Introduction
I first saw the Russia House on television... and couldn't make heads or tails out of it. The individual scenes went by too fast to catch the plot twists but the movie itself, with the commercials, was too long. It wasn't until I saw it without the time compression that I truly appreciated this movie. Closer to the standard two hours, each scene was slower moving - except the ending - and easier to understand. Netherless, I had to watch it again just to be sure I understood everything.
That, and the fact there is several memorial things about this film, motivated me to write this spoiler. This is a film about Russia, just before the coup. (It was released in 1990) Concepts like glasnost (openness) and perestroika (Gorbachev's program of economic, political, and social restructuring) are explored. Also it pairs up Sean Connery (Barley) and Klaus Maria Brandauer (Dante) again. Their previous film? The last James Bond flick Connery stared in, Never Say Never Again, had Brandauer as the villain! Finally, there is NO violence, NO nudity... but cussing is another matter. Round it off with excellent dialog and beautiful scenery and you got one of my favorite movies.
It is also of curious note how this story reflects today. According to Dante, although the Soviet Union is having an arms race with the USA, they can't do diddly-squat. The USA went into Iraq due to evidence of WMD's, and yet, we can't find them! Some now think perhaps Saddam purposely lied and mislead making us think he had WMDs just as the Soviets in this film is doing.
The Characters
| Bartholomew 'Barley' Scott Blair | Brittish publisher |
| Katya Orlova | Russian who sent Barley the manuscript, former girlfriend of Dante |
| Niki Landau | Polish sales rep. |
| Ned | British Intelligence, leader of the group |
| Clive | British Intelligence |
| Walter | British Intelligence |
| Bob | CIA Agent |
| Dante / Yakov Savelyev | Soviet scientest who started this whole mess |
| Alik Zapadny | VAAP |
| Wicklow | Barley's intelligence partner |
| Russell | CIA |
| Col. Quinn | U.S. Army / CIA |
| Brady | CIA |
| Matvey | Katya's uncle |
The Spoiler by Chapter
Chapter 1: Katya / How well can you follow two time points?
The story's beginning can get a little confusing for it flips back and forth between the present, where Barley is being interrogated by British Intelligence, and events of the past leading up to the interrogation. During the credits we see clouds while the camera moving slowly downward. As soon as the credits end, we see a woman with an umbrella while hearing a number of people questioning Barley if he knows a Katya Orlova. He doesn't know. They said to him, as we continue to see Katya, that she went to a British Counsel Audio Fair a week ago in Moscow, a fair which Barley had planned for but didn't attend. Barley said he had other business matters to attend to. They asked if he knew a Niki. (Now we see Katya looking at Barley's empty section and asking another publisher about him.) Barley confirmed he did while a brief conservation started between Niki and Katya. "So you know Niki but not Katya?"
"Now your getting it, old boy!" Now we are in the present and see Barley in a room with four interrogators: Ned, Clive, Walter, and Bob. Barley ask to get some scotch at a window and gets some while looking out. He sits back down and the flashback resumes.
Without interruption, thank God, we see Katya asking Niki that if he loves peace, he should deliver a manuscript of major importance to Barley for her. Niki agrees, but wanted to change their conservation to be more causal and business like... not so hush-hush secretive... smiling all the time. He ends the conservation by telling her to do the traditional Russian kiss while looking around like a paranoid and then asked her out for dinner. "Its not convenient", she says.
Back at the interrogation room, one asked why she should "risk her neck" to give him the manuscript. This perked Barley's ears, commenting "Must be quite a book". (Meanwhile we see short flashback cuts of Niki looking over the manuscript in his hotel.) They ask why the letter said "My Beloved Barley" and signed "Your Loving K" Barley sarcastically said he didn't knew and he wanted to see the manuscript. "It's in safe hands", they replied, saying that Niki gave it to them.
Flashback with Ned and some others discussing the manuscript. It was in 3 notebooks. The only use for the first one is psychological only; what it says about the writer. The other two explains the Soviet capabilities of waging nuclear war. Ned's boss wanted the Americans to deal with this and told Ned to give Barley to them. Ned commented they haven't found him yet.
