Tonight on Amazon: Riveting ’80s Spy Thriller You Can’t Miss!

Inspector Arkady Renko is tasked with solving a triple homicide in Moscow’s Gorky Park. As he delves into this sensitive case, he finds himself clashing with the KGB and uncovers the involvement of a wealthy American businessman, only to discover that the case has unexpected personal repercussions he hadn’t foreseen.

Michael Apted, who passed away in 2021, remains a filmmaker largely overlooked by the general public. A reliable craftsman, over a fifty-year career he produced a range of intriguing films, including some that have become classics. Among these is the exceptional and moving “Gorillas in the Mist” from 1989, which showcased Dian Fossey’s efforts to protect gorillas and provided Sigourney Weaver with one of the best roles of her career.

In 1983, Apted released a very solid Cold War-era espionage thriller, “Gorky Park”. This film was one of the last performances by the great Lee Marvin, who would pass away four years later.

Opposite him was the impressive William Hurt, playing Inspector Arkady Renko. In the mix was Polish actress Joanna Pacula, who earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role, recommended for the part by Roman Polanski.

Due to its Cold War setting, the film was shot in Helsinki, Finland, rather than in the Soviet Union. Originally, there was an idea to film “Gorky Park” in Moscow itself. However, this was outright denied by Soviet authorities, who seriously claimed, “there is no crime or corruption in Moscow.”

A skillfully crafted and effective thriller, supported by a strong cast including the always impeccable Brian Dennehy, “Gorky Park” is available for viewing on Prime Video.