sign in sign up
<<
Home , Barrie Keeffe, Bloody Kids, Deadly Voyage, Defenseless, Derek Thompson (actor), Eddie Constantine

March 8, 2011 (XXII:8) John Mackenzie, (1980, 114 min)

Directed by John Mackenzie Written by Barrie Keeffe Produced by Barry Hanson Cinematography by Phil Meheux Edited by Michael Taylor Music Composed by Francis Monkman

Paul Freeman...Colin Leo Dolan...Phil P.H. Moriarty...Razors Derek Thompson...Jeff Bryan Marshall...Harris ...Harold Shand ...Victoria Charles Cork...Eric Pierce Brosnan...1st Irishman Eddie Constantine...Charlie Stephen Davies...Tony PAUL FREEMAN...Colin (January 18, 1943, Barnet, JOHN MACKENZIE (August 16, 1932, , , UK) Hertfordshire, , UK) has appeared in 102 films and TV has 27 directing credits, including 2009 “The Wright Stuff,” series and films, some of which are 2010 “MI-5,” 2010 2003 Quicksand, 2000 , 1998 “Aldrich Ames: Centurion, 2009 “Lark Rise to Candleford,” 2008 “Agatha Traitor Within,” 1993 “Voyage,” 1990 , Christie's Poirot,” 2006-2007 “New Street Law,” 2004 George 1987 The Fourth Protocol, 1985 The Innocent, 1983 Beyond the and the Dragon, 2002-2003 “Monarch of the Glen,” 2002 Haker, Limit, 1980 The Long Good Friday, 1973-1979 “Play for 2000 “Inspector Morse,” 2000 The 3 Kings, 1995 “The Final Today,” 1979 , 1973 “Country Matters,” Cut,” 1995 The Horseman on the Roof, 1995 Mighty Morphin 1972 Made, 1970 “W. Somerset Maugham,” 1970 Brief Power Rangers: The Movie, 1992-1993 “The Young Indiana Summer, 1968 “The Jazz Age,” and 1966-1967 “Thirty-Minute Jones Chronicles,” 1990 Eminent Domain, 1988 Without a Clue, Theatre.” 1988 A World Apart, 1988 Prisoner of Rio, 1985 “A.D.,” 1984- 1985 “Falcon Crest,” 1984 “Cagney & Lacey,” 1982 The Final PHIL MEHEUX (September 17, 1941, Sidcup, Kent, England, Option, 1982 An Unsuitable Job for a Woman, 1981 “Winston UK) was cinematographer for 46 films and TV programs, some Churchill: The Wilderness Years,” 1981 Raiders of the Lost Ark, of which are 2010 , 2008 Beverly Hills 1980 The Dogs of War, 1980 The Long Good Friday, 1980 Chihuahua, 2006 Casino Royale, 2005 The Legend of , “Death of a Princess,” 1978 “Life of Shakespeare,” 1976 2004 Around the World in 80 Days, 1999 Entrapment, 1998 The “Couples,” 1972 “The Protectors,” 1972 “The Last of , 1997 The Saint, 1995 GoldenEye, 1994 No Baskets,” and 1967 “Champion House.” Escape, 1993 The Trial, 1992 Ruby, 1991 , 1991 Highlander II , 1989 Renegades, 1988 Criminal Law, 1986 “Max LEO DOLAN...Phil (July 31, 1943, , England, UK – Headroom,” 1983 Beyond the Limit, 1981 Omen III: The Final August 19, 2003, London, England, UK) had 70 acting roles, Conflict, 1980 The Long Good Friday, 1980 The First Day, 1979 most of them on TV: 2003 “New Tricks,” 1999 “Great The Music Machine, 1979 , 1978 “The Professionals,” and Expectations,” 1992 “My Friend Walter,” 1992 “Second 1968 “Omnibus.” Thoughts,” 1992 “Grange Hill,” 1989 “Surgical Spirit,” 1986 “Robin Hood,” 1984-1985 “Bottle Boys,” 1980 “Juliet Bravo,” 1980 The Long Good Friday, 1980 “,” 1980 Mackenzi—THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY—2

“The Gentle Touch,” 1980 “Dick Turpin,” 1979 Quincy's Quest, (post-production), 2011/V The Door (post-production), 2010/I 1978 “Accident,” 1978 The Thirty Nine Steps, 1976 “The New Red, 2010 Brighton Rock, 2010/II The Tempest, 2010/I The Debt, Avengers,” 1974-1975 “Not on Your Nellie,” 1973 “The 2010 Love Ranch, 2009 The Last Station, 2009 “National Theatre Protectors,” 1971 “Doctor at Large,” and 1964 “Crossroads.” Live,” 2009 State of Play, 2008 Inkheart, 2007 National Treasure: Book of Secrets, 2006 “Prime Suspect 7: The Final P.H. MORIARTY...Razors (February 27, 1939, London, England, Act,” 2006 The Queen, 2005 “Elizabeth I,” 2005 The UK) has 32 acting credits, some of which are 2007 The Riddle, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, 2004 Raising Helen, 2004 2005 “Submerged” (video), 2005 “Judge John Deed,” 2003 “Frasier,” 2004 The Clearing, 2003 “ExxonMobil Masterpiece “Children of Dune,” 2000 “Dune,” 1992 Chaplin, 1992 Patriot Theatre: Prime Suspect 6,” 2001 Gosford Park, 2001 Last Games, 1985 “Number One,” 1983 Slayground, 1983 Jaws 3-D, Orders, 2001 No Such Thing, 2001 The Pledge, 1997 Critical 