MovieChat Forums > The Russia House (1990) Discussion > Favorite Quotes

Favorite Quotes

posted 20 years ago by Hesper79
25 replies | jump to latest

This is a wonderful film. Some of my favorite quotes:

CONNERY/BARLEY CONNECTS WITH BRANDAUER/DANTE

Barley: What do you do for a living, Dante?
Dante: I...am a moral outcast.
Barley: Ah. It's always a pleasure to meet a fellow writer. What kind of rubbish are you turning out lately?
Dante: Lies. I am The Lie.

Barley to Dante:
If there is ever to be any hope, we must all betray our countries. It's everyone's duty to start the avalanche because all victims are equal and no victim is more equal than others.

These days it's necessary to think like a hero just to behave like a merely decent human being.

Dante to Barley:
Promise me that if I ever have the courage to be a hero, you will act like a decent human being.

Fellow publishers to Barley:
Have you a sales force, or are you still relying on Divine intervention?

Some of these writers haven't yet been to jail, but they're working on it. I'll make them famous in the West even if it kills them.

[–] Hesper79 20 years ago

A few more favorites:

MI5/CIA TAKE OVER THE CASE:

MI5 Agent to Scheider/Russell, CIA:
Dante is Sevelyev?! He's the right hand of God over there! If he says they can't hit Nevada on a clear day, you can believe it and rejoice!

Scheider/Russell, CIA:
Rejoice?! Most of our customers come to Washington promising peace and prosperity for the arms industry for the next fifty years. But how do you peddle an arms' race when the only assh*le you've got to race against is yourself?

Their rocket motors suck instead of blow, their missiles can't get out of their kennels, their scientists can't do solid fuel for sh*t? .Our customers don't like to hear that!

A lot of highly paid favorite sons are in great danger of having their rice bowls broken and going hungry all because of these damn notebooks!

MI5 Fox/Ned:
Dante won't be bribed or threatened. He's straight, Russell! Do you remember straight?!
CIA Mahoney/Brady::
Nobody hired us for our brotherly love, Ned.

[–] Hesper79 20 years ago

And:

CONNERY/BARLEY IS INTERROGATED

CIA Analyst:
In England were you in touch with any peace people?
Barley:
Oh hundreds, I should think! You'd have to stay indoors to avoid them!

CIA Analyst:
Were you acquainted with any musicians whom you would describe as anarchists?
Barley:
Hmmm.... There was a trombone player. Wilfred Baker was his name. [at this point, all the spooks come to attention and start taking notes.] He's the only jazz musician I can recall who was completely devoid of anarchist tendencies. [and we see the CIA analyst's eyes start to twinkle.]

CIA Analyst:
You seem to go to Russia more often than America.
Barley:
Yes, because I prefer Russia. It's as corrupt as America, but there's less bullsh*t.

[–] Hesper79 20 years ago

And finally:

CONNERY/BARLEY PULLS A DOUBLE DOUBLE-CROSS

Barley to Fox/Ned, MI5:
To save your precious secrets, or to trade them for Katya and her family? The easiest decision I ever made. And if you wouldn't have done the same, then you've learned nothing.

It was my first good contract. Real people for unreal arguments. I got everything I wanted.

The gray men are keeping alive the arms race, which nobody is supposed to want.

Barley to KGB:
I'm talking about honor, not ideology. I've left a letter behind me just in case they don't know the difference.

CONNERY/BARLEY & PFEIFFER/KATYA

Katya: How will I know you?
Barley: Oh, that's easy. I look like a large, unmade bed with a shopping bag attached.

Katya to Barley:
Complaining is our new human right. Glastnost gives everyone the right to complain but it doesn't make more shoes.

Katya (calling Barley on the phone): Do I disturb you?
Barley: Deeply.

Barley to Katya:
Smile, you must smile. They're watching us. Your side and my side. We're going to beat them both.

And the piece de resistance...

Barley to Katya:
You are my only country now.

[–] housejk 20 years ago

I could not agree with you more, Hesper79, particularly on the interrogtion scene. That is one of the best scenes in any movie I have ever seen. Tom Stoppard is without a doubt the best, and the dialouge in this movie is what makes it so great. Great insight. Makes me want to get my DVD out again tonight and watch it once more. I have gotten out of the habit of late of watching it because it makes me long so very much to go over there again. In fact, I am going to post something about that in a new thread shortly. Take care....

[–] Hesper79 20 years ago

Thanks housejk, I can't believe there aren't more comments on this movie. The location photography alone is worth a thread and the great music. I envy you having been there in person, but the movie is almost like a short trip in the way it gives you a flavor of the country, at least back then.

And I think Sean Connery is wonderful in this low-key, complex, reluctant hero role, especially in his witty scenes with the spooks.

This movie has a moral message whose time has definitely come and as Russell would say, "Honor is due."

