Tagarchief: The Long Good Friday

17. The Long Good Friday (1980)

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

Director: John Mackenzie
Writers: Barrie Keeffe
Stars: Bob Hoskins, Helen Mirren, Paul Freeman

This review is part of the feature:

The 33 Gangster Films You Can’t Refuse

Gangster Harold Shand is having a very bad day. An unknown competitor nearly blows up his mom at church on Good Friday, and an associate of his is whacked at a swimming pool. Harold must uncover who is behind these attacks – and fast – because two American mafiosi are in town to finalize the deal of his lifetime, and he can’t afford to scare them off.

Produced by HandMade Films – George Harrison’s production company – and directed by John Mackenzie (known for the Scottish crime film A Sense of Freedom, based on the autobiography of Glasgow gangster Jimmy Boyle), The Long Good Friday is the quintessential British gangster film.

Bob Hoskins delivers one of the most iconic gangster performances of all time. From his minimalistic yet powerful first scene – Harold striding through the airport to the film’s blasting original score – to the unforgettable final moments, there’s never any doubt about who this character is. Harold Shand sees himself first and foremost as a businessman with a grand vision: to transform London into the glorious capital of Europe. He hosts guests and conducts shady business dealings aboard his luxurious yacht in the London Docklands.

His girlfriend, Victoria – a splendid early role for Helen Mirren – is effectively his co-manager in their criminal enterprise, known as ‘the corporation’. While Harold brings bravura and bold ambition, Victoria provides the keen psychological insight and patience needed to achieve their shared dream: legitimizing their empire.

What makes this movie work so well is how the events affect the lead characters. There is a whirlwind of emotions running through nearly every scene. Harold for example – when learning of the loss of his close associate Colin – can seem genuinely sad one moment and enraged in the next that somebody has done this to him.

The movie is packed with unforgettable scenes, from men dangling from meat hooks during interrogations to Harold’s defiant and hilarious final speech to the Americans (“The Mafia? I’ve shit ‘em!”).

The ending ranks among the most powerful in gangster cinema. Though The Long Good Friday may not be as widely remembered today, it absolutely deserves a reappraisal; this is one of the finest contributions the Brits have made to the genre. And as Harold might say, that takes more than a hotdog, know what I mean?

20. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

Director: Guy Ritchie
Writers: Guy Ritchie
Stars: Jason Flemyng, Dexter Fletcher, Nick Moran, Jason Statham

This review is part of the feature:

The 33 Gangster Films You Can’t Refuse

Guy Ritchie’s low-budget 1998 feature debut is a supremely entertaining reinvention of the British gangster genre, establishing his signature style: sharp humor, crackling Cockney dialogue, stylized violence, and a deceptively simple plot that spirals into chaos through a parade of memorable characters.

Add to that Ritchie’s trademark music video style camera and editing tricks, paired with a killer soundtrack of soul, funk, and rock classics, and you’ve got a true cult masterpiece on your hands.

In Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, four lifelong friends pool together 100,000 pounds so their poker prodigy Eddy can enter a high-stakes game hosted by Harry Lonsdale – porn king and ruthless crime boss. The plan backfires spectacularly when Harry cheats, leaving them on the hook for 500,000 quid. With just a week to pay up, or else face the wrath of Harry’s enforcers, Big Chris (Vinnie Jones) and Barry the Baptist (Lenny McLean), the clock is ticking.

Desperate for a solution, the boys stumble upon an opportunity when they discover their next-door neighbors are a crew of thieves planning to rob a lucrative London cannabis farm. Throw in a subplot involving two antique rifles, and the result is a whirlwind of schemes, double-crosses, and dark comedy, all tangled in the gritty underbelly of London. In this world, everyone’s stealing from someone and no one’s hands stay clean.

Harry Lonsdale is played by P.H. Moriarty, a veteran of The Long Good Friday (1980) – the British gangster classic that inspired Ritchie’s vision. While much of the cast was relatively unknown at the time (save for Sting as Eddy’s father), the film served as a star-making vehicle for the likes of Jason Statham and Vinnie Jones, whose performances still resonate today.

Ritchie’s film is endlessly rewatchable – the kind of movie where you can recite every line, anticipate every quip, and still be thrilled at every sped-up camera move or perfectly timed musical cue. The Italian Job-style ending is the perfect conclusion to a film that has rightfully earned its place as a classic of the British gangster canon.

F1rst Season Review: MobLand

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

In 1980, Pierce Brosnan made his screen debut in The Long Good Friday, one of the greatest British gangster films ever made, starring Helen Mirren. Now, 45 years later, Brosnan and Mirren reunite as the power couple at the heart of SkyShowtime’s hit series MobLand, joined by Tom Hardy and Paddy Considine in pivotal roles.

