The Russia House (1990)

73% of critics liked it
(15 reviews)
42% of users liked it
(7,598 ratings)

"Barley" Scott Blair (Sean Connery) is an alcoholic book editor from a bargain-basement publishing house in Great Britain who'd rather be drinking in Lisbon than attending a book dealers' show in Russia. So he's surprised when a CIA agent (Mac McDonald) pulls him from his boozy holiday. It seems… More "Barley" Scott Blair (Sean Connery) is an alcoholic book editor from a bargain-basement publishing house in Great Britain who'd rather be drinking in Lisbon than attending a book dealers' show in Russia. So he's surprised when a CIA agent (Mac McDonald) pulls him from his boozy holiday. It seems that the CIA has through a book show intermediary received a package from a Russian book editor named Katya (Michelle Pfeiffer) containing amazingly detailed notebooks written by a cynical Russian physicist named "Dante" (Klaus-Maria Brandauer). The notebooks show that Russia's nuclear threat is a joke: Russian rockets "suck instead of blow...and can't hit Nevada on a clear day," in the acerbic words of CIA Agent Russell Sheridan (Roy Scheider). But why is Dante sending the notebooks to Blair? How shall the Western world respond to what could be the end of the nuclear arms race? Blair gets drafted by a British Secret Service agent (James Fox) to go to the new Russia to meet Katya. He must see whether the new Russia is still immersed in the old Cold War and whether the notebooks are genuine or another deadly chapter in the war of the spies. ~ Nick Sambides, Jr., Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 2 hr. 2 min.
Directed By: Fred Schepisi
Written By: Tom Stoppard
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense

In Theaters: Dec 19, 1990 Wide
On DVD: Dec 26, 2001
Studio: MGM Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Smart and glossy, but it has too many sluggish moments to maintain its few high points.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Generally effective spy thriller with interesting cast
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
Sean Connery gives one of the best performances of his long career.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

moon r

Uneven yet taut thriller as a Brit publisher/ bon vivant gets drawn into the spy game with, duh, a beautiful woman. Connery and Pfeiffer manage to sell this with the able assistance of a first rate supporting cast. Mucho Russian scenery makes for a interesting mini-vacation… More
Uneven yet taut thriller as a Brit publisher/ bon vivant gets drawn into the spy game with, duh, a beautiful woman. Connery and Pfeiffer manage to sell this with the able assistance of a first rate supporting cast. Mucho Russian scenery makes for a interesting mini-vacation overseas.
Wahida K

He took a chance because he had nothing to lose, she took a chance because she had everything to gain.
xGary X

A cold war thriller cum romance that's all talk and no action. Very, very boring.
Barry L

Tame but watchable spy romp.
Anthony V

Great.... right up until the lame ending.

Cast

            Sean Connery as Barley Blair

            Michelle Pfeiffer as Katya

            Roy Scheider as Russell

            James Fox as Ned

            John Mahoney as Brady

            Klaus Maria Brandauer as Dante

            Ken Russell as Walter

            Michael Kitchen as Clive

            J.T. Walsh as Quinn

            David Threlfall as Wicklow

            Georgi Andzhaparidze as Yuri

            Eric Anzumonyin as Nasayan

            Jay Benedict as Spikey

            Martin Clunes as Brock

            Charlotte Cornwell as Charlotte

            Craig Crosbie as Technician

            Keith Edwards as Hoover

            Michael Fitzpatrick as Hoover

            Rob Freeman as Hoover

            Constantine Gregory as KGB Interviewer

            Denys Hawthorne as Paddy

            David Henry as Minister Whitehall

            Ellen Hurst as Anna

            Alexei Jawdokimov as Arkady

            Paul Jutkevich as Mischa

            Peter Knupffer as Sergey

            Mark Lamura as Todd

            Christopher Lawford as Larry

            Kate Lock as Jacky

            Blu Mankuma as Merv

            Peter Mariner as US Scientist

            Mac McDonald as Bob

            Ian McNeice as Merrydew

            Tuck Milligan as Stanley

            Gina Nikiforov as Russian Guest

            Vladek Nikiforov as Tout

            Nikolai Nikitin as Leningrad Police Officer

            Nikolai Pastukhov as Uncle Matvey

            Margot Pinvidic as Woman Interpreter

            Paul Rattee as Whitehall - Army Officer

            Sergei Reusenko as KGB Man

            George Roth as Cy

            David Ryall as Colonial Type

            Raisa Ryazanova as Russian Guest

            Jason Salkey as Johnny

            Vladimir Sidirov as Leningrad Police Officer

            Pavel Sirotin as Watcher

            Fyodor Smirnov as Watcher

            Colin Stinton as Henziger

            Elena Stroyeva as Anastasia

            Simon Templeman as Whitehall - Psychoanalyst

            David Timson as George

            Yegueshe Tsturvan as Flute Player

            Gennady Venov as Katya's Father

            Martin Wenner as Whitehall - Scientist

            Nicholas Woodeson as Niki Landau

            Daniel Wozniak as Zapadny

            Sasha Yatsko as Russian Writer

            Vladimir Zunetov as Dan

            Jack Raymond as Lev
See full cast