Chapter 2: "Why Lisbon?" / Barley is brought in
We see Ned & Company searching Barley's apartment finding a book titled "The New Russia" and his saxophone, which he plays jazz with. Walter comes out of one room happy that he found a Lisbon bank account statement. Back to the interrogation room, they asked him why he ran away to Lisbon. "I own a flat here!" After some insult exchanging, we go back to the other time period where Barley is interrupted by another British agent.
He is eventually sent to the place where the interrogation being done now. Ned appears first, reassuring him no one has died or anything like that back home and tells him he works for British Intelligence. He walks into the interrogation room and formally introduce the other characters. After a few sarcastic comments by Barley, they asked him about the letter. A guy in a back room turns on a recorder. Here we hear the dialogue we heard at the start of the film.
Chapter 3: Dante's Inferno / I hope you like flashbacks.
Jump back to the present, and things seem to be winding down as Barley reminds them he doesn't know Katya until he said, "She wasn't even there". When asked, Barley revealed he was at a Soviet writer's village, Pereldelkino, 3 or 4 months ago. And so begins yet another flashback.
We see a table full of Russians eating while Barley talks about the new Russia. We get several memorial quotes here from Barley. He says there is no 'true peace' between Russia and the west due to Chechnya, Vietnam, Korea, Afghanistan; "We all must betray our own country.... You have to think like a hero just to act like a merely decent human being." He talks more about this in the present, why this event makes him love the Russians, and they all played jazz. Bob wondered how. We see that everyone made there own instruments then and presently he use a paper folded over a small comb.
Barley then reveals there was 'someone' and noticed all the interrogators getting really interested. So he gets up and goes to a window. Cut to the back room where the recorder hears a bunch of crashing. He opens a hidden door and sees Barley getting another glass of scotch in ice, the glass right next to the microphone. "They call him Dante [Inferno]", a person on a drinking holiday since he can't drink where he works.
Flashback to Pereldelkino again, as Barley is found taking a break from the others at a gravesite. Dante approaches quoting Barley. The talk briefly about the person buried there, Boris Pasternak, then Dante quotes Pecherin. You can love one's country but hate its system.
As they started moving away, a new conservation started. Barley asks who he is, and Dante responded "a moral outcast" - a writer. He said he writes lies and he is a lie while Barley speaks the truth. Dante then ask Barley if he is a spy... perhaps one of Russia's. After hearing no, Dante did more comments about him being a liar. He then started pressuring Barley to promises something. "If I prove to be a hero, would you act like a decent human being?" This made Barley a bit uncomfortable at first, not knowing what he is promising, but he eventually said yes.
With that flashback now over, the interrogation wraps up. Clive said that he is sorry, but they need his help. We cut to a short scene in the CIA who listens to the recording. The only purpose of this scene is to show what their stance is so far. They are going to let the British play with Barley for now.
Chapter 4: Fun Spy Games / Too bad we can't participate
The British officials shows Barley a number of pictures, but none are Dante. So they skip to a picture of Katya, the first time Barley find out what she looks like. We move outside with Barley, Ned, and Walter. Barleys tells them to use someone else, but Ned reminded him Dante is the one who chosen him. "I thought things are changing now." Walter laughs, saying this is all the more reason to spy "the living daylights" out of them. Barley disagrees with Walter and says "Sorry Ned, no go."
We see several shots of Barley going to his flat. Apparently a woman Barley was with left him with the place an absolute mess. Ned and Walter comes in and try to convince him further. "You live in a free society; you have no choice!", Walter says. Barley mumbles "You're a fool to use me."
Several, various scenes. Back in Russia, Katya tries to call Barley but fails. Barley meanwhile plays those fun spy games: how to meet with a contact, how you should write something down, and Ned drilling Barley on what they need to know (Dante's real name, why he risk Katya's life by involving her, etc) Quick scene at the CIA, basically reiterating what they said earlier. Many though are nervous and upset that Dante says that Russia can't harm them in a nuclear war. Finally a few quick shots of Barley 'graduating' and leaving to do his duty for Britain. Meanwhile British Intelligence get ready in a room called The Russia House.