1982 “The Professionals,” 1981 Outland, 1980 The Long Good Care, 1996 “Prime Suspect 5: Errors of Judgement,” 1995 Friday, 1979 Bloody Kids, 1979 Scum, 1979 Quadrophenia, and “Prime Suspect: Scent of Darkness,” 1995 “Prime Suspect: Inner 1978 “Law & Order.” Circles,” 1995 “Prime Suspect: The Lost Child,” 1994 The DEREK THOMPSON... Jeff Madness of King George, 1993 (April 4, 1948, Belfast, “Prime Suspect 3,” 1992 “Prime Northern Ireland, UK) has 24 Suspect 2,” 1991 Where Angels acting credits, some of which Fear to Tread, 1991 “Prime are 1986-2011 “,” Suspect,” 1989 The Cook the 1999-2010 “,” 1998 Thief His Wife & Her Lover, Resurrection Man, 1985 Wild 1988 Pascali's Island, 1987 Geese II, 1983 “Women,” 1983 “Faerie Tale Theatre,” 1986 The “Bergerac,” 1982 “Harry's Mosquito Coast, 1985 “The Game,” 1980-1982 “The Twilight Zone,” 1985 White Gentle Touch,” 1980 The Long Nights, 1984 2010, 1981/I “A Good Friday, 1980 Breaking Midsummer Night's Dream,” Glass, 1979 Yanks, 1979 “The Danedyke Mystery,” 1978 “Me! 1981 Excalibur, 1980 The Long Good Friday, 1980 The Fiendish I'm Afraid of Virginia Woolf,” 1977 “Rock Follies of '77,” and Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu, 1979 Caligula, 1979 “Oresteia,” 1978 1965 Gonks Go Beat. “As You Like It,” 1974-1977 “BBC Play of the Month,” 1976 Hamlet, 1973 O Lucky Man!, 1972 Savage Messiah, 1972 Miss BOB HOSKINS...Harold Shand (October 26, 1942, Bury St. Julie, 1970 Herostratus, 1969 Age of Consent,and 1968 A Edmunds, Suffolk, England, UK) has 114 acting credits, Midsummer Night's Dream including 2011 “Neverland” (filming), 2011 Weighed In: The Story of the Mumper (post-production), 2011 Will (completed), PIERCE BROSNAN...1st Irishman (May 16, 1953, Navan, Co. 2010 Made in Dagenham, 2009 A Christmas Carol, 2008 Meath, Ireland) is perhaps best known for his 5 James Bond “Pinocchio,” 2008 Doomsday, 2007 Ruby Blue, 2007 Outlaw, films. He has appeared in 64 film and TV roles, among them 2007 Sparkle, 2006 “The Wind in the Willows,” 2006 2011 Salvation Boulevard, 2010 Remember Me, 2010 The Ghost Hollywoodland, 2006 Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties, 2006 Writer, 2010 Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning , Je T'Aime, 2005 Unleashed, 2004 Vanity Fair, 2002 Maid Thief, 2009 The Greatest, 2008 Mamma Mia!, 2007 Shattered, in Manhattan, 2001 Last Orders, 2001 Enemy at the Gates, 2000 2005 The Matador, 2004 After the Sunset, 2004 Laws of “Don Quixote,” 2000 “Noriega: God's Favorite,” 2000 American Attraction, 2003 James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing (Video Virgin, 1999 “David Copperfield,” 1996 The Secret Agent, 1996 Game), 2002 Die Another Day, 2001 The Tailor of Panama, “Tales from the Crypt,” 1995 Nixon, 1993 The Big Freeze, 1993 1999 The World Is Not Enough, 1999 The Thomas Crown Affair, Super Mario Bros., 1991 The Inner Circle, 1991 Hook, 1990 1997 Tomorrow Never Dies, 1997 Robinson Crusoe, 1997 Mermaids, 1988 Who Framed Roger Rabbit, 1987 The Lonely Dante's Peak, 1996 Mars Attacks!, 1996 The Mirror Has Two Passion of Judith Hearne, 1986 Mona Lisa, 1986 Sweet Liberty, Faces, 1995 GoldenEye, 1994 Love Affair, 1993 Mrs. Doubtfire, 1985 Brazil, 1984 The Cotton Club, 1982 Pink Floyd: The Wall, 1992 Live Wire, 1982-1987 “Remington Steele” (94 episodes), 1981 “Othello,” 1980 The Long Good Friday, 1980 “Flickers,” 1987 “Moonlighting,” 1980 The Mirror Crack'd, 1980 The Long 1979 Zulu Dawn, 1978 “Pennies from Heaven,” 1977 “Rock Good Friday, 1980 “Hammer House of Horror,” 1980 “The Follies of '77,” 1975 Royal Flash, 1975 Inserts, 1972-1974 “Play Professionals,” and 1980 “Murphy's Stroke.” for Today,” 1973 “New Scotland Yard,” 1973 The National Health, 1972 “Villains,” 1972 “The Main Chance,” and 1972 Up EDDIE CONSTANTINE...Charlie (Edward Constnainowsky, the Front. October 29, 1917, Los Angeles, California, USA – February 25, 1993, , ) is perhaps best known for his HELEN MIRREN...Victoria (July 26, 1945, Chiswick, London, French B-movie character , a pre-Bond Bond he England, UK) won the 2007 Best Actress Oscar for her played in more than a dozen films, one of them by Jean-Luc performance in The Queen. She is one of only three actresses to Godard. He