The show’s creator, Ronan Bennett, is no stranger to crime drama, having previously helmed the British series Top Boy and written the screenplay for Michael Mann’s Public Enemies (2009), the John Dillinger biopic.

The first two episodes of MobLand are directed by Guy Ritchie, and the series takes off like a rocket. We’re thrown into the chaos as Eddie Harrigan – the volatile grandson of gangster boss Conrad Harrison (Brosnan) – causes mayhem in a London nightclub, all set to the high-energy beats of The Prodigy’s Firestarter.

Tom Hardy plays Harry Da Souza, the Harrigans’ fixer, called in to clean up Eddie’s mess. But this is only the beginning. As the Harrigans – all of them unhinged, especially Conrad and his wife Maeve (Mirren) – plunge into a brutal gang war with rival Richie Stevenson (Geoff Bell), Harry’s workload only intensifies. The first season unfolds as a single, gripping narrative across ten episodes, chronicling this violent feud.

What sets MobLand apart is Maeve’s role: she’s far from the typical ‘gangster’s wife’. She’s a full-fledged partner in crime, her schemes and manipulations often outshining even her husband’s ruthlessness. Together, they’re the Macbeths of London’s underworld.

That said, the story doesn’t break much new ground. The show occasionally veers into the absurd, particularly in a Rambo-esque warehouse scene where Harry single-handedly takes out dozens of gangsters. There are plot twists and brutal murders – some land, others don’t. In a masterclass like The Sopranos, these elements feel organic. Here, they sometimes come across as a smokescreen for the lack of deeper substance, even if the series remains entertaining.

Another issue is the sheer savagery of the lead characters. They’re so cruel and unlikable that it’s hard to care about their fates. At times, I even found myself rooting for their downfall, which isn’t usually the point of a story told from one perspective.

The season ends with the introduction of a new female gang boss, Kat McAllister (Janet McTeer of Ozark fame), but she didn’t leave much of an impression on me. So, I’m not particularly hyped for Season 2.

Adding to the uncertainty, news broke this week that Tom Hardy has been fired from the show due to troublesome behavior, meaning fans will have to watch Season 3 without him.

Rating:

Withnail & I

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

Director: Bruce Robinson
Written by: Bruce Robinson
Cast: Paul McGann, Richard E. Grant, Richard Griffiths

Year / Country: 1987, UK
Running Time: 107 mins.

Withnail & I is a masterpiece of British cinema, produced by HandMade Films, the iconic production company founded by George Harrison. Known for crafting timeless classics like The Long Good Friday and Monty Python’s Life of Brian, HandMade Films once again struck gold with this darkly comedic gem, written and directed by Bruce Robinson.

The story revolves around two unemployed, substance abusing actors, called Withnail (Richard E. Grant) and I (Paul McGann). It is based on the experiences of writer-director Bruce Robinson. When the two actors get increasingly depressed by the lack of auditions and the drudgery of regular life in Camden, they go to the countryside for a vacation in a cottage owned by Withnail’s homosexual uncle Monty (Richard Griffiths).

However, their idyllic getaway quickly spirals into chaos, as the harsh realities of rural life – featuring a bull, unplucked chickens, unfriendly locals, and the unwanted advances of a very horny Monty – compound their misery and desperation. Their only solace seems to lie in copious amounts of alcohol, leading to some of the film’s most memorable moments.

Robinson’s autobiographical script works wonderfully well, and the acting by the three leads is top notch. The soundtrack, featuring classics from Jimi Hendrix and The Beatles, add to the great atmosphere. Withnail & I is a truly original film with dialogues that are truthful, witty and genuine. A one of a kind movie.

Rating:

Biography: Bruce Robinson (1946, Broadstairs, Kent) started his career as an actor, but did not find it fulfilling nor lucrative. He started writing screenplays and in 1984, his Cambodia script The Killing Fields was turned into a memorable war movie by Roland Joffé. With his second script, he chose to direct himself. Withnail & I, which is largely autobiographical, became a cult classic. Robinson’s subsequent films, the advertising satire How To Get Ahead in Advertising and the serial-killer thriller Jennifer 8, while less memorable than his debut, still showed Robinson’s talents. In 2011 he brought The Rum Diary, a novel by legendary writer and Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, to the screen which received mixed reviews.

Filmography: Withnail & I (1987) / How to Get Ahead in Advertising (1989) / Jennifer Eight (1992) / The Rum Diary (2011)