Chapter 5: The First Meeting / Makes you wish you were a tourist in Russia
This chapter begins with Barley calling Katya at her place of work while he is in Ukraine Hotel. She meets him (in front of the hotel?) with the Russian White House in the background. Barley calls out her name, they greeted each other, and he mentions Niki gave her some tea as a gift. She asks how he recognized her. Thinking quickly, he says the Niki told him she is Russia's answer to Venus de Milo. She laughs and calls that ridiculous. A quick shot of a man in black coat. The viewer don't know who this person is yet.
We know see various shots of Moscow, including the Kremlin, as the two idly chit-chat. He brings up the manuscript, she recommends a restaurant, but then suddenly remembers she needs to get shoes. In a mall, she explains "With perestroika, there is even less available than before." Barley said he thought things were changing. Katya said no and blame crime and corruption. Barley wondered way she said this aloud, but Katya explained complaining and accusing is permitted now thanks to glasnost.
Cut to the restaurant. Barley tells Katya that he needs to know Dante's real name and how he came up with the information within the 'dynamite' manuscript. Katya explained he want to remain unknown and he wrote it due to what a British publisher had said about peace. Barley said he wondered if he would like to meet this publisher again. She said maybe. A brief interruption as a man dressed in red plays a flute. We also see the man in the black coat eating. Barley then started asking questions about her: children (8 and 9 boy and girl) and marriage status (divorced). She started to get nervous and leaves the table.
Barley chases after her hoping to get something else planned, like her showing him Moscow's sites. "It is not convenient", she says over and over before finally agreeing to call him tonight while getting on a bus. Barley looks at her as the bus moves away while the man in the black coat approaches from behind. "You forgot to give her the tea", he says and moves on.
Again, we see several quick scenes. Barley is inside a bathroom fighting to get the tape recorder off as this man in the black coat comes in to help. He is now revealed to be Wicklow, Barley's intelligence partner. He also mentions that the reason Russians use the word 'convenient' a lot is because the Russian word 'udobno' also means 'proper'. Katya goes to a hospital to pick up a call from a pay phone. Barley and Wicklow (playing as an editor) visit Alik Zapadny of VAAP, the Soviet Union copyright organization, and then Yuri, who's identity is never explained. He does though enjoys flirting with treason. Or maybe its just glasnost again. He greets Wicklow (now a Russian speaking specialist) thusly: "Are you a spy?" "Only on my spare time, sir" [Patting him on the elbow] "Jesus, I like him." However, he doesn't think Zapadny is KGB, just desperate to get back into circulation. Another good quote by Yuri: "Here is some writers not yet in jail. I am going to make them popular in the west even if it kills them."
Chapter 6: Q&A With Katya / Don't fall asleep here
Two quickies before getting into the important element of this DVD chapter. Katya calls Barley to confirm that they can meet tomorrow. At the CIA, Russell go cussing crazy, wanting British Intelligence to confirm if the manuscript is legit.
Now Katya and Barley meet while British Intelligence get ready in the Russia House. The two are outside watching orthodox Christians. Barley asks if she didn't mind and her response was "We don't ask that. Its not convenient." "Do you mean 'proper'?" "Um... nyet (no),... 'convenient'."
We now see a combination of what is going on in Russia and 'flash forwards' in The Russia House as they hear the recording. They climb a series of stairs of one church, Wicklow is already there. (Walter, preparing, seems to really be getting into this) Katya asks who that man is, and Barley responds he is his editor keeping lookout. (British Intelligence starts the recording) The first thing Barley asks is if she drink the type of liquor he got. No. Then he started asking about Dante. When she didn't answer, he made joking questions about him.
