The Russia House (1990) quotes

Director
Fred Schepisi.

Cast
Sean Connery.
Michelle Pfeiffer.
Roy Scheider.

An expatriate British publisher unexpectedly finds himself working for British intelligence to investigate people in Russia.

So there was a crunch: to save your precious secrets or to trade them for Katya and her family. The easiest decision I ever made.
– Bartholomew “Barley” Scott Blair

How the fuck do you peddle an arms race when the only asshole you’ve got to race against is yourself?
– Russell

Who are you, Dante? What do you do for a living?
– Barley
I am a moral outcast.
– Dante
Well it’s always nice to meet a writer.
– Barley

You are very gray today, Barley. My father was sent to prison by gray men. He was murdered by men who wore gray uniforms. Gray men ruined my beautiful profession and take care or they will ruin you too.
– Dante

Smile, you must smile: they’re watching us, your side and my side. We’re going to beat them both. I can’t save Yakov, nothing can; but you’re safe, the children are safe, uncle Matvey’s safe. I love you and I won’t let you down.
– Bartholomew “Barley” Scott Blair

I love you. All my failings were preparation for me to you. It’s like nothing I have ever known: it’s unselfish love, grown up love. You know it is. It’s mature, absolute, thrilling love.
– Bartholomew “Barley” Scott Blair

Yes, because I prefer Russia. It’s as corrupt as America, but there’s less bullshit.
– Barley

You have bewitched my family. My children think all you British are Santa Claus in beautiful tweed clothes.
– Katya
There’s no Santa Claus. Nobody is what it seems. Except you.
– Bartholomew “Barley” Scott Blair

How do you *live* with yourself?
– Walter
Actually I don’t live with myself. I tend to give myself a pretty wide berth.
– Barley

Any decent church would have burned you bastards years ago.
– Bartholomew “Barley” Scott Blair

It was my first good contract: real people for unreal arguments.
– Bartholomew “Barley” Scott Blair

You live in a free society; you have no choice.
– Walter

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

If there is to be a hope we must all betray our country, we have to save each other because all victims are equal and none is more equal than others. It’s everyone’s duty to start the avalanche.
– Bartholomew “Barley” Scott Blair

Glasnost gives everyone the right to complain and accuse, but it doesn’t make shoes.
– Katya

This is just like school! Dear old, bloody old, school!
– Walter

I’m not the man you thought I was.
– Barley
You do not have to remind me that man is not equal to his rhetoric.
– Dante

This is fun… Is that why you keep it secret?
– Barley

Reconstruction! Openness! You don’t reconstruct the balance of terror and open the ultimate can of worms.
– Walter

You have to think like a hero merely to behave like a decent human being.
– Bartholomew “Barley” Scott Blair

So, promise me that if I ever find the courage to think like a hero, then you will act like a merely decent human being.
– Dante