The first movie on my list is the 1979/1980 British gangster classic The Long Good Friday, starring the late Bob Hoskins and Helen Mirren. It also features Paul Freeman (Raiders of the Lost Ark), Brian Hall (TV's Fawlty Towers) and in his first role, Pierce Brosnan.
The film starts with an armed robbery. We do not know at the time who the robbers or their victims are, but this is a very important piece of information. We then meet Harold Shand (Hoskins), the gang leader of the London mob scene. He is just returning to England from a successful meeting with the American Mafia to consolidate power. At the same time, Colin (Freeman), Harold's second in command and friend, is murdered in a public swimming pool by two men. (One of these men is Brosnan.)
The Americans arrive and Harold's wife Victoria (Mirren) plays hostess on the family yacht. The idea is that, with the Mafia and a corrupt politician, Harold wants to change the dockside areas of London so that they can get rich if London successfully wins the 1988 Summer Olympics. Their later dinner plans are interrupted when the pub Harold owns is blown up and he gets news that his mother - who was at a Good Friday mass - is in hospital when her car and driver are blown up as well.
I am not going to spoil much more, as this is a very plot-centric movie, but the last shots of Hoskins are considered to be the best slow burn ever caught on camera. Hoskins is a master class in acting with this film. He's not afraid to show his rage (and boy, does he show it). Mirren, as Victoria, shows the grace that we've come to know and love.
The supporting cast are great as well. Paul Freeman does a lot with the brief role as Colin. Comedian Dave King plays corrupt cop Parky with cynicism and toadiness at the same time. The corrupt alderman Harris is played with oily smoothness by Bryan Marshall. Jeff, Harold's third in command, is played by Derek Thompson, who shows the character losing his calm demeanor as the film goes on.
Be warned...this is a dark and violent film. The attitudes and some of the scenarios are definitely signs of their time. You can definitely feel the beginnings of Thatcherism here. Another, more controversial element of the time frame will not be spoiled here, but just research the time and see who I mean.
Some interesting points:
- Bob Hoskins actually threatened legal actions against the studios involved with the film because they planned to dub his voice for the American market. They dropped the idea.
- Handmade Pictures, the film company owned by George Harrison, bought the rights to The Long Good Friday and released it theatrically.
- Bob Hoskins was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor, losing to Burt Lancaster for Atlantic City.
All in all, The Long Good Friday is an amazing piece of filmmaking. Director John Mackenzie winds the film tightly without breaking, giving the audience a nice package of emotion and suspense.
Again, that ending.......