had roles in 122 films and TV programs, some of win a Golden Globe, an Oscar and an Emmy for performances in which were 1993 Three Shake-a-Leg Steps to Heaven, 1991 the same year (the other two are Liza Minelli and Helen Hunt). Tokyo no kyujitsu, 1991 Germany Year 90 Nine Zero, 1991 Some of her 104 film and TV roles have been in 2011 Arthur Europa, 1989 Europa, abends, 1989 “L'agence,” 1989 “Le retour Mackenzi—THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY—3 de Lemmy Caution,” 1989 “Rivalen der Rennbahn,” 1988 “Les Boy's Game (BBC, tx. 8/11/1979) - represent some of the best cinq dernières minutes,” 1987 “Teta,” 1986 Macaroni Blues, television drama of the 70s. 1984 “Quei 36 gradini,” 1984 “Une aventure de Phil Perfect,” Mackenzie made a triumphant return to the cinema with 1984 Springtime in , 1983 La bête noire, 1983 The The Long Good Friday (1979), which combines East End Mikado Project, 1982 Boxoffice, 1982 Rote Liebe, 1981 Neige, gangsters, the American Mafia and the IRA in a revenge tragedy 1980 The Long Good Friday, 1980 Panic Time, 1979 The Third that brilliantly prefigured the zeitgeist of Thatcher's new Generation, 1978 It Lives Again, 1978 “Zwei himmlische enterprise culture. A further impressive television film followed - Töchter,” 1976 “Raid on Entebbe,” 1975 Second Spring, 1971 A Sense of Freedom (BBC, tx. 17/2/1981), again written by Peter Beware of a Holy Whore, 1970 “Jumbo - Ein Elefantenleben,” McDougall - before Mackenzie's first American-backed project: 1966 Attack of the Robots, 1966 Residencia para espías, 1965 an intermittently successful adaptation by Christopher Hampton Nick Carter and Red Club, 1965 Hail, Mafia, 1965 Alphaville, of Graham Greene's The Honorary Consul (UK/US, 1983). 1964 License to Kill, 1964 Jeff Gordon, Secret Agent, 1963 Your Richard Gere is miscast as the young doctor caught in a struggle Turn, Darling, 1962 The Empire of Night, 1962 Cleo from 5 to 7, between Latin American revolutionaries and the state, but 1962 Ladies' Man, 1961 Keep Talking, Baby, 1961 Destination Michael Caine gives a fine performance in the title role. Fury, 1960 Jack of Spades, 1960 Women Are Like That, 1959 Mackenzie returned to make The Innocent (1985), set in the SOS Pacific, 1958 Room 43, 1957 Le grand bluff, 1957 The Yorkshire dales in the 1930s, and since then has alternated Gangsters, 1956 Folies-Bergère, 1955 Je suis un sentimental, regularly between film and television productions in the UK and 1954 Jailbirds, 1954 Dames Get Along, 1953 This Man Is the US. Caine also starred in an adaptation of Frederick Forsyth's Dangerous, and 1953 Poison Ivy. The Fourth Protocol (1987), reportedly an unhappy experience for Mackenzie that emerged as little more than an efficient STEPHEN DAVIES...Tony has had 42 acting roles, most of them reworking of Forsyth's The Day of the Jackal (filmed by Fred on television. Some of them were 2002 “Alias,” 1999 Star Zinnemann in 1973). Portal, 1997 “: Voyager,” 1996 Ladykiller, 1993-1995 In the 1990s Mackenzie made a number of modest “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” 1995 Dillinger and Capone, 1992 American films, including a solid cop drama, The Last of the Rage and Honor, 1992 The Berlin Conspiracy, 1989 Lords of the Finest (1990), and a biopic of Jack Ruby, the man who shot Lee Deep, 1988 The Nest, 1987 The Hanoi Hilton, 1986 The Harvey Oswald. For the BBC he made The (tx. Whoopee Boys, 1985 “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” 1985 “The 12/10/1996), based on a grisly true story of African migrants Long Hot Summer,” 1984 The Razor's Edge, 1981 “CHiPs,” stowing away on a Ukrainian ship; and the series Looking After 1980 The Long Good Friday, 1980 Heart Beat, 1979 “The Jo Jo (1998), set in 1980s Edinburgh and featuring a blistering Runaways,” 1978 “Dallas,” 1977 “Baretta,” 1976 “Starsky and performance by Robert Carlyle as a small-time drug-dealer. Hutch,” 1976 “The Rookies,” and 1975 Inserts. More recently Mackenzie demonstrated his energy, John Mackenzie, from BFI Screenonline: seriousness and vigour with When the Sky Falls (UK/Ireland/US, John Mackenzie was born in Edinburgh in 1932. He 2000), a biography of the murdered Irish journalist Veronica