message to her Russian friend. In a flashback, Nicholas takes Erich to his parents’ house so he can stay there for a while. He is surprised to find Kim there. Kim says it was C’s orders since there is a war going on. Lily joins Nicholas in the gallery because she has a question about James Jesus Angleton. He explains that James was always more of a friend to Kim than him. Michael Straight was a deal in writing and reveals the name he will expose hasn’t been in any of the pictures they’ve shown him.

At the gallery, Nicholas introduces Lily to his wife and Anthony. Nicholas says they were hoping Anthony would have time to tell them about the new Vermehren before correcting himself and saying Vermeer. After Anthony finds a reason to excuse himself, Lily asks Nicholas about Vermehren. Nicholas and his wife decide to leave without answering any questions from Lily. Sergei takes Kim to the Red Square and gives him an Order of the Red Banner for his service. Nicholas and his wife go out to a restaurant. She asks him what Erich Vermehren has to do with Tony Blunt. Although he doesn’t want to talk about it, she knows he went to the gallery just so he could drop Erich’s name to Anthony Blunt. She suggests Kim told him something in Beirut about Tony and he wanted to test it. Nicholas admits he is a goner if what Kim said isn’t true.

He goes on to say everything hangs on what Blunt does next before admitting that was the whole purpose of the exercise today. When asked if Lily is a friend or foe, Nicholas says he doesn’t know although there is promise there. At a pub, a man approaches Kim to bum a cigarette and lighter. In a flashback, Kim tells Nicholas a story while they drink. When Sergei joins Kim, he comes back to reality. They begin talking about Kim’s mother who didn’t know about his work. Lily visits James who reminds her that he is not there officially. She questions whether the CIA knows he is there and whether it was official when the man from his embassy dropped off the envelope earlier today. She asks if he’d tell them about it under normal circumstances. Once Lily says no one sent her, James claims she has wasted her time.

Sergei warns Galina that Kim is drunk when they return. The spies across the street watch him as he enters his room. Lily visits Nicholas to ask more about Vermehren. She goes on a diatribe before Nicholas finally lets her come inside. Kim finds a message in the cigarette box the man left for him earlier. In a flashback, Kim tells James that it’ll be just them against the Soviets one day. He gives James A Selection of Poems by Ezra Pound. Kim has already written in the book. He tells James it is for a time when they can only trust each other and the West depends on them. Nicholas tells Lily about his wife and their marriage. He takes her into the shed so they cannot be snooped on before telling her what his wife asked about her being a friend or foe. Then, he tells her about Erich who was a devout Catholic who hated Nazis. He thought the best way to fight them was from within until Nicholas and Kim came along.

Nicholas believes he has Kim to thank for getting Erich to defect to England. He would’ve never given them the names of hundreds of Abwehr officers and their sources all across Europe. In return, Erich just wanted them to do what they could for his friends in the German resistance. Nicholas confirms that they did. Just as Erich and his friends in the Catholic resistance were anti-Nazi, they were also anti-Bolshevik. They were determined that no part of Germany would ever fall into Russian hands after the war. When Erich’s friends risked being in the Russian sector, they tried to make a break for it to the British sector. The people on the bus are killed. Lily asks if Philby betrayed them to the Russians. Nicholas tells her that they’re the only two who know what he just told her. Lily begins wondering if Blunt knows about Vermehren because he works for the Russians.

Nicholas confirms that is what Kim told him in Beirut. He questions what he should tell his wife before confirming no one else knows about Blunt. Michael Straight signs the paperwork in front of him. James receives a message saying he told them that Anthony Blunt is a traitor too. Kim uses his light to send a message to the spies across the way. The female spy deciphers it and says they’re in business.

 

A Spy Among Friends Review

The third episode of A Spy Among Friends remained consistent with the same issues that hindered the show earlier in the season. In particular, the glacially slow pace is barely tolerable at times as the story hops around multiple time periods while forcing the viewer to guess which one is currently being displayed. The series hasn’t done a good job of showing the impact of the spy ring since it is just going through the motions.

The performances are good although the shaky camera and need to hide characters being shoulders and doorways doesn’t help showcase these performances. The series probably would’ve been more effective if it had followed the story chronologically and used fewer flashbacks. The most enjoyable aspect of the show is seeing Philby settle into a new life in Russia.

Unfortunately, the story isn’t told effectively as more could be obtained by reading a Wikipedia breakdown of the events. It is truly a missed opportunity considering the story and cast. The episode scores a 5 out of 10. Recaps of A Spy Among Friends are available on Reel Mockery here. Have you found our recaps helpful? Before going anywhere, consider supporting our site and its upkeep. Find out how to do so at this link.