[–] Hesper79 20 years ago

A few more favorite quotes:

Connery/Barley has just told Pfeiffer/Katya that he loves her and Katya says:
"I hope you are not just being frivolous, Barley. My life now only has room for truth."

Brandauer/Dante quoting an early Russian poet:
"How sweet it is to hate one's native land and to desire its ruin, and in its ruin to discern the dawn of universal rebirth."

Brandauer/Dante:
" I love my country."
Connery/Barley:
"I love it too...your country, and I'm reasonably fond of my own."

Connery/Barley to British "intelligence" agents:
"Any decent church would have burnt you bastards years ago."

[–] CaptHazelwood 19 years ago

CIA Bob: Why Russia, Barley?

Barley: (nasally mocking) Why Langley, Bob?

[–] john-4367 17 years ago

Good pick for a quote, but I believe it's "Why Lisbon, Barley?"

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

Correct

[–] christopherbatio 18 years ago

I agree completely. As someone who spent a lot of time in Russia from 1999 to 2004 the incredible beauty of the country is relived for me each time I see this film. Fred Schepisi really did a fantastic job creating a film with heart, intelligence and beauty. I love this film.

YOU ARE MY ONLY COUNTRY NOW.

[–] KUBRICK74 18 years ago

one of my favorite movies of all time...they dont make movies like this anymore....great locations ...great story....great acting...i watch this movie at least once a year.

[–] konover 18 years ago

You ninny! All the more reason to spy the living daylights out of them! Kick them in the balls every time they get to their knees!

Dante is going to phone Katya at the hospital. If he does that, will you shut the *beep* up? Or stay out of my operation.

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] rogerscorpion 17 years ago

The scene where Barley tells Katya that he loves her is my favorite 2nd most romantic scene ever. Beautifully done by Connery.

Carpe Noctem

[–] The_Lord_Of_Movies 14 years ago

Hey Hesper79,

I saw the movie Saturday night for the first time, gosh I really liked it.

I agree, I loved those lines too :

"CIA Analyst:
You seem to go to Russia more often than America.
Barley:
Yes, because I prefer Russia. It's as corrupted as America, but there's less bullsh*t."

I would have added : "much more history, culture too".

Have a nice day.

*Lord of Movies*

I miss the 90's !!!

[–] cesetevi 9 years ago

can anyone explain the wit here on thombone player? I would spill on my mind if I did not fall for jazz

[–] SlowRain 19 years ago

"You live in a free society, you have no choice."

"Any decent church would have burned you bastards years ago."

The only second chance you get is to make the same mistake twice. - David Mamet

[–] layton59 15 years ago

Here are my top 3 quotes from the movie:

************************************************

Barley meeting Dante and feeling somewhat inadequate to the task at hand.
Barley: I am not the man you think I was.
Dante: You do not have to remind me that man is never equal to his RHETORIC.

************************************************

Katya telling Barley about recent changes in Russia.
Katya: GLASNOST gives everyone the right to complain and accuse, but it doesn't make shoes.

************************************************

Russell: How the f__k do you peddle an ARMS RACE when the only a$$h___ you've got to race against is yourself?
[To which I, layton59, would like to reply, you go after silly terrorists in turbans because their small skill and great luck on 9-11-2001.]

************************************************

Here is the link to many other good quotes:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100530/quotes

************************************************
Ye Olde Sig Line:

Liberals kill with ABORTION.
Conservatives kill with the DEATH PENALTY.
I kill with THOSE and WORDS.

[–] finnegansword 15 years ago

There are some very good lines of dialogue in "the Russia House." In the cemetery scene Barley Blair is seen returning to the dacha somewhat nervously, when Dante comes up with the line:
DANTE: Are you a spy - not even one of our spies?
His suggestion that the Russian knight is dying inside his armour, is a potent simile and that he, Dante, manufactures a lie every day for his masters. The scene is well worth watching on the dvd and is beautifully acted.

[–] fiddleio 15 years ago

There are so many great lines to quote from this movie, but my favorite is probably:

Blair: *Taking out a whole bottle of scotch from his pocket* Do you drink this stuff?

Olga: No!

Blair: Nah...Me neither.

LOL.

[–] gradientrobot 13 years ago

CIA Analyst: Were you acquainted with any musicians whom you would describe as anarchists?
Barley: Hmmm.... There was a trombone player. Wilfred Baker was his name. [at this point, all the spooks come to attention and start taking notes.] He's the only jazz musician I can recall who was completely devoid of anarchist tendencies. [and we see the CIA analyst's eyes start to twinkle.]

===================

Great!

[–] cesetevi 9 years ago

Why is he driving?

Men like to drive women
He's a male chauvinist.

female version I made up:
why is she cooking
women like to feed men
she's a female chauvinist.

cheers :)

[–] miche-70945 9 years ago

https://web.facebook.com/yekaterina.orlova.54

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

Lol!