studied history at Edinburgh University and worked as a teacher Guerin. A third collaboration with Michael Caine, a thriller set before joining the city's Gateway Theatre. In the early 1960s on the Côte d'Azur entitled Quicksand, has yet to find a Mackenzie moved to London, where he worked at the BBC as an distributor assistant floor manager. He was one of a group of young, socially conscious and generally left-wing men working at the Corporation including , Jim Allen, James MacTaggart, Kenith Trodd and . Mackenzie worked as an assistant to Loach on Up the Junction (BBC, tx. 3/11/1965) and Cathy Come Home (BBC, tx. 16/11/1966), before making his directorial debut in 1967 with Voices in the Park (BBC, tx. 5/4/1967) a Wednesday Play produced by Tony Garnett. Subsequently Mackenzie went freelance, making various one-off dramas for the BBC and ITV before embarking on his first cinema film, One Brief Summer (1969), one of many '60s films to explore a relationship between a middle-aged man and a young woman. More distinctive was his remake of the sinister 1965 BBC play Unman, Wittering and Zigo (1971), a finely wrought psychological suspense drama with David Hemmings as a public school teacher menaced by three murderous pupils. After directing Carol White and the singer- songwriter Roy Harper in Made (1972), an interesting companion piece to Ken Loach's Poor Cow (1967), Mackenzie went back to television. His Plays for Today, such as Dennis John Mackenzie in Time Out London: Potter's excoriating (BBC, tx. 6/4/1976), Alan The Long Good Friday' is regarded by many as the UK's Garner's (BBC, 17/1/1978) and Peter McDougall's greatest gangster flick. Starring Bob Hoskins as ferocious mob Scottish trilogy - (BBC, tx. 7/11/1975), boss Harold Shand, the film follows his fraught efforts to seal a The Elephant's Graveyard (BBC, tx. 12/10/1976) and Just a deal with the American mafia to redevelop London's docklands. Mackenzi—THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY—4

Meanwhile, an unknown force is destroying Harold's empire make. I tried to give them all a well-roundedness and depth, even from the inside out. Director John Mackenzie explains why he the IRA characters. thinks the film's appeal has endured. I also think it's to do with the diversity of themes that The plans [for the redevelopment of Canary Wharf] had are in the film. There's terrorism, religion, corruption… The one been around for several years before we started work on the film. that instantly emerged and stood out was the terrorist theme: how There was a lot of building going on around the dock before can you ever fight a war against terror? We're still asking that 1981 with various big firms involved, so we knew quite a lot question and I still think you can't. But I think all those themes about what was proposed. London had essentially been a port will keep the film interesting and fresh for other generations. I and we regretted that all that had gone and it felt like a total area hope so, anyway. of neglect. The writer Barry Keefe, Bob and myself were very aware that there was going to be huge exploitation and that The Long Good Friday by Michael Sragow (or the 1998 everyone was going to try to get rich quick. We were very Criterion release): conscious of that and worried it was going to be a mess. Harold Shand, the London crime boss at the center of I think Harold would have liked how it's turned out. I The Long Good Friday, is more than an antihero. He’s the think he would have been delighted, because it has flourished – Antichrist, uniting bourgeoisie and barbarians in a simultaneous it's a whole new extension of Pax and Pox Brittanica. With London. The high-rise the “legitimate” help of cops buildings and skyscrapers make and city councilors, Shand the whole place come alive and controls a criminal empire built Harry would have been at the on every vice except narcotics. heart of that. Of course, he also His gun moll is a vision of would have been the biggest class, aptly named Victoria; you exploiter of them all. As for the can’t tell whether she’s joking prophetic idea of London or for real when she says she getting the Olympics, that was played lacrosse with Princess a bit