Bob Hoskins shows how good an actor he was in the last ten minutes of the film. He goes from delivering a brilliant monologue to expressing more with a few minutes of silence and facial expressions than a lot of actors do in their whole careers. IMO Tony I'm with you, I think its a good thing the sequel never happened.
Yeah, Chris. Hoskins was something else in this movie. And I'm happy they left things as they were. Secretly pleased also that the script for the unmade sequel proposed how Harold could feasibly escape his seemingly inescapable fate. Thanks.
The American Gangster named Charlie was originally supposed to be played by actor Tony franciosa but for some reason the minute he landed in London he changed his mind and took a return flight back home
Tony, very nice job. As a "colonial" with my own Brit movie channel, I also reviewed this classic (I was concerned about spoilers and didn't get into the deeper secrets of the plot) and recall seeing it on my first trip to Britain many decades ago. The more focus on this flick, the better.
I love the Long Good Friday brilliantly directed by John Mackenzie. Great cast with Bob Hoskins and Helen Mirren total great duo. Hoskins is at his best as Harold Shand he is force to be reckon especially with Barrie Keeffe dialogue. Helen Mirren is great as Victoria who uses wit and intelligence. Francis Monkman creates a fantastic score, I would like to hear more film scores from him. Kudos to George Harrison for picking up this film after the ITC team loss their bottle. This film is a masterpiece.
@@tonybush555 It's great that you included The Squeeze has a great film. That film is so underrated crime film. As for the political incorrectness of The Long Good Friday. The film is a crime film. Harold couldn't be a crime boss if he was politically correct. I not saying being racist or violent is acceptable, but in the real world gangster isn't children's presenters or The Waltons. The audience even in the 1980s knew Harold did criminal things.
@@ninfilms I would definitely take a punt at The Squeeze if I could track down a decent copy to work with. Every version I've come across on DVD has been visually awful, like VHS ports, and it's a shame there isn't a Blu-Ray remaster out there as yet. At least, not that I can locate.
Fun fact Hoskins was the first choice for Al Capone in Brian de Palma's The Untouchables Bob Hoskins played several years later a very similar character in Danny the Dog with Jet Li & Morgan Freeman
Your analysis is spot on and what a video, great work! 'The Long Good Friday' is an absolute gem of a film and Bob Hoskins utterly dominated every scene. Films like this are so rare, perfect casting, incredible direction, great set pieces and above all a haunting yet memorable score.
I remember seeing an interview with Ken Livingstone where he described how in the 80’s he repeatedly saw British GLC negotiators get taken to the cleaners by US companies as the Brits got shitfaced by the end of lunch while the Yanks stuck to water I can’t remember if he directly alluded to this movie as an example but it’s an amusing turn by David Warner
Sounds like a parallel, Alan. I quite liked Red Ken as a character (politically, not so much) same as the recently deceased old bruiser Prescott. At least they had personalities. Thanks for commenting. T.
Spot on review with the performances, Tony. I could never view Bob Hoskins in any other role without longing for him to be Shand again. even if he touched on the same character with something like Mona Lisa. Not quite the 70's, but have you thought of reviewing Robbery, with the great man Stanley Baker? I've seen reviews stating that it now appears dated, but I disagree, it's certainly of 60's pedigree, but I think it holds up well even now.
Great to see Paul Barber (Denzil in 'Only Fools'...) in an early role. Barber said in an interview that his part in the film as a police informer was, at the time, just "A day's work"; another bit part acting job his agent got him. He knew nothing of the part beforehand and was instructed to turn up to the set where his agent sat him in a nearby pub until needed and told him to learn his few lines. The filmed scenes we see were the first time Barber had met any of the actors and said that the violence of the scene, and especially Razors, frightened the life out of him.
Great review, I would say that it was better not to do a sequel, because straight away you would ask, what happened to the Helen Mirren character. Bob Hoskins finest hour, I think so, he then went to America and starred with a white rabbit. The British make great Gangster films but its been along time since we got one. Nice one.
Actually Shand survives, in the script for the sequel he was rescued by the anti-terrorist squad and goes into exile, eventually returning to London to settle his affairs after the IRA have been defeated.
