Review of The Russia House (1990) by Isabelle M — 15 Aug 2010

Though they're all good, this is an especially tasty delivery from Connery, as a book publisher who enjoys traveling into Russia to savor its culture and people. Then, out of the blue, he finds himself torqued into being an MI-5 errand boy.

A manuscript's surfaced in the West that spills the entire keg of beans that is Russian nuclear capability. Connery's to go deep to find the author - and discover whether the content is straight up or just disinformation.

Connery here gets to play a number of roles: an indignant, a souse, a smitten lover (of an Soviet-ingenue-like Michelle Pfeiffer), a clever player of the intelligence game - and a decent human being seeking simple love and life by the Lisbon sea.

A clever script; not surprising given the source material is from the pen of John LeCarre. Suffice it to say that, at the end of the day, every player that deserves to get burned, well, gets burned bloody proper.

Roy Scheider and James Fox also deliver interesting characterizations as Connery's handlers.

Shot almost entirely in Russian locations, enveloping the film in a quite authentic aura.

RECOMMENDATION: It's not the same caliber of intrigue as, say, "Smiley's People," but if you enjoy spycraft cat-n-mouse, and if you want no more than a 2-hour dose of it, this film's a sure bet. And, delivery-wise, it belongs on the list of Connery essentials. Enjoy.