of fun. Harold's thinking Anne. In this feverish 1979 was getting more and more thriller, Shand plans to buy up expansive – about Britain moribund London dockyards joining and everything and redevelop them for the 1988 being on the up-and-up – [so] the Olympic idea just slipped in as Olympics. His call for a “new London” wickedly echoes the part of that. Christian call for a “new Jerusalem.” Yet on the very Good When they got the final product, the producers were Friday that Shand meets with an American Mafia chief to seal a very uncertain about it. I'd built up the IRA a lot from what was financial partnership, somebody kills two of his right-hand men, originally in the script, because I wanted this theme of terrorism attempts to murder his mother, and blows a favorite pub to versus the state. But the Grade organisation didn't really want to smithereens. put it out as a feature film. They wanted to take out all the Directed by John Mackenzie and written by Barrie 'offensive' bits that they thought were there, all the – in their Keeffe, The Long Good Friday is a rabidly engaging, complex opinion – unpatriotic stuff about the IRA, and put it out as a melodrama, brimming over with moxie. Unlike classic gangster simple television film. That argument went on for two years. heroes like Little Caesar, who fought their way out of the ['s Handmade Films eventually bought the film faceless mob and were punished for brutality and ambition, and released it theatrically.] Harold Shand struggles to control his animal urges and to act like I certainly didn't think it was going to become a legend a civic-minded businessman. He detests anarchy and tries to use or a cult film like it has. I think the reason is a combination of violence only as a tool. If he’s doomed, it’s because his left- things. The idea of the classic gangster was important; you got handed brand of capitalism can’t defend itself against the them in American films but you didn't get them in Britain. The terrorism of the IRA. Harold Shand becomes a sacrificial lamb James Cagney, Edward G Robinson, Humphrey Bogart era of the for all our sins. After Shand—the apocalypse! 1930s – they were fantastic characters and I was brought up on The movie is viciously funny and exciting, but the that sort of thing as a wee kid so I wanted Harry Shand to be like filmmakers never let us exult in Shand’s (or the IRA’s) that. People are never totally one-sided; even the worst villains in bloodletting. There’s a shocking, blasphemous edge to the the world have certain qualities that are liked, and Bob had the imagery, even when it doesn’t involve a car being blown up in a personality and humour to pull it off. church courtyard or a security guard’s hands being nailed to the If the main character is interesting and strong then it's floor. As Shand’s civilized facade crumbles to reveal the beast more than a gangster film, and I tried to take it further than that. I within, the sting is satiric as well as visceral. When Harry hangs gave him a home background and a woman who was not just a underworld associates upside down from meat hooks in an gangster's moll but a real woman who actually had decisions to abattoir, he could be conducting his own parodic crucifixions. Mackenzi—THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY—5

Bob Hoskins and Helen Mirren go all the way with the smooth out social problems and lends him a much-needed touch make-or-break parts of Harold Shand and his beloved Victoria. of class. All is going great until Good Friday, when bombs start In no small performing feat, going off in Harold's clubs and Mirren creates a gal who’s one of his top associates is smart, sensual, and tough, able murdered. Harold fumes, rages to control most of her big and threatens to tear his own shot’s detonations and even, in organization apart to find out a wrestling feint, calm him to a who's hitting his 'corporation' ... standstill. And Hoskins does but the source of the problem more with his cheeks and jowls appears to lie somewhere else. than Richard Nixon: He makes Made in 1979 but held the curve of his teeth look as up for release until 1981 ominous as a crossbow, and because of its political content, trains