The British-born John Irvin (1940-2026) was a solid, respected, craftsman-level director who acquired a prestige-level rep with his restrained, six-episode adaptation of John LeCarre’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (‘79), funded by BBC Two and aired stateside on PBS.
Irvin, who began as a documentarian, broke into the Hollywood big-time with The Dogs of War (‘80), a bracing, character-driven, well-honed action drama that established Christopher Walken as an edgy, angular actor of consequence and which is still arguably regarded as the greatest mercenary war flick ever made.
Anchored in an aura of studious, low-key reality and always holding itself in check, pic (the full version of which runs 119 minutes) costarred Tom Berenger, Colin Blakely and High Millais. It was shot by the legendary Jack Cardiff.
Dogs led to Irvin becoming a top-tier journeyman helmer throughout the ‘80s (Ghost Story, Raw Deal, Hamburger Hill). His finest film of that decade was Turtle Diary (‘85), a quietly luminous relationship drama that costarred Glenda Jackson and Ben Kingsley; adapted by Harold Pinter.
Irvin died on 8.11.26 (eight days ago). News of his passing was kept under wraps by immediate family members.