Another absolute banger. I could write for ages about this classic but I´ve had a couple of beers and am knackered. Two standouts, The main theme tune which is sublime and Hoskins put down of the Americans at the end. F´in brilliant!
I enjoyed this film as a youth. The stabbing in the neck was always and stand out scene. How about Haníbal Brooks for a review. Michael Winner & Oliver Reed on an anti-war Sunday Afternoon Romp through the countryside… 🤔 Keep the reviews coming. Sitting in a Hanger in Granada Spain..👏👏👏
I imagine it's very hot and dry where you are, Clifford. Cool and overcast where I am. Yeah, Hannibal Brooks is a good call. Hopefully I'll get around to it at some point. Many thanks. T.
Oh dear. Confession time; I still haven't seen The Long Good Friday. (Sacrilege, I know). I was rather busy when the film came out in cinemas. It was always out for Rental when it appeared on VHS. And I just never got round to getting my hands on a copy. Then life got in the way again. I simply forgot about it. Heck, I am late to the party here, as I didn't see this excellent review until a year after it was first uploaded. Could this be a Curse, Fate, Karma, Destiny...? Nah, none of that b0ll0x, it's just a case of bad luck. I have just bought a copy and eagerly await delivery. Cheers Tony. Bloody lovely.
Michael Caine was once asked what he thought were the best British gangster films of all time. He said - "There's only three. Get Carter, which I was in, The Long Good Friday that Bob was in and Mona-Lisa, which we were both in." Also on the subject of sequels that are better than the original The Godfather Part II is definitely up there with the others. Star Trek II The Wrath Of Knan should also be included, but only because Star Trek The Motion Picture was so agonisingly dull.
Much as I value and respect Sir Michael, I think there's more than just three. There were some films he wasn't in. Now, they may have been the top three for him...but I would position Sitting Target and Villain above Mona Lisa. Probably just me, though. Hey, grateful thanks for commenting, Bob. Appreciated. T.
Great review tone ,I really liked this film , for me next to get Carter but that's my view bollocks to the little snowflakes don't watch if it does your head in
Jeez.... I was just watching Siskel and Ebert's review of this yesterday (around 7pm GMT). Out of curiosity......when did you start work on this review, Tony?
Oddly enough, last Friday. I did it fairly quickly - well, for me, anyway - as I officially start back to work tomorrow and I wanted to upload something before that. I've got another double feature on the go, which may end up being delayed a bit depending on how things pan out, but will materialise in the not too distant future, and a lot of stuff I'm mulling over which is sort of on the back burner.
@@tonybush555 Phew.....for a moment I thought my mental super powers might have been at play. Best of luck with the job. Remember, the 2nd day is always the worst in any employment. 3rd day onwards is always an improved experience.
@@CaminoAir As the late, great Humphrey Bogart once said: "There is no situation so bad that it can't get worse." I worked for 25 years in a job that lived and breathed that philosophy. Then for 10 years in a different job in the same field that came pretty close. After a total of 35 years I decided to not tempt fate any further, count myself lucky to have survived and retire. Trust me, Numinous20111, the second day won't be the worst. That said, I've had a six year break, which has been great, and in a strange way I'm looking forward to it. It's got to be better than being Bob Hoskins in the back of that limo, right? Right?
@@tonybush555 Here in Ireland we are consistently just a few weeks behind Britain in terms of inflation and living costs. So I do understand how circumstances can make a mockery of our strategies and philosophies about how to live our lives. Just like Harold Shand is backed into a situation where he has to try to win against an opponent whose tactics and psychology are beyond his familiar experience. As long as you're not going to work as personal security for Pierce, you should be okay.
i always thought it was trying a bit too hard to be a big time gangster film. i think part of the problem is we don't really see how harold makes his money. and the mafia connection isn't very convincing. age has improved it though, although i'm surprised the cast hand't all died of lung cancer before the end.