She says he is a friend, then he asked if he understood the potential consequences of his actions and the danger he is doing to himself and her. She said that Dante supports the new openness, but some things don't change. Barley liked that response and said that was worth a drink. Now Katya started opening up. Dante is a physicist with some engineering skills. (Church bells sounded, scaring the British Intelligence officials) She lists off a series of colleges and universities he attended which I don't dare attempt to record, eventually mentioning his first name by accident: Yakov. Yakov and Katya meet in 1968. The military seduced him for his genius, so he went to Leningrad for he wanted to refind his innocence. There the two fell in love. But then tanks entered Prague, he lost all innocence, and went back to the military. Katya lost contact with him up till just recently, when he heard the words of a British publisher. He is also alone. (Walter, having too much fun, finds out his last name is Savelyev. This is apparently a major thing by his actions).
Barley asked if he ever falsified anything, and she responded Dante felt like part of the great lie. Now she asked Barley something: "Are you part of the great lie?" He acted a bit nervous while Katya said she thinks she too can ask questions. "Are you Bartholomew Scott Blair?" "For God's..." "Are you?" "Yes" She asked if he is a publisher and then a spy. He paused a second before saying no. "Are you alone?" Much longer pause. (British Intelligence suddenly become concerned) He finally said he is alone and never been so alone his entire life. (British Intelligence sighed in relief). This long dialogue heavy scene ends with her telling him that Dante / Yakov will meet him at Leningrad in one of 3 places during 3 different times.
Quickie at the CIA. They are just as flabbergasted it is Savelyev; Russia's top scientist. They also can't believe the only country they are racing against in the nuclear arms race are themselves.
Chapter 7: Trip to Leningrad / Shots like these makes you wish you can travel there too!
We see a quickie of Barley and Katya on the phone again talking about Barley's trip to Leningrad. Katya mentions that according to Russian custom, Barley should sit on his suitcase. Next comes some more beautiful, scenic shots of Russia as Barley is traveling by train followed by a very short business scene.
Finally he goes to the three locations looking for Dante with Wicklow keeping a far distance. The first is at a bridge where a native asked if he wants to pawn something, like drugs or currency. The native then asked if he was lost. "Good idea. Why don't you try it?" The second is a bookstore... no Dante. Finally a garden, in which he saw him. This leads into the next verbose chapter.
Chapter 8: "Will You Publish Me?" / Barley is between a rock and a hard place
This is another long one which is easy to phase out on. It is set in Leningrad / St. Petersburg's palace.
Barley goes the honest route and mentions how his manuscript got into British Intelligence's hands and their concerns about if it is true or not. Dante is upset about this and asks if Barley would publish the manuscript. Barley says "Your going too fast", in which Dante counters "Russia has no time!" and he would be the first corpse. Then Barley mentions Katya would be the second. "I am not the man you thought I was", says Barley. Dante continues, "Openous, disarmament, peace - words. Like graveyards? Look. [Points to the various statues] Here is ours if we fail. Choose a monument."
Little later, Barley pleads with Dante to leave Katya out of this. Dante then blurts out fast various things Barley can do as a publisher to keep costs low before saying "Are you afraid?" "Yes, I am bloody afraid!" Dante then mentions the battleship Aurora and how it participated in the last revolution. He then says the next will have music by Bach along with some jazz played by Barley.
(We see a quick shot of Katya receiving a phone call at home) Barley tells Dante that his authorities can smuggle him out. Dante looks at him and mentions he is wearing gray. He then goes on to say his father was taken from his family by people dressed in gray and later killed. "Will you publish me or resume my search for a decent human being?" "I am with you" Dante then whispers he put a new notebook in his bag and says once again "Publish me". (Another quick shot of Katya, talking to someone on the phone)
Chapter 9: The Fourth Notebook / The CIA decides finally to have some fun
Barley returns and is greeted by Ned. He already got the fourth manuscript and says Walter is off to do other things. Quickie at CIA, where they decide to 'get off the fence'. Another quickie of Barley playing jazz.
Now Russell comes over to visit Ned and Clive with the manuscript. He says the USA conclusion is to put it down the toilet. But when asked his own personal opinion, his tone changed. Here is another good quote: "I am an honest-to-God glasnostic. My parents were glasnostics from way back. My children will be raised glasnostic, even though I don't have any children. And Dante is from glasnostic heaven." Ned smiles at this. Russell says his people wants an interrogation.
