Gorky Park (1983)

Martin Cruz Smith's bestselling mystery novel seemed ideally cast for this movie version, but director Michael Apted and the usually reliable writer Dennis Potter couldn't solve the problem of taking the story from the page to the screen. William Hurt plays Renko, a Cold War-era Moscow police detective who must cope with both crooks and Communist party protocol as he tries to solve a murder case in the middle of one of Moscow's public parks that leaves three faceless corpses. The strands of the mystery involve corruption, American money, and the fur trade and, ultimately, take Renko to New York. But the tension is never all there, despite a deliciously menacing performance by Lee Marvin as the bad guy and Brian Dennehy as an American cop who becomes Renko's ally. --Marshall Fine Amazon.com

scifijoe

i found Gorky park an entertaining film. it takes place in a Russia that few of today's young people know about.it's a Russia that's portrayed as cold and unfriendly.it's a place where know one trust anyone.it's a place that know one wants to be. the story takes place in winter and begins with three murdered people found skinned in the trees of the park.who would do such a Hannis crime,and why? a murder mystery with enough twist and turns to keep your mined busy.William Hurt plays a detective who rubs the political system the wrong way.he'll stop at nothing to get the right person,know matter who it is,there going down!Lee Marvin in one of his last roles plays an American who might be at the heart of these murders .Brian Dennehy plays a American cop with his own agenda and reason for being there.crime and punishment the way it should be delivered,with a wake of innocents left in it's trail.this is a good suspenceful movie.get the popcorn and enjoy! October 12, 2008

GREAT BOOK, MEDIOCRE MOVIE!

"Gorky Park" is the most thrilling, exciting mystery novel I have ever read. Through Amazon reviews I noted that some reviewers thought the film was not up to par with the novel. I ordered it anyway just to see what the directors, writers, etc. came up with. Well, I guess they tried, but the problems were manifold. The Amazon.com editorial reviewer hit the nail on the head in his/her comments. Quite frankly, watching this film, I could barely stay awake.

The actors, to give them credit, were up to par despite inferior material. I did not care for Joanna Pakula's performance because it was just plain dull. Wikipedia states she was recommended for the role by her at the time boyfriend, Roman Polanski. It shows, although to give her credit, she did have some theatre training in Poland, and her career continues on in the U.S. to this day.

One of the most obvious problems in this great novel downtrodden into a film is that although it takes place in Moscow (does it not?), there are no shots of the city iself. We get a shot of some nondescript government building, and then back alleys that could be in any country. When the film moves on to Stockholm, we get to see that lovely city (by the way, not much of an escape for the heroine from just a next door country, when in the novel she makes a much grander escape to New York).

Performances by Brian Dennehy and Lee Marvin really are outstanding. William Hurt is a fine actor, but he was handicapped by cliches of the script. Ian Bannen was hardly believable as a Russian government official with an English accent.

Take the roller coaster ride of a novel and, in my estimation, don't get curious about the film as I did. Sometimes these adaptations (transitions) just don't make it. August 2, 2008

A great adaptation of the book!

I read the book Gorky Park last year and was blown away. Definitely one of the best novels I've ever read. I remembered from when I was a kid there being a movie version of the book that was pretty popular so I checked it out. If you read the book first don't expect the movie to be perfectly in-line with the book. For the sake of making the story more digestible to a movie audience a lot is streamlined, but the integral parts are left pretty well intact. The cast is PERFECT in this movie! William Hurt as Arkady Renko is excellent. Brian Dennehy as tough-as-nails NYPD Detective Kirwill and Lee Marvin as the evil, cunning American Mr. Osborne both fit the book descriptions of the characters. British comedian/actor Alexei Sayle as the sleezy black-marketeer/KGB informant Golodkin was awesome! Fast-pasted action and chilling suspense set in the stunning snow-covered Moscow cityscape(actually Sweden...) in the midst of the Cold War. An excellent movie overall. Check out the book too. May 30, 2008

Not as Good As I Remembered It to Be!

First watched this as a teen, and I got this as I was nostalgic for the past. Up to that point, there hadn't been much in the vein of Russian thrillers, and Gorky Park was a departure from the usual Cold War James Bond stereotypical Russian treatment. But alas, revisiting Gorky Park 25 years later reveals a movie that has dated drastically. A handsome and refined William Hurt (presumably chosen for his European looks and air) - feels a little stilted in his performance, along with the rest of the cast. I have to agree that there doesn't seem to be much tension in the pacing or story. What seemed cryptic and exotic back then in the theater feel a little underwhelming at times here. And having been to Moscow, the real place feels a lot more brutal than what this movie portrays. The little Ladas that the cops drive make Moscow feel very much like a small town.

Unfortunately as well, we have shows like CSI to thank for increasing the speed of our edits exponentially, which make shows like Gorky Park feel dreadfully 80s (along with the synth soundtrack). Lee Marvin is good as always, but the air of deliberation make Gorky Park like a plane about to take off - but never does.

My only worry now is watching Kiss of the Spider Woman again and wondering if William Hurt's Oscar performance will hold up...but it should! May 13, 2008

gorky park

another great movie which shows russia life and living conditions as they are....been there done that.........james February 23, 2008

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