Reilly: Ace of Spies (TV Mini Series 1983)

Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy
- 1 win & 9 nominations total

Episodes12

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TopTop-rated 1 Season 1983

Videos13

Trailer 2:00

Watch Reilly: Ace Of Spies: Gambit

Trailer 1:58

Watch Reilly: Ace Of Spies: Anna

Trailer 1:51

Watch Reilly: Ace Of Spies: Dreadnoughts And Doublecrosses

Trailer 1:47

Watch Reilly: Ace Of Spies: The Trust

Trailer 1:53

Watch Reilly: Ace Of Spies: Dreadnoughts And Crosses

Trailer 1:59

Watch Reilly: Ace Of Spies: The Visiting Fireman

Trailer 1:14

Watch Reilly: Ace Of Spies: Firing Squad

Trailer 1:57

Watch Reilly: Ace Of Spies: Shutdown

Trailer 2:00

Watch Reilly: Ace Of Spies: Prelude To War

Trailer 1:46

Watch Reilly: Ace Of Spies: Endgame

Trailer 1:48

Watch Reilly: Ace Of Spies: An Affair With A Married Woman

Trailer 1:57

Watch Reilly: Ace Of Spies: The Last Journey

Top cast99+

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Sam Neill

Sidney Reilly

Michael Bryant

Narrator

Norman Rodway

Cummings

Tom Bell

Dzerzhinsky

Hugh Fraser

Hill

Jeananne Crowley

Margaret

Clive Merrison

Savinkov

Leo McKern

Zaharov

Peter Egan

Fothergill

Brian Protheroe

Grammaticoff

Malcolm Terris

Sykes

Celia Gregory

Nadia Massino…

Laura Davenport

Pepita

Kenneth Cranham

Lenin

Ian Charleson

Lockhart

Anthony Higgins

Trilisser

Frances Barber

Dagmara

Bogdan Kominowski

Peters

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Did you know

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Trivia
In 1895, Sidney Reilly had an affair with Ethel Lillian Voynich, a married Russian author. In 1897, Voynich wrote a popular novel, "The Gadfly". It was rumored that the adventurous hero of the novel was based on Reilly. In 1956, the novel was made into a movie, and Dmitri Shostakovich was commissioned to compose the music. The same music, "The Gadfly-Romance", is heard as the theme to this show.

Goofs
Nadia Massino did not marry Alfred Nobel - he died a bachelor in 1896 and according to the series, Reilly met her in the 20th century. Feliz Dzerzhinsky never met Reilly, and did not carry out the interrogation or execution. Reilly also was not connected with the forged letter that toppled the British government.

Quotes
Mrs. Fried: Live for the present, die for the future.

Connections
Featured in The 36th Primetime Emmy Awards (1984)

Soundtracks
Romance
from "The Gadfly"
Written by Dmitri Shostakovich
Theme music of the miniseries (opening and closing credits)

User reviews40

Review

Featured review

10/10

Superb series, one of the best of its kind. No, the best.

Fabulous work by Neill, as usual, in this early work. This series, for the most part historically accurate, covers the almost unbelievable espionage/covert ops careers in history by a man virtually unknown until this series ran. Fascinating perspectives on the political machinations going on in Europe & Asia at the time, most of which Sidney Reilly was involved in at one time or another. This is almost never seen since its initial few runs on PBS, but if it comes back, do NOT miss it. I wish I had taped it now....