I think we're meant to assume H makes his money via the traditional routes - property, drugs, prostitution, pubs, nightclubs, protection, the usual. In the 1960s the Kray Twins formed a tentative alliance with the governing body of the American mafia. Mob luminaries Meyer Lansky and Angelo Bruni were apparently interested in investing in London nightclubs and casinos for the purpose of money laundering. It never came to anything. At least, that's the story. I do tend towards agreeing with you because I couldn't see what the Mafia would realistically want with a comparatively small fish like London at the time TLGF is set. Yeah, unrestricted smoking was great. I used to get through 60 John Player Special a day. Until a myocardial infarction at the age of 43 made me sort of reconsider my lifestyle choices. Up to a point. Wasn't so great then, but I still miss it. Thank you for commenting, Gracievision. Appreciated. T.
I really liked this movie except for the right-hand man getting stabbed in the neck. That was a little hard to watch. Speaking of being torn, on the one hand, I was afraid at one point that The Gentlemen was going rip off the ending of The Long Good Friday. On the other hand, I might have preferred that to Hugh Grant taking his movie idea to Miramax; that might have been a little too cute. Have you considered reviewing Jack Gold's Who?
![Kodak Black - Versatile 4 [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/VcP_1Ua__vY/mqdefault.jpg)
Bob Hoskins shows how good an actor he was in the last ten minutes of the film. He goes from delivering a brilliant monologue to expressing more with a few minutes of silence and facial expressions than a lot of actors do in their whole careers. IMO Tony I'm with you, I think its a good thing the sequel never happened.
Yeah, Chris. Hoskins was something else in this movie. And I'm happy they left things as they were. Secretly pleased also that the script for the unmade sequel proposed how Harold could feasibly escape his seemingly inescapable fate. Thanks.
The American Gangster named Charlie was originally supposed to be played by actor Tony franciosa but for some reason the minute he landed in London he changed his mind and took a return flight back home
Maybe he didn't like the look of the weather, John. Or if he landed at Heathrow that's enough to put anyone off. Many thanks. T.
Excellent review of a classic movie. The musical score is absolutely perfect too.
It is a cracking soundtrack. T.
Tony, very nice job. As a "colonial" with my own Brit movie channel, I also reviewed this classic (I was concerned about spoilers and didn't get into the deeper secrets of the plot) and recall seeing it on my first trip to Britain many decades ago. The more focus on this flick, the better.
Hey, thanks Walt65. Appreciated.
I love the Long Good Friday brilliantly directed by John Mackenzie. Great cast with Bob Hoskins and Helen Mirren total great duo. Hoskins is at his best as Harold Shand he is force to be reckon especially with Barrie Keeffe dialogue. Helen Mirren is great as Victoria who uses wit and intelligence. Francis Monkman creates a fantastic score, I would like to hear more film scores from him. Kudos to George Harrison for picking up this film after the ITC team loss their bottle. This film is a masterpiece.
With you all the way, John. Many thanks.
@@tonybush555 It's great that you included The Squeeze has a great film. That film is so underrated crime film. As for the political incorrectness of The Long Good Friday. The film is a crime film. Harold couldn't be a crime boss if he was politically correct. I not saying being racist or violent is acceptable, but in the real world gangster isn't children's presenters or The Waltons. The audience even in the 1980s knew Harold did criminal things.
@@ninfilms I would definitely take a punt at The Squeeze if I could track down a decent copy to work with. Every version I've come across on DVD has been visually awful, like VHS ports, and it's a shame there isn't a Blu-Ray remaster out there as yet. At least, not that I can locate.
Fun fact Hoskins was the first choice for Al Capone in Brian de Palma's The Untouchables
Bob Hoskins played several years later a very similar character in Danny the Dog with Jet Li & Morgan Freeman
Thanks, Thomas. Appreciated.
Unleashed. That's a good movie 👍🏾.
Your analysis is spot on and what a video, great work! 'The Long Good Friday' is an absolute gem of a film and Bob Hoskins utterly dominated every scene. Films like this are so rare, perfect casting, incredible direction, great set pieces and above all a haunting yet memorable score.
Thank you for your very kind comments, Jon. Appreciated.
This is streaming on HBO Max now (2023).
