The 1983 film is an adaptation of a Martin Cruz Smith novel of the same name and follows the exploits of Arkady Renko; a chief investigator for the Soviet Militsiya in Moscow, and a recurring character in Smith’s works. Ladies and gentlemen I give you the 1980s, when the Cold War was king and capitalist authors like Smith and Tom Clancy cashed in.
I’ll start with immense praise for the star of the film, William Hurt, who brings the character of Arkady Renko to life. Hurt’s performance will keep you watching from scene to scene despite the somewhat sluggish pacing at times. He’s right at home chasing bad guys down the shadowy alleys of Moscow and in shootouts in the vast wilderness. Arkady Renko is a normal guy who is never indicated as being indestructible and a thoroughly enjoyable character to follow while he goes against superiors and draws the ire of the notorious KGB. “Bodies carved up in the middle of Moscow.” Renko states calmly at the onset of the triple murder investigation that starts the picture. “Who knows where it will lead.”
I also loved the setting of early 80s Moscow. It’s a mysterious and beautiful country covered in snow and history. Characters dressed in sable hats, cars with cryptic license plates, and a giant colorful mural of Vladimir Lenin decorate the landscape and leave us with an ominous atmosphere that won’t let you forget where the setting is. An excellent score follows the story throughout and displays the right amount of tension when needed.
Hurt is joined by one of my favorite actors, Brian Dennehy, who plays a rogue New York City detective, and Lee Marvin as a slimy American businessman. While both are good in secondary roles, I wish they had cast Dennehy in Marvin’s role as the primary bad guy. The beautiful Joanna Pacula plays a mysterious movie set worker and completes the main cast. In a bit of a surprise, the great Ian McDiarmid appears as a professor, sans Sith powers.
As if often the case with films based on novels, too much detail without proper depth is featured, and as a result, the run time of 123 minutes is 10 minutes too long. Hurt’s performance will keep you invested though the middle portion gets slow.
“Gorky Park” is a very good espionage styled thriller. The acting and setting are excellent, and the movie is good enough to make you want to check out the book that it’s based on.
