I enjoyed re-watching the Long Good Friday, the late Roger Ebert perhaps summed it up best as really being more of a character study. I did think the IRA plot seemed a touch unbelievable, but perhaps less so now in our globalized world (organized crime syndicates from across the world, and linked to gangster states (Russia), who may possess a degree more ruthlessness than the local ones).
The plot, about a threat that emerges from the shadows to undermine a London crime boss, is almost secondary. It is about a ferocious, manic ball of energy & contradictions, who struggles to retain power when he faces an unseen force ultimately stronger than him. Shand's 'Firm', his 'Corporation', exists because he holds everything together as their ruthless leader. Instead, he comes up against an organized enemy that can replicate itself even when Shand takes out a couple of their top men.
It is the story of pride, hubris, & there are vague echoes of Macbeth & Lady Macbeth (I recommend reading Helen Mirren's memories of the film on its fortieth anniversary (Guardian) & how she strove to develop Victoria's role). If true, she completely transformed the role from gangster's moll to Harold's confidante & support, giving it depth. Despite a brief flirtation with Jeff, this film is also about Harold & Victoria's love for each other. We see them share their vulnerabilities and fears, which is perhaps all the more surprising when we realize what a ruthless man Harold is, capable of extreme violence. It humanizes what could have been a very amoral character.
Shand represents a certain type of gangster, he drives a solid Jaguar, whilst Jeff, his younger lieutenant belonging to the next generation, is educated & drives an open top Mercedes. It is Jeff, perhaps with one eye on usurping his boss, who deceives him, but also flags up Harold Shand's greatest flaw, his pride. He cannot face working with his adversaries, which would mean losing face. Instead, he opts to use violence against them.
As several articles point out (BFI, Guardian), it's also a film about politics & civic corruption (Councillor Harris). Bryan Marshall is excellent as the slippery politician, who along with Jeff, conspire to set Shand up for his fall. I also enjoyed the performance of Dave King as Parky, the corrupt senior police officer.
Barrie Keeffe toyed with writing a sequel but felt that it would be simply the law of diminishing returns. Personally, it might have been good to see if Victoria, of all people, managed to survive him & see a story about a strong woman in charge of a London mob (Mirren went on to play a strong woman in another male dominated world, that of the police, in 'Prime Suspect'). Her dealings with Charlie, the Mafia don, showed that she was an intelligent, shrewd woman. That storyline may have had more mileage than Harold simply reappearing as if he had somehow escaped from the clutches of death.
The music is memorable, Francis Monkman's theme, & John MacKenzie's direction energetic, such as the scene in the abattoir where we see things from the p.o.v. Of the men hanging from meat-hooks. It is also a film with a high degree of mordant humour.
It's a film that savours language (Sexy Beast) & is, at times, theatrical (Keeffe was a playwright), especially during Harold's declamatory speeches. It's a film that doesn't resort to gratuitous language despite inhabiting that milieu. Its energy may derive from the fact that Keeffe apparently wrote the first draft across a Bank Holiday weekend.
The plot, about a threat that emerges from the shadows to undermine a London crime boss, is almost secondary. It is about a ferocious, manic ball of energy & contradictions, who struggles to retain power when he faces an unseen force ultimately stronger than him. Shand's 'Firm', his 'Corporation', exists because he holds everything together as their ruthless leader. Instead, he comes up against an organized enemy that can replicate itself even when Shand takes out a couple of their top men.
It is the story of pride, hubris, & there are vague echoes of Macbeth & Lady Macbeth (I recommend reading Helen Mirren's memories of the film on its fortieth anniversary (Guardian) & how she strove to develop Victoria's role). If true, she completely transformed the role from gangster's moll to Harold's confidante & support, giving it depth. Despite a brief flirtation with Jeff, this film is also about Harold & Victoria's love for each other. We see them share their vulnerabilities and fears, which is perhaps all the more surprising when we realize what a ruthless man Harold is, capable of extreme violence. It humanizes what could have been a very amoral character.
Shand represents a certain type of gangster, he drives a solid Jaguar, whilst Jeff, his younger lieutenant belonging to the next generation, is educated & drives an open top Mercedes. It is Jeff, perhaps with one eye on usurping his boss, who deceives him, but also flags up Harold Shand's greatest flaw, his pride. He cannot face working with his adversaries, which would mean losing face. Instead, he opts to use violence against them.
As several articles point out (BFI, Guardian), it's also a film about politics & civic corruption (Councillor Harris). Bryan Marshall is excellent as the slippery politician, who along with Jeff, conspire to set Shand up for his fall. I also enjoyed the performance of Dave King as Parky, the corrupt senior police officer.
Barrie Keeffe toyed with writing a sequel but felt that it would be simply the law of diminishing returns. Personally, it might have been good to see if Victoria, of all people, managed to survive him & see a story about a strong woman in charge of a London mob (Mirren went on to play a strong woman in another male dominated world, that of the police, in 'Prime Suspect'). Her dealings with Charlie, the Mafia don, showed that she was an intelligent, shrewd woman. That storyline may have had more mileage than Harold simply reappearing as if he had somehow escaped from the clutches of death.
The music is memorable, Francis Monkman's theme, & John MacKenzie's direction energetic, such as the scene in the abattoir where we see things from the p.o.v. Of the men hanging from meat-hooks. It is also a film with a high degree of mordant humour.
It's a film that savours language (Sexy Beast) & is, at times, theatrical (Keeffe was a playwright), especially during Harold's declamatory speeches. It's a film that doesn't resort to gratuitous language despite inhabiting that milieu. Its energy may derive from the fact that Keeffe apparently wrote the first draft across a Bank Holiday weekend.