Good to know, A Pilgrim. Thanks for commenting.
I remember seeing an interview with Ken Livingstone where he described how in the 80’s he repeatedly saw British GLC negotiators get taken to the cleaners by US companies as the Brits got shitfaced by the end of lunch while the Yanks stuck to water
I can’t remember if he directly alluded to this movie as an example but it’s an amusing turn by David Warner
Sounds like a parallel, Alan. I quite liked Red Ken as a character (politically, not so much) same as the recently deceased old bruiser Prescott. At least they had personalities. Thanks for commenting. T.
Another classic film. Music, action, acting and a great story.
Please give us a video of ‘ The Street fighter ‘ or as it now known Hard Times.
It's on the back burner, Edward. I'll get to it.
I need to watch it !
A wise decision, Yann.
Spot on review with the performances, Tony. I could never view Bob Hoskins in any other role without longing for him to be Shand again. even if he touched on the same character with something like Mona Lisa. Not quite the 70's, but have you thought of reviewing Robbery, with the great man Stanley Baker? I've seen reviews stating that it now appears dated, but I disagree, it's certainly of 60's pedigree, but I think it holds up well even now.
Thanks, Lee, appreciated. Robbery was one I caught up with in the 70s on TV. That doesn't preclude it, though, and it's one I'll bear in mind.
Great to see Paul Barber (Denzil in 'Only Fools'...) in an early role.
Barber said in an interview that his part in the film as a police informer was, at the time, just "A day's work"; another bit part acting job his agent got him.
He knew nothing of the part beforehand and was instructed to turn up to the set where his agent sat him in a nearby pub until needed and told him to learn his few lines. The filmed scenes we see were the first time Barber had met any of the actors and said that the violence of the scene, and especially Razors, frightened the life out of him.
Nice anecdote, johno4521. Thanks for commenting. T.
Quite simply the best British gangster film ever made.
Certainly one of them, I concede. T.
Great review, I would say that it was better not to do a sequel, because straight away you would ask, what happened to the Helen Mirren character. Bob Hoskins finest hour, I think so, he then went to America and starred with a white rabbit. The British make great Gangster films but its been along time since we got one. Nice one.
Thanks, pambos. Appreciated. T.
Actually Shand survives, in the script for the sequel he was rescued by the anti-terrorist squad and goes into exile, eventually returning to London to settle his affairs after the IRA have been defeated.
I think I cover this in the review, but it's a while since I did it so maybe not. Thanks for commenting. Appreciated. T.
Another absolute banger. I could write for ages about this classic but I´ve had a couple of beers and am knackered. Two standouts, The main theme tune which is sublime and Hoskins put down of the Americans at the end. F´in brilliant!
Spot on, Moose. T.
Nice one tony
Thank you, David. Appreciated.
I enjoyed this film as a youth. The stabbing in the neck was always and stand out scene.
How about Haníbal Brooks for a review. Michael Winner & Oliver Reed on an anti-war Sunday Afternoon Romp through the countryside… 🤔
Keep the reviews coming. Sitting in a Hanger in Granada Spain..👏👏👏
I imagine it's very hot and dry where you are, Clifford. Cool and overcast where I am. Yeah, Hannibal Brooks is a good call. Hopefully I'll get around to it at some point. Many thanks. T.
Oh dear. Confession time; I still haven't seen The Long Good Friday. (Sacrilege, I know). I was rather busy when the film came out in cinemas. It was always out for Rental when it appeared on VHS. And I just never got round to getting my hands on a copy. Then life got in the way again. I simply forgot about it. Heck, I am late to the party here, as I didn't see this excellent review until a year after it was first uploaded. Could this be a Curse, Fate, Karma, Destiny...? Nah, none of that b0ll0x, it's just a case of bad luck. I have just bought a copy and eagerly await delivery. Cheers Tony. Bloody lovely.
Let me know how you get on, Tom. Cheers. T.
This movie is a classic!
Agreed. Thanks for commenting, Renee. T.
@@tonybush555 You're welcome 😊, Tony.
A great classic gangster movie.
Yes indeed, Ricky J.
