The Russia House (1990)

The Russia House (1990)Plot In A Paragraph: Small time, alcoholic London book publisher Barley Blair (Connery) an expatriate British publisher unexpectedly finds himself working for the CIA and MI6 to investigate people in Russia.The Movie is brilliantly cast, Connery in what did lol like a $10 wig, due to its dishevelled, thinning appearance, gives a very relaxed performance and has a twinkle in his eye. Michelle Pfeiffer makes a splendid natural beauty Katya, Klaus Maria Michelle Brandauer is fantastic (how did this man not get more work??) Roy Schindler (inexplicably in his last great role) is brilliant as the head of the CIA, John Mahoney is great as is Edward Fox as the head of MI6.I love Jerry Goldsmith's score, it is beautiful. I know it's not to every ones taste, and at the time of release, several critics called it "boring", "dull" and "dreary" but I think it is great. I'd rather watch this than another car chase movie like Fast & Furious. The slo motion ending is a bit over done, but that's it. I love it, and think it was one of the years best movies.With scathing reviews, Russia House grossed $22 million at the domestic box office, to end 1990 as the 52nd highest grossing movie of the year.

Sean Connery is a publisher and saxophone player swept up in Cold War antics as an agent trying to smuggle scientific secrets of some sort out of Russia and into the West.I never liked the soprano saxophone. I don't know why it exists. It's usually too shrill and is associated with supermarkets, cheap commercials, and Kenny G. Why isn't the clarinet good enough, hey? This is one sluggish movie and a bit complicated, as the author's plots tend to be. It's redeemed by the shenanigans of the CIA/MI5 or MI6, a group of puppeteers behind Connery and his contact, Michelle Pfeiffer, led by a hot-headed Roy Scheider and a dry, ironic James Fox. J. T. Walsh -- my co-star in the superlative "Windmills of the Gods", or what it "Rage of Angels?", I forget -- is the ironbound US Army officer who suspects everyone of being a ComSymp and wants to bomb them all -- "a hard-head from the ***hole up," as someone describes him.They put Connery through a lie detector test to make sure he's not a commie, and the scene puts on display the movie's most charming feature -- its witty screenplay.The wily interrogators ask Connery about his politics, his motives, his past. "Have you ever associated with any musicians with known anarchist tendencies?" Connery frowns thoughtfully. "Well, there was one trombone player. Willie Brown was his name. He was the only musician I've ever known who was completely devoid of any anarchist tendencies." The performances are uniformly good, even Roy Scheider who seems about to stroke out at any moment and who shouts scatological imprecations. I think the role calls for it. I can't understand why all the men are so awfully sun tanned though. The weather in Moscow and St. Petersberg are about what we can expect -- more clouds of gray than any Russian play could guarantee.The photography of Russian cities and their monuments is memorable.

I have read a few John Le Carre books (although not The Russia House) and was not as impressed as most other people seemed to be. People say that the movie is slow and cerebral (and it is) but really that is how Le Carre's books read. Sean Connery never puts in a bad performance, and neither does Michelle Pfeiffer. And it never hurts that she is sooooo beautiful. Klaus Maria Brandauer is also always good and still is here. The problem is the script, which relates back to the source material. It is a little bit of a bore. Not badly, just a bit. It looks like the filmmakers were so proud to be filming in the USSR, that they went a little overboard. Not every place in Russia is St. Basil's and the Winter Palace. Overall the film is OK.

Directed by Fred Schepisi, "The Russia House" should be more like "The Russia Bore". It is a failure of a story with ultra-slow pacing and devoid of needed tension. I seem to recall this coming to the theater and reading a drubbing by critics at the time. That drubbing is likely warranted. The only redeeming factor here in a small way is the inter-cut and backdrop shots of Moscow and Leningrad. It feels much like a travelogue, and although dated over 20 years ago, has a historical and almost rustic feel. But this isn't nearly enough. Some other problems are the complete lack of romance/chemistry between Michelle Pheiffer and Connery, easily old enough to be her Father. The whole espionage vantage feels punch-less. And the music is monotonous and tacky. Can't recommend it, although there are certainly worse movies out there. 5/10