The Russia House (1990)

Sean Connery: Barley

Photos 

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Quotes 

• Barley : Who are you, Dante? What do you do for a living?

  Dante : I am a moral outcast.

  Barley : Well it's always nice to meet a writer.

• Bartholomew "Barley" Scott Blair : 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.

• Russell : Mr. Blair, we are buying a Picasso, ok? You don't mind an occasional metaphor now and then, do you?

  Bartholomew "Barley" Scott Blair : Not at all.

  Russell : Good. Some people don't like my metaphors; I don't know why, but... Anyway, everyone in this room is buying the same Picasso. It's very rare... medium rare... well done, what the fuck! The bottom line question is: did Picasso paint it? And you're the man who is selling it to us?

  Bartholomew "Barley" Scott Blair : It is not my Picasso, Russell, it is not my Picasso. And I'm not saying it is a Picasso. And, furthermore, I'm not selling it to you. And, lastly, I don't give a fuck whether you buy it or not.

• 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.

• CIA Interrogator : Have you ever met any jazz musicians you would describe, or who would describe themselves, as anarchists?

  Bartholomew "Barley" Scott Blair : Hmmm... ah, there was a trombone player, Wilfred Baker.

  [the interrogator starts writing] 

  Bartholomew "Barley" Scott Blair : He's the only jazz musician I can think of who is completely devoid of anarchist tendencies.

• Bartholomew "Barley" Scott Blair : Any decent church would have burned you bastards years ago.

• Katya : You have bewitched my family. My children think all you British are Santa Claus in beautiful tweed clothes.

  Bartholomew "Barley" Scott Blair : There's no Santa Claus. Nobody is what it seems. Except you.

• Barley : I'm not the man you thought I was.

  Dante : You do not have to remind me that man is not equal to his rhetoric.

• Bartholomew "Barley" Scott Blair : 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.

• Barley : [to Katya]  "You are my only country now."

• Barley : Yes, because I prefer Russia. It's as corrupt as America, but there's less bullshit.

• Bartholomew "Barley" Scott Blair : You have to think like a hero merely to behave like a decent human being.

• [while training for a covert mission] 

  Barley : This is fun... Is that why you keep it secret?

• [talking about Western relations with Russia] 

  Barley : Aren't we supposed to be such good friends now?

  Ned : [sarcastically]  Oh, my dear lord...

  Walter : Because this year it suits them to roll over on their backs and play nice doggie? Because this year they're on the floor anyway? 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.

• Bartholomew "Barley" Scott Blair : It was my first good contract: real people for unreal arguments.

• Walter : [looking around the mess of Barley's apartment]  How do you *live* with yourself?

  Barley : Actually I don't live with myself. I tend to give myself a pretty wide berth.

• Bartholomew "Barley" Scott Blair : 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.

• Katya : How will I know you?

  Barley : I'll look like a large unmade bed with a shopping bag attached.

• Brady : Wasn't Ray the sweetest man you ever met?

  Bartholomew "Barley" Scott Blair : Ray was a prince.

  Brady : Ever play chess with him?

  Bartholomew "Barley" Scott Blair : As a matter of fact I did.

  Brady : Who won?

  Bartholomew "Barley" Scott Blair : I did.

  Brady : So did I.

• Clive : Do you believe this nonsense?

  Bartholomew "Barley" Scott Blair : I don't know. I believe it when I say it. But you've got to be there: you're taking a leak in some filthy public urinal and the man in the next stall leans across and asks you about God or Kafka or freedom versus responsibility; so you tell him because you know, because you're from the West. And before you've finished shaking your dick you think:"What a great country!" That's why I love them... and they're very fond of me.