My favourite British movie.
Michael Caine was once asked what he thought were the best British gangster films of all time. He said - "There's only three. Get Carter, which I was in, The Long Good Friday that Bob was in and Mona-Lisa, which we were both in."
Also on the subject of sequels that are better than the original The Godfather Part II is definitely up there with the others. Star Trek II The Wrath Of Knan should also be included, but only because Star Trek The Motion Picture was so agonisingly dull.
Much as I value and respect Sir Michael, I think there's more than just three. There were some films he wasn't in. Now, they may have been the top three for him...but I would position Sitting Target and Villain above Mona Lisa. Probably just me, though. Hey, grateful thanks for commenting, Bob. Appreciated. T.
Great review tone ,I really liked this film , for me next to get Carter but that's my view bollocks to the little snowflakes don't watch if it does your head in
Thanks, Gerald. Appreciated.
Jeez.... I was just watching Siskel and Ebert's review of this yesterday (around 7pm GMT). Out of curiosity......when did you start work on this review, Tony?
Oddly enough, last Friday. I did it fairly quickly - well, for me, anyway - as I officially start back to work tomorrow and I wanted to upload something before that. I've got another double feature on the go, which may end up being delayed a bit depending on how things pan out, but will materialise in the not too distant future, and a lot of stuff I'm mulling over which is sort of on the back burner.
@@tonybush555 Phew.....for a moment I thought my mental super powers might have been at play. Best of luck with the job. Remember, the 2nd day is always the worst in any employment. 3rd day onwards is always an improved experience.
@@CaminoAir As the late, great Humphrey Bogart once said: "There is no situation so bad that it can't get worse." I worked for 25 years in a job that lived and breathed that philosophy. Then for 10 years in a different job in the same field that came pretty close. After a total of 35 years I decided to not tempt fate any further, count myself lucky to have survived and retire. Trust me, Numinous20111, the second day won't be the worst. That said, I've had a six year break, which has been great, and in a strange way I'm looking forward to it. It's got to be better than being Bob Hoskins in the back of that limo, right? Right?
@@tonybush555 Here in Ireland we are consistently just a few weeks behind Britain in terms of inflation and living costs. So I do understand how circumstances can make a mockery of our strategies and philosophies about how to live our lives. Just like Harold Shand is backed into a situation where he has to try to win against an opponent whose tactics and psychology are beyond his familiar experience. As long as you're not going to work as personal security for Pierce, you should be okay.
@@CaminoAirHa-ha, I'd take that job and make sure I was useless at it. Cheers Numinous20111.
i always thought it was trying a bit too hard to be a big time gangster film. i think part of the problem is we don't really see how harold makes his money. and the mafia connection isn't very convincing. age has improved it though, although i'm surprised the cast hand't all died of lung cancer before the end.
I think we're meant to assume H makes his money via the traditional routes - property, drugs, prostitution, pubs, nightclubs, protection, the usual. In the 1960s the Kray Twins formed a tentative alliance with the governing body of the American mafia. Mob luminaries Meyer Lansky and Angelo Bruni were apparently interested in investing in London nightclubs and casinos for the purpose of money laundering. It never came to anything. At least, that's the story. I do tend towards agreeing with you because I couldn't see what the Mafia would realistically want with a comparatively small fish like London at the time TLGF is set. Yeah, unrestricted smoking was great. I used to get through 60 John Player Special a day. Until a myocardial infarction at the age of 43 made me sort of reconsider my lifestyle choices. Up to a point. Wasn't so great then, but I still miss it. Thank you for commenting, Gracievision. Appreciated. T.
I really liked this movie except for the right-hand man getting stabbed in the neck. That was a little hard to watch. Speaking of being torn, on the one hand, I was afraid at one point that The Gentlemen was going rip off the ending of The Long Good Friday. On the other hand, I might have preferred that to Hugh Grant taking his movie idea to Miramax; that might have been a little too cute. Have you considered reviewing Jack Gold's Who?
Who? Me? No. Or not yet.
aliens was a great sci fi film but it wasnt a great alien film
Fair comment, Jay. Thanks. T.