his eyes like gun sights The Long Good Friday crackles on his targets. Hoskins has the with excitement and tension, gift usually attributed to much of it coming from Bob American, not English, Hoskins' ferocious bantam actors—of getting so far inside Harold Shand. Harold has no a character’s skin that we seem sooner returned from America to be witnessing vivid behavior than his top pal is knifed in a rather than bravura performance. In The Long Good Friday, the pool-spa, and a bomb blows up his pleasant dinner pub seconds felt life Hoskins packs into Shand’s bowling-pin body and before he's to arrive with his American investor. While his wife pinsetter’s voice enables Mackenzie to resurrect the British Victoria tries her best to put on a good front, Harold dashes back gangster film. and forth across London, throwing his weight around. It's obvious that his criminal empire is under attack, but by whom? Glenn Erikson in DVD Talk: His big development deal would shift him 100% into legit Gangster movies don't get better than Handmade Films' The Long business territory, with a lifetime of gang struggle gone forever. Good Friday. The BFI officially lists it as one of the top British The last hint of mob opposition dried up ten years ago—Harold films, and in genre terms it sits remarks to his corrupt cop right up there alongside the buddy Parky that there simply likes of Little Caesar, The isn't any competition capable of Public Enemy and Scarface. hitting him like this. Refusing to This sizzler is as much about listen to reason, Harold wades its erathe conservative into his own people, looking for Thatcher years in England—as the responsible party. the American greats are about The Long Good Friday Prohibition. Barrie Keeffe's doesn't so much conjure an tightly constructed screenplay atmosphere as create an entire is not only tough, it brings in a world. Harold stands framed disturbing political element as before the Tower Bridge, mob capitalism is proven offering himself as symbolic of ineffectual against modern the grand future of England, at Terror methods. Top director John Mackenzie guides a stunning least as an investment opportunity. Liberal critics (doubtlessly gallery of actors, topped by a fantastic performance from the the ones responsible for the film's high rating in Brit film history) powerhouse Bob Hoskins, whose runty, vicious Harold Shand is surely seized on this image because it characterizes Margaret a true screen original, a convincing Cockney kingpin of London's Thatcher's shutdown of 'socialist' England and her issuance of a underworld. Free Pass for capitalist opportunists. The timing is perfect: the Mob boss Harold Shand (Bob Hoskins) rules London run-down, empty docks behind Harold's yacht will soon be from his posh penthouse and his yacht on the Thames. He transformed into glitzy new developments as public land is put to controls restaurants, pubs, casinos and even bathhouses with the use for private profit. Harold is positioned as the new prince of aid of an army of Cockney henchmen and coordinated assists the city, until his hoodlum past suddenly catches up with him. from local authorities. Old cronies Councilman Harris (Bryan The film has some unforgettable set pieces. Harold puts Marshall) and top detective Parky (Dave King) grease the wheels the fear of God into some of his cronies by having them at city hall for Harold's planned venture to develop a disused kidnapped and hung from their heels in a slaughterhouse - a river wharf into a major entertainment and hotel complex for the whole row of them. When violence breaks out, it's always upcoming Olympics. Harold's right-hand men Colin (Paul unpredictable, like shotgun murders at a stock car racing track. Freeman) and Jeff (Derek Thompson) arrange to wine and dine Harold's volcanic temper is put to the test when things don't go visiting American Mafia investor Charlie (Eddie Constantine of his way. Wife Victoria and best pal Jeff have to physically Alphaville). Harold has a sterling asset in his wife, upscale restrain him from going berserk, and even then he's difficult to hostess Victoria (Helen Mirren), a charmer who knows how to control. Mackenzi—THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY—6

