Gorky Park *** (1983, William Hurt, Lee Marvin, Brian Dennehy, Ian Bannen, Joanna Pacula) – Classic Movie Review 9643

Director Michael Apted’s 1983 Gorky Park stars William Hurt, Lee Marvin and Brian Dennehy, who are all excellent in this sombre, well-crafted and at least half-decent thriller, scripted from Martin Cruz Smith’s bestseller by controversial TV dramatist Dennis Potter.

The discovery of three faceless bodies in Moscow’s Gorky Park puts the investigating police officer Arkady Renko (William Hurt) on a bloody trail of intrigue, corruption and murder. The cop becomes romantically involved with a mysterious suspect, Irina (Joanna Pacula), and discovers a dangerous conspiracy involving the Chief Prosecutor.

Gorky Park is an atmospheric, meticulously handled, involvingly acted movie that falters only towards the end. It is an extremely polished production, thanks to a large number of first-class members of the crew, including composer James Horner, cinematographer Ralf D Bode. and designer Paul Sylbert.

Brian Dennehy plays William Kirwill and Lee Marvin plays Jack Osborne.

Potter won a 1984 Edgar Award for his screenplay.

It stars William Hurt as Arkady Renko, Lee Marvin as Jack Osborne, Joanna Pacula as Irina Asanova, Rikki Fulton as Major Pribluda, Brian Dennehy as William Kirwill, Ian McDiarmid as Professor Andreev, Michael Elphick as Pasha and Ian Bannen as Prosecutor Iamskoy.

Also in the cast are Richard Griffiths, Alexander Knox, Alexei Sayle, Henry Woolf, Tusse Silberg, Niall O’Brien and Patrick Field.

Gorky Park is directed by Michael Apted, runs 130 minutes, is made by Eagle Associates and Major Studio Partners, is released by Orion Pictures (1983) (US) and Rank Film Distributors (1983) (UK), is written by Dennis Potter, based on the novel by Martin Cruz Smith, is shot in Technicolor by Ralf D Bode, is produced by Gene Kirkwood and Howard W Koch Jr, is scored by James Horner and is designed by Paul Sylbert.

The Soviet Communist Party condemned the film as anti-Communist and anti-Russian and refused access to shoot in Moscow. So it was shot in Helsinki, Finland, and Stockholm, Sweden. Helsinki’s Kaisaniemi public park is the Gorky amusement park.

Lee Marvin was hospitalised in Helsinki, battling alcoholism, and Michael Apted rehearsed with him in his hospital bedroom.

Producers Gene Kirkwood and Howard W Koch Jr bought the film rights in 1981 for $250,000 but production was delayed waiting for director John Schlesinger, who in the end was replaced by Apted.

The cast are William Hurt as Arkady Renko, Lee Marvin as Jack Osborne, Brian Dennehy as William Kirwill, Ian Bannen as Andrei Iamskoy, Joanna Pacula as Irina Asanova, Michael Elphick as Pasha Pavlovich, Richard Griffiths as Anton, Rikki Fulton as Maj. Pribluda, Alexander Knox as The General, Alexei Sayle as Golodkin, Ian McDiarmid as Prof. Andreev, Niall O’Brien as KGB Agent Rurik, Henry Woolf as Levin, Jukka Hirvikangas as James Kirwill, Marjatta Nissinen as Valerya Davidova, Heikki Leppänen as Kostia Borodin, Elsa Salamas as Babushka, and Anatoli Davydov as KGB Agent Nicky.

RIP legendary iconic actor Brian Dennehy, who died on 15 April 2020, aged 81. He is also remembered for First Blood, F/X, Best Seller, Cocoon, Silverado, Legal Eagles, Presumed Innocent and Tommy Boy.

Michael Apted (10 February 1941 – 7 January 2021).

William Hurt (March 20, 1950 – March 13, 2022) made his film debut in Ken Russell’s 1980 Altered States, followed by the 1981 neo-noir Body Heat. He had three consecutive nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actor, for Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985), Children of a Lesser God (1986), and Broadcast News (1987), winning for the first of these. He also stars as Mr Rochester in Franco Zeffirelli’s 1996 Jane Eyre. He had his fourth Oscar nomination for his support performance in David Cronenberg’s crime thriller A History of Violence (2005).

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9643

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