The Russia House Page #6

Just tell us the answer.

I love the place.

It draws me.

It's such a shambles.

They try so hard, from so far back...

Poor buggers.

They just want to be like us.

They have this huge heart

and... huge ignorance.

And they always keep their word.

Ugh... Acorns!

They're gathering acorns

and making coffee from them!

That's what they're doing here.

Mr Blair, we are buying a Picasso. OK?

You don't mind

an occasional metaphor, do you?

- Not at all.

- 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, uh, very rare.

Medium rare, well done. What the f***?

The bottom-line question is

''Did Picasso paint it?''

And you're the man who is selling it to us.

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 f***

whether you buy it or not.

Quinn is army from the anus up.

He likes plain answers.

I'll tell Barley.

Have you ever had any homosexual

experiences, Mr Blair?

Just the usual adolescent hand-held job.

Same as yourself, I suppose?

- Has this man been fluttered?

- What's that?

Lie detector. No, Colonel, he hasn't.

Your background is fairly liberal,

isn't it, Mr Blair?

- Background?

- Your father.

No. My father hated liberals.

He took the communist line mainly.

Your father died eight years ago?

Yes.

Which is about the time your visits

to the Soviet Union became pretty regular.

- I hadn't made the connection.

- Have you formed any connection

with any peaceniks, dissidents

or other unofficial groups of that nature?

You meet all sorts.

Jazz people, book people...

That's an impossible question. I'm sorry.

Well, let me turn that around and ask if

you've made any connection, whatsoever,

with any peace people in England?

Oh, hundreds, I should think.

You have to stay indoors to avoid them.

Are there any musicians

you fraternise with

whom you would describe, or who would

describe themselves, as anarchists?

Ah. There was a trombone player.

Wilfred Baker was his name.

He's the only jazz musician I can recall

who was completely devoid

of anarchist tendencies.

Do you disapprove of the English

social structure, Mr Blair?

Absolutely. Give me America every time.

- Thank you, Mr Blair.

- Not at all.

But you seem to go to Russia

rather more than you come to America.

Yes. Because I prefer Russia.

It's as corrupt as America, but...

there's less bullshit.

He acted like a man who's going

his own way. Wouldn't you say?

I'd say he behaved like someone

who didn't need to be careful.

He might have.

Oh, Ren. Mr Blair likes to have

a bottle of Scotch in his room.

After his cricket.

- Very good.

- That was nearly a six.

Mr Brady, Barley.

Looks like you've done

a fine thing, Barley.

Anybody say thank you along the way?

No.

Did I read somewhere you once played

in the great Ray Noble's band?

Ah. A beardless boy in those days, Brady.

Wasn't Ray the sweetest man

you ever met?

Ray was a prince.

Did you ever play chess with him?

- As a matter of fact, I did.

- Who won?

- I did.

- So did I.

Close your eyes, please.

No undue excitation of any kind.

Always answer truthfully.

(speaks Russian)

Answers to be ''yes'' or ''no'' only.

Merv.

Is your name Blair?

Scott Blair.

- Is your name Scott Blair?

- Yes.

No.

- I am being blackmailed.

- No.

I am being coerced.

Yes.

By the Soviets?

No.

I am operating in collusion

with the woman Katya Orlova.

No.

Yes. What do you mean?

- Hold it.

- Don't break the rhythm, Mr Blair.

We have people do that on purpose

just to shake off a bad question.

I am operating on behalf

of the Soviet Union.

- No.

- In collusion with Katya Orlova.

- No.

- I am the lover of Katya Orlova.

No.

I am motivated

by my love for Katya Orlova.

No.

Get rid of him, Clive.

He's wrong for us.

Put in a professional. One of our people.

If Dante's a good boy,

he gets the jackpot. I'll see to it.

A million's no problem.

Ten million's even better.

That way Dante's a traitor

our patriots can understand.

Dante won't deal with a professional.

He won't be bribed or threatened.

He's straight. Do you remember straight?

Nobody hired us

for our brotherly love, Ned.

Russell.

- Brady?

- Clive?

Is there a seat on your plane?

Of course.

Barley?

Barley?

You've won!

You've beaten their whole apparatus.

There'll be no turning back now.

Well done, Ned. Jolly good show.

Well, that's what you want, isn't it?

To go back to Moscow. To see it through.

Three cheers for our side.

Blair stays, and Langley

are taking over the case.

They're preparing

a shopping list for Dante.

It'll be the list to end all lists.

A grand-slam questionnaire.

Pentagon, Defense, State...

Endorsed by the president.

You made them a present of my joe?

The role of the Russia House

will be respected. Russell values the link.

We're taking over Barley's resettlement

and his pension, Ned.

You gave away my joe for his pension?

We're on the same bloody side,

aren't we?

God, this is a list of questions that could

unlock all the Sov military secrets

and win the arms race at a stroke!

Or lose it. I don't like lists, Clive.

Lists tell you too much

about the people who make them.

I think you'll enjoy our facility.

Bloody marvellous.

Blair's tapes encrypted,

bounced by satellite to London,

then decrypted - all in minutes.

Ah, Vladimir.

You know my partner, JP Henziger?

No, you don't? You should.

- Leonard Wicklow, my associate.

- Jack Henziger.

Spikey! They let you in again?

- Not bankrupt yet?

- No. Close, but no cigar. Here.

- Party on Thursday. Live music.

- Hey.

Bit early in the day even for me, George.

Er, Leonard Wicklow, JP Henziger.

- Brought your saxophone?

- But of course.

Alik. A cordial invitation from

Potomac Blair to a party on Thursday.

- So what was so important in Leningrad?

- Come on.

You don't care about Leningrad, do you?

I'm sorry I disappeared. Here.

If she was young and beautiful,

I forgive you.

It is so good, Barley.

Really, it is so good to see you.

Welcome to Moscow again.

Welcome to the book fair.

To hell with the book fair.

This is too beautiful to wear.

She is asking... are you married?

No. Not at present.

But tell her that I'm always open to offers.

Lapta! Lapta!

Baseball, cricket...

What's he saying?

Matvey assures me lapta is the origin

of American baseball

and your English cricket.

He believes it was introduced to you

by Russian immigrants.

Well, if that's true,

it's the end of the British Empire.

Now, my news.

After your meeting with Yakov

he missed his next phone call.

I was very worried. But it is all right.

Yakov wrote me a long letter.

He was ill, but he has recovered.

He will make a special visit to Moscow

during the book fair to meet you.

- How was he ill?

- With gipetit.

I... Prasti. Sorry. Er, hepatitis?

I will read it to you.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes