Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Intrigue, action, romance: AMC’s ‘The Little Drummer Girl’ has it all
ing of “Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance” (2002), “Oldboy” (2003) and “Lady Vengeance” (2005).
In an official news release for “The Little Drummer Girl,” the director explained why television is the right medium for the le Carré tale.
“At the core of this story is an extremely painful, but thrilling, romance,” Chan-wook said. “This is what makes the story universal, reaching beyond borders and languages and remaining incredibly current. To adapt such a great work without losing its integrity, it needs the time and depth of a television series, and I am excited at the prospect of seeing how the drumbeats of Florence Pugh, the most energetic young female actor I have seen recently, will resonate with the audience.”
Chan-wook also had great praise for Pugh’s co-star, Emmy and Golden Globe winner Skarsgård:
“To play an enigmatic man who hides his true feelings deep inside, I couldn’t think of a more fitting actor,” the director said. “I believe Skarsgård’s growing depth as a great character actor and his soaring energy will elevate ‘The Little Drummer Girl’ to a higher place.”
The Swedish actor is best known for his roles as vampire Eric Northman in HBO’s “True Blood,” Perry Wright in the HBO miniseries “Big Little Lies” and as the title character in the 2016 action adventure “The Legend of Tarzan.” He decided to pursue acting after serving in a Swedish military unit that dealt with anti-sabotage and antiterrorism. After studying theater at Marymount Manhattan College in New York, he got his big break as Meekus in the 2001 comedy “Zoolander.”
Pugh made her film debut as precocious teen Abigail Mortimer in the British mystery film “The Falling” (2014) before earning critical acclaim for her role as an unhappily married woman in the movie “Lady Macbeth” (2016). She won a British Independent Film Award for her work in the drama.
Two-time Oscar nominee Michael Shannon (“Revolutionary Road,” 2008) co-stars as spymaster Martin Kurtz, the mastermind behind the devious plot at the center of the miniseries. Viewers may recognize him as Nelson Van Alden in HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire,” or from his work in films such as “Nocturnal Animals” (2016) and “99 Homes” (2014).
The supporting cast of “The Little Drummer Girl” also includes Clare Holman (“Inspector Morse”), Charles Dance (“Game of Thrones”), Simona Brown (“Kiss Me First”), Max Irons (“Red Riding Hood,” 2011), Katharina Schüttler (“The Promise”), Bethany Muir (“About a Boy,” 2002) and newcomer Kate Sumpter.
With on-location footage and award-winning actors, the new miniseries shows a lot of promise as it brings “The Little Drummer Girl” to a wider audience, but it’s important to note that it isn’t the first adaptation of the novel. In 1984, Diane Keaton (“Annie Hall,” 1977) starred as Charlie in a film adaptation directed by George Roy Hill (“Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” 1969). In that version of the story, Charlie was a thirtysomething American actress who becomes involved with a group of Israeli spies. The film debuted to mixed reviews from critics.
The miniseries should allow more of the le Carré story to play out for TV viewers as Charlie and Becker become entangled in a bomb plot with potentially devastating consequences. Don’t miss the highly anticipated three-night premiere of “The Little Drummer Girl,” beginning Monday, Nov. 19, on AMC.