Chapter 10: A Love of Russia / Barley pokes fun at those darn Americans
Barley arrives at a cabin where the CIA will interrogate him. Russell is first on why he goes to Russia all the time. "Buying property?", he asks. Barley reiterates why he loves Russia. Russell then use a metaphor; the manuscripts is a Picasso and Barley is selling them the Picasso and needs to show them it is a Picasso. Barley reply that he isn't selling them it nor does he care.
Next up, Colonel Quinn, asking questions like "Are you a homosexual?" and if he has been through a lie detector. When asked if his background, that is his father, was a liberal, Barley replied his father hated them and preferred communists. When asked if he knew any jazz musicians who are anarchists: "Hmmm... ah, there was a trombone player, Wilfred Baker. [The interrogator starts writing] He's the only jazz musician I can think of who is completely devoid of anarchist tendencies." Quinn pushes on, asking if he doesn't like the English system. "Give me the American system anytime." Then why does he go to Russia more often then the USA? "Yes, because I prefer Russia. It's as corrupt as America, but there's less bullshit."
Finally, Bradly. He initiates the lie detector test while we see Katya prepare her children for school. After the test, Bradly suggests they leave the business to the CIA and give Dante one to ten million and be done with it. Ned isn't pleased with that as Clive decide to return with Bradly to CIA. Ned then tells Barley he passed. Short scene where Clive explains the project will now be done at the CIA. They are going to give Barley a list of questions... the list to end all lists. Ned isn't happy about this either. Lists tells a lot about those who write them. They go to CIA headquarters, where observers in Russia can send them messages instantly.
Chapter 11: The Letter / The pace is picking up!
Back in Russia again, Barley started handing out pamphlets in front of a building where a book fair will be held. Alik wondered why he ran off to Leningrad. He then greets Katya and drive off with her children and uncle, Matvey, as we see more of Moscow.
Cut to a park with the two plus the daughter. The daughter whisper something into Katya's ear. "She wants to know if your married." "No, but I am open to any offers" The daughter then said something in Russian which embarrassed Katya, so she shooed her away as they enter a clearing. Matvey and her son is here. Katya translates her uncle's rambling, that Iapta is where US baseball and England's cricket originated. Now they start talking about what is important in the story.
Yakov/Dante missed her last phone call at the hospital and was worried about this till she received a letter explaining he was ill. She casually mentioned Igor and Barley, suddenly concerned, asked who was Igor. "A scientist. Now do you want me to translate the letter or not?" [About this time Barley noticed a red car who seemed to be observing them] She skipped the "love talk", as she put it, and translated that Dante has more material and wants a final, comprehensive list of questions.
They then started joking about the translation when the daughter came from behind to show them a drawing she made of Barley. The music changed unexpectedly here, signaling that this is wrong somehow. (A bond in developing between Barley and the family). Barley also notice the red car is gone but a white car is in its place. The music easing up now, Katya recommends Barley not to come with her to the hospital since it is dangerous. Naturally this made Barley note that if it is dangerous, why does she do it?
A couple quickies. We see them drive away as a truck and trailer follows. They are the ones sending messages to CIA. Barley barge into his hotel room saying how much he hate recorders strapped on his body when Wicklow shut him up. People may overhear. Ned back in the CIA started questioning everything. Igor? The cars? A final and comprehensive list?
Chapter 12: Grown Up Love & Truth / Make love not war
Barley arrives at Matvey's flat. He promptly wanted Katya to ask him if he knew any of Britain's great mystery writers, namely Agatha Christie. He then showed a picture of Leningrad, World War II, and started blabbing about the siege. Katya laughed as she started translating. Barley interrupted, saying "I love you". Katya paused and then continued translating. "Its unselfish, grown-up love.... mature, absolute, thrilling." Katya expressed disinterest, "You bewitched my family. My children think all British men are Santa Clause in tweed clothing.... my life only has room for the truth."