A lot of the movie is spoken in a with a soundtrack by the composer Francis specific Cockney dialect with key phrases Monkman; it was screened at the Cannes, being bandied about without explanation. Edinburgh and London Film Festivals in Embassy Pictures actually added a short 1980. glossary of words before the film. The original story had been "Manor" = turf, "To grass" = to inform, written by Keeffe for Hanson when the and "Bottle" = nerve. Some phrases are latter worked for Euston Films, a harder than others to make out but the subsidiary of . Euston language of the film is fascinating -- it's did not make the movie but Hanson bought like listening to a foreign tongue yet the rights from Euston for his own being able to understand most of what's company Calendar Films. Although being said. We aren't meant to get a Hanson designed the film for the cinema handle on what's going on in the first few and all contracts were negotiated under a scenes, but with the arrival of Harold movie, not a TV agreement, the movie was Shand on the supersonic Concorde the eventually financed by Black Lion, a movie clicks into clarity…. subsidiary of Lord 's ITC The Long Good Friday takes Entertainment for transmission via Grade's place over an Easter Weekend and some Associated TeleVision (ATV) on the ITV of the ghastly events correspond to the Network. The film was commissioned by Catholic stations of the cross. One Charles Denton, at the time both character is accused of being a Judas and Programme Controller of ATV and another is literally crucified. The big Managing Director of Black Lion. After thematic twist comes when Harold finally Grade saw the finished film, he allegedly discovers that the "gang" blowing up his empire is the I.R.A.. objected to what he perceived as the glorification of the IRA and While everyone else runs for cover -- cops, associates -- Harold it was scheduled for transmission with heavy cuts on 24 March thinks he can deal with the "Micks" as he would any other rival 1981. mob, which is a big mistake. "It's like a bad night in Belfast!" In late 1980, Hanson attempted to buy the film back Harold wails. In this new arena his gangster methods are totally from ITC to prevent ITV screening the film with these cuts outclassed. Sherlock Holmes in The Private Life of Sherlock which he said would be "execrable" and added up to "about 75 Holmes is no match for international spies, and Mike Hammer in minutes of film that was literal nonsense. It was also reported at Kiss Me Deadly is out of his depth dealing with nuclear the same time that Bob Hoskins was suing both Black Lion and weaponry. Harold Shand just doesn't understand that Terrorists Calendar Films to prevent their planned release of a US TV have the edge because they fight for ideals, not profit. He may be version in which Hoskins' voice would be dubbed by English the top dog in the London rackets, but they can blow him away Midlands actor David Daker. any time they wish. Before the planned ITV transmission the rights to the film were bought from ITC by George Harrison's company, From Wikipedia: Handmade Films, for around £200,000 less than the production The film was directed by John Mackenzie and produced costs. They gave the movie a cinema release. for £930,000 by Barry Hanson from a script by Barrie Keeffe,

COMING UP IN THE SPRING 2011 BUFFALO FILM SEMINARS XXII:

Mar 22 Bertrand Tavernier COUP DE TORCHON/CLEAN SLATE 1981 Mar 29 Werner Herzog FITZCARRALDO 1982 Apr 5 Nagisa Ôshima MERRY CHRISTMAS MR. LAWRENCE 1983 Apr 12 THE GRIFTERS 1990 Apr 19 Jafar Panahi DAYEREH/THE CIRCLE 2000 Apr 26 Ridley Scott BLADE RUNNER1982

CONTACTS: ...email Diane Christian: [email protected] …email Bruce Jackson [email protected] ...for the series schedule, annotations, links and updates: http://buffalofilmseminars.com ...to subscribe to the weekly email informational notes, send an email to addto [email protected] ....for cast and crew info on any film: http://imdb.com/

The Buffalo Film Seminars are presented by the Market Arcade Film & Arts Center and State University of New York at Buffalo with support from the Robert and Patricia Colby Foundation and the Buffalo News.