Today’s quick review: The Russia House. Barley (Sean Connery), a British publisher, finds himself at the center of international intrigue when Katya (Michelle Pfeiffer), a Russian woman he has never met, sends him a manuscript containing military secrets. Working under British Intelligence with the support of the CIA, Barley travels to Moscow to meet Katya and track down the manuscript’s author, the elusive Dante (Klaus Maria Brandauer).
The Russia House is a spy thriller based on the novel by John le Carre. Set at the end of the Cold War, The Russia House follows an independent-minded book publisher on a dangerous mission to verify a manuscript that could change the face of global politics. The movie deals with the harsh realities of the spy business from an outside perspective. As Barley grows attached to Katya, he faces a choice between his heart and his duty to his country.
The Russia House is a slow, cerebral thriller that is light on action. The bulk of the story is spent recruiting Barley, making contact in Moscow, and gradually reeling in Dante. The drama comes from two sources: Barley’s shifting motives as his mission progresses, and the internal debates between the CIA and British Intelligence about just what to do with the information Dante has given them.
The outcome is a spy movie that looks at the genre from a different angle than most. Many of the familiar elements are present, but the conflict is as much about the personal and political fallout of the situation as the mission itself. The upshot is that the moral side of The Russia House carries more weight than the typical spy flick. The downside is that these weightier elements slow the movie down and keep it from packing too many twists.
Watch The Russia House if you are in the mood for intrigue set against the backdrop of late Cold War politics. The quality of the acting, the tension of the story, and the uncertainty of the situation Barley finds himself in all contribute to a satisfying movie. However, anyone looking for overt action or repeated twists may want to steer clear, as the movie’s deliberate pacing and more focused story can come across as dull.
For another John le Carre adaptation that takes a bleaker look at spycraft, try The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. For a more comedic movie about the publication of a sensitive manuscript, try Hopscotch or Burn After Reading. For a more action-packed Cold War thriller starring Sean Connery, check out The Hunt for Red October.
[6.1 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100530/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for a thoughtful spy dilemma.