William Hurt: Arkady Renko

Gorky Park

Arkady Renko

Arkady Renko: Too many people in our society disappear without trace.
Professor Andreev: Oh. Why is that?
Arkady Renko: They fall into a chasm.
Professor Andreev: What sort of chasm?
Arkady Renko: The one between what is said and what is done.
Professor Andreev: [Renko is talking very loudly, and Andreev's lab technicians are listening] You may not be long for this world, my fine imprudent fellow.

Jack Osborne: Man overboard There's a sliver of food on your upper lip.
Arkady Renko: I'm just a plodding investigator, no style. Completely out of my depth. Oh, yes. Three bodies, three people, shot down and mutilated in Gorky Park, and me, I have food on my lip.
Jack Osborne: Not even caviar at that. I somehow feel that the executioner, whoever he may be, would have preferred somebody, a more nimble opponent.

Arkady Renko: I believe the three were making a chest. A religious chest for the black market in icons.
William Kirwill: Yeah. And?
Arkady Renko: Their clothing. Beside the traces of gold and gesso, there were spots of chicken and fish blood. I don't know why.
William Kirwill: I've been in your wondeful Soviet markets. I've never seen anything fresh enough to bleed.

Professor Andreev: Renko? How interesting.
Arkady Renko: Why?
Professor Andreev: Your father was General Renko. You don't look a bit like him. My God. Your zygomaticus has a completely different elasticity altogether. Promise me I can have your face when the breath has left your body. Hmmm?

Arkady Renko: I always wanted to meet an American. You are so, so different. Forgive me for staring. Only once before did I ever meet an American, in the flesh, so to speak. A young student, Kirwell I think he was called. James Kirwell.
Jack Osborne: Oh?
Arkady Renko: But he was dead.
Jack Osborne: That doesn't count then, does it?

William Kirwill: You know what a born-again Christian is, Renko?
Arkady Renko: No.
William Kirwill: Born-again Christians. They don't smoke, they don't swear, they don't fuck, all they do is talk about Jesus, try to walk on the goddamn water. That was Jimmy, God love him.

Levin: [Levin has just sawed off the heads of two of the Gorky Park corpses for reconstruction] Do you want the third one?
Arkady Renko: We have no idea what the big man looked like. Besides, how many do you think I can carry?
Levin: Just so long as you know what to say if they stop you in the street.

Pasha: [Renko and Pasha are discussing likely KGB involvement in the Gorky Park murders] Is it that shit-head Pribluda?
Arkady Renko: That's like asking if the girl is a virgin when you see her in bed with a man on top of her.
Pasha: What man?
[Renko gives him a "you're missing the point" look]
Pasha: Oh.

Jack Osborne: [Osborne finished dressing sees the approaching Renko's reflection in the mirror] Ah. Finished eating, are we?
Arkady Renko: Yes, thank you. Um... I understand you import our wonderful Soviet sable into America, Mr Osborne.
Jack Osborne: Well, you Soviets have the world monopoly on sable.
Arkady Renko: I always wanted a sable hat.
Jack Osborne: Well, a man of your status should possess one. Must we see what we can do?
Arkady Renko: Oh, we Russians have long ago learned how to wait for things. I'm very patient. I watch and I think and I wait. It is my only virtue.
Jack Osborne: But why wait? I'm always happy to accommodate my ah... particular Soviet friends.
Arkady Renko: Patience has its own rewards.
Jack Osborne: Do you want the hat or not?
[both force a smile and chuckle]
Jack Osborne: Perhaps the chief investigator has some other reward in mind?
Arkady Renko: Yes.
[pauses to walk to the other side of Osborne]
Arkady Renko: Perhaps.
Jack Osborne: You don't know?
Arkady Renko: Not yet. First I have the hunch. Then, I begin to assemble reasons. Then I...
[protracted pause]
Jack Osborne: Then, you...?
Arkady Renko: Then I pounce.
Jack Osborne: Oh, that's no way to catch a sable. They're far too cunning and far too fast. While you wait and you think, and you watch... your prey is gone.
[smiles]
Arkady Renko: Oh, I don't think so.
Jack Osborne: Good. Good! Meanwhile I have the hat and you don't.
[exits]

Arkady Renko: [referring to her stolen ice skates] You didn't know they were missing for four days?
Irina Asanova: That's how it is. You don't miss something till you need it.
Arkady Renko: They were found on a dead girl.
Irina Asanova: There is justice after all.

Arkady Renko: The bodies have no marks of identification, Comrade Prosecutor.
General: What? No papers? Here in Moscow?
Arkady Renko: The bodies were badly mutilated. No papers. No fingertips. No faces. They were clean-shaven, General. Quite literally.

Arkady Renko: It is more than possible that KGB killed those three people.
Iamskoy: I agree.
Arkady Renko: Then it is likely they are laying a trap for me.
Iamskoy: Why?
Arkady Renko: Three years ago I tried to arrest Major Pribluda. I proved he was an assassin. You remember those two bodies found by the river.
Iamskoy: God, it's cold out here. You want to freeze my blood even more?

Maj. Pribluda: [Pribluda suddenly arrives on the scene of the Gorky Park killings] Greetings, Comrades! I bring you hot water bottles!
Arkady Renko: Ah, good, we were wondering why you came, Comrade Major Pribluda.

Arkady Renko: [pulls the reconstructed head out of the box: shows it to a frightened Irina] Here is Valerya.