The Russia House (1990)

Roy Scheider: Russell

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Quotes 

• 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.

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

• [Russell produces a stack of reports on the analysis of Dante's material] 

  Clive : And is there a conclusion?

  Russell : Clive, there is a conclusion: drop it down the toilet.

  Ned : And is that what you think, Russell?

  Russell : Well, expert opinion has that this notebook was written very quickly... or very slowly. By a man, or a woman. The writer was right-handed, or he was left-handed. What I think? For "experts," there's no toilet deep enough.

• Russell : [on the phone with Ned]  I've heard the tapes and I've never so much pussy-footing around in my life! Barley needs to tell Katya, 'No more Greta fucking Garbo!' And Dante better shit or get off the pot! We're being pelted with crap on the streets over here!

  Ned : Alright, Russell, message understood.

  [Hangs up and calls someone over] 

  Ned : Russell's metaphors are becoming rather scatological.

• Russell : [to Ned]  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 : The trouble is, a lot of very favorite sons are in danger of having their rice bowls broken, all on account of these goddamn notebooks. The Soviet military effort is stalled, the American military effort is stalled. These notebooks say their rocket motors suck instead of blow, they can't do solid fuel for shit...

• Russell : I am an honest-to-God glasnostic. My parents were glasnostics from way back. My children will be raised glasnostic, even though I don't have any children.