MGM+’s ‘A Spy Among Friends’ is an espionage thriller series that chronicles Kim Philby and Nicholas Elliott, two lifelong friends who serve as intelligence officers in MI6, a secret intelligence service in the United Kingdom. However, Nicholas is dejected when he discovers Kim is a double agent for the KGB. What unfolds is a tale of treachery and personal dilemmas amidst a conflict of the Cold War.
The riveting British limited series is created by Alexander Cary and is the peak of espionage drama. If you were enthralled by the realism and suspense of this show and are curious to know whether ‘A Spy Among Friends’ is based on real events, here’s all you need to know!
True Espionage: The Real Lives Behind A Spy Among Friends
Yes, ‘A Spy Among Friends’ is based on a true story. Adapted for the screen by Alexander Cary, the limited series is inspired by Ben Macintyre’s eponymous non-fiction novel. The two leading characters in the story — Kim Philby and Nicholas Elliott — are based on real-life spies. Harold Adrian Russell “Kim” Philby was reportedly born in India when it was still under British rule in 1912. The Soviet Intelligence recruitee once attended Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge. After being trained by the KGB since 1934, he joined MI6, where he met John Nicholas Rede Elliott.
Nicholas and Kim shared a beautiful friendship until it was revealed that Kim was a “Cambridge Five” member who relayed all information to the Russians during World War II and the Cold War. After successfully carrying out his operations and having his cover blown, Kim relocated to Moscow and lived there until the end of his days in 1988. Author Ben Macintyre used real-life accounts and entries written by Kim himself that explained how he tricked British Intelligence and his internal monologue.
On the other hand, his friend John Nicholas Rede Elliott was born in London in 1963. As per reports, he also studied at Trinity College, Cambridge. He did not originally plan to be a secret intelligence officer, but Sir Hugh Sinclair, Head of MI6, was impressed after he came across a young Nicholas and offered him the position. The betrayal by Kim Philby was one of the highlights of his career, which brought relentless criticism to him and the entire MI6.
In an interview, Director Nick Murphy spoke about real-life events in detail. He explained, “Yes, it’s based on The New York Times best-selling book by Ben Macintyre about Nicholas Elliott. At the point when it was discovered that Kim Philby was the greatest Soviet spy ever to hide in British intelligence. He was there for 33 years, working for the Russians, but when it was discovered that he was a spy, the intelligence service sent his best friend out to Beirut to interrogate him. Four days later, Philby was allowed to escape.”
Alex Cary reportedly didn’t know how to adapt the book due to its brilliance, and he was worried whether he’d be able to do it justice on the screen. The fictional character of Lily was the crutch to unfold the narrative effortlessly.
In another interview, he revealed why the story was so alluring to him and different from other spy dramas. He said, “In this particular story, I’m interested because Philby got caught. And what was that like? What was it like to have a friendship for 23 years where everything you say could possibly have life-or-death consequences for you? And then what is it like for Nicolas Elliot to realize, ‘Oh my God, he’s basically been screwing me over all this time, and my life now means nothing.’ It’s just a fascinating world for drama.”
Actor Damian Lewis also spoke about what intrigued him the most about doing this series in an interview. He explained, “I chase real-life stories a little bit. But in this case, because so little is known about Nicholas Elliott, and in fact, at certain critical points of the story, we didn’t have all the audio evidence because that’s actually still withheld by MI6 and the government, Alexander Cary was able to be creative and have a little peer into behind the doors of the friendship. We know a lot about Philby, in this country anyway; I was less interested in innately himself; it was this new angle that Ben Macintyre had taken in his book, how this intimate friendship and the betrayal there had wider ramifications politically.”
In conclusion, ‘A Spy Among Friends’ is based on a true story, but it anchors on fictional characters and other elements to elevate some plot junctures. It encapsulates not only the cunning yet intelligent masterstroke by Kim but how it affected his friendship with Nicholas. It reminds us that no matter how well-trained or emotionless a spy might seem, they are still humans involved in the power play of countries, often putting their emotions aside to fulfill their duties.
Read More: Where is A Spy Among Friends Filmed?