Music changed again, as Barley grabs a picture and started writing as he was trained to do way back at chapter 4. "What are you doing?", Katya asks. Barley hushed her and showed what he wrote; that Niki sent the manuscript to Brittish Intelligence and Yakov knows about this. "I'm with you", he whispers. Nervously, Katya writes that there is something wrong with the letter. "Now I know" Barley writes that if Dante calls, all is okay.
Quickie at the CIA. Ned continues to fidget over the events in the last chapter while Russell wish he just stops that. We see Barley and Katya in a bed getting intimate. As the camera pans to a collection of pictures, he says "Your my only country now".
Chapter 13: Call from Dante? / Ned begins fidgiting
Katya picks up Barley to take him to the hospital for the 1:00 call from Dante. We flip back and forth between the two and the CIA until it came. Russell threw a paper wad at Ned. While seeing the two, the CIA and British Intelligence officials talking as a voice over about what is happening. The message is short, they were embracing, and he drove her car. Ned continued to fidget. At 1:40 they wondered why he is still in the flat. Finally, at 3:30 he goes to the truck and trailer to meet with the agents. He tells them that Dante will come to Moscow to meet in a hotel room at 1800. The agent asked if anything is unusual. Barley says that Katya got a bit nervous waiting for the call.
Chapter 14: The List / Everyone is confused
A party at the book fair begins. Wicklow notices Barley talking to Alik. Barley is laughing, Alik is more serious looking. Katya enters and then a man gives a short speech. Everyone chants for Barley to come one stage to play some music. As he walks to the stage, he tells Wicklow that when he is done with intelligence to consider publishing. Just before he begins playing, he notice Alik coming in, nodding to him. Short shot outside with Barley and Katya.
Back at the CIA, they receive a message that Barley is meeting Alik. Ned is still fidgiting which makes Russell mad at him. Bob tells him he is just covering his tracks. If Dante is blown, why isn't Katya? Why did they got the call? What is Barley not telling us? For all questions Ned says he doesn't know. He is just worried that Dante IS blown while Barley acts like everything is all right.
The following day Barley has his final briefing in the trailer. They show him what room Dante is in and that he should make himself visible at the window. Before leaving he gives the agent a letter asking to deliver it to Ned.
Returning to the CIA, a woman asks about the list to Ned. He explains that the list will show what we do know by revealing what we don't know. "If the Sovs get the list, we might as well publish the notebooks as Barley promised Dante." Suddenly his face lit up in concern. "Yes, I do know! Barley made a deal!" He fulfills his promise to Dante, Katya will remain safe, and that's why the Soviets allowed the operation to continue. Russell has a fit as he tells everyone to not abort like Ned wants.
Barley never shown himself in the window and seven hours later hasn't returned. Russell acknowledge Ned was correct and left.
Chapter 15: Crossed Over / This is the last flashback, I promise!
Here we see Katya buying flowers as we hear Barley talking to the KGB. The KGB says that Savelyev / Dante has died right when Katya lays the flowers on his grave. Now we see Barley in front of the KGB, telling them to honor their deal; he isn't talking about ideology. He also mentions that he left a letter behind in British Intelligence in case they didn't knew the difference either.
Back at the Russia House, Ned reads this letter. With Barley a voice over, we see one more flashback on what happened that day. Dante was indeed blown, and the phone call at the hospital was KGB controlled. Dante and Katya knew this and developed a code. If he was caught, he called her Mariya. As Katya held him as they walked out, he was thinking why he wasn't caught. The list! So at that party, he said to Alik, "I need to betray my country and haven't much time. Don't tell me you don't know who to contact with. Just do it." The letter ends with Barley telling Ned that he knows there will be hell on his end, but he shouldn't open other people's letters.
Chapter 16: Square One / Epilogue
Ned is packing things up at the Russia House as Walter asking how everything went since he was gone. Russell successfully rumored that the list was a fake. Barley, meanwhile, just got a new flat in Lisbon. We now see this as he is painting the wall. Ned is also there. Barley tells him one reason he chosen this is so he can watch the ships come in. He also hope to receive a visit by Katya. Ned leaves. Barley heads to the port with flowers, sees Katya's family, and we see them do a group hug before the credits role.
~ FIN ~