The Long Good Friday

The Long Good Friday is a modern gangster film about the forceful cockney Harold Shand, who rules London's underworld with an iron fist. Harold is preparing a charm offensive for a possible partner, an American Mafia boss, Charlie, who has deep pockets. Harold has to show himself at his best as a serious businessman. His best card is his elegant girlfriend Vickie, who, if anyone does, knows how to impress and keep a cool head. Compared with her, Harold is a mere upstart.

Someone, however, has decided to sabotage Harold's plans. On the same day that Charlie has arrived, his chauffeur is killed by a car bomb, a bomb goes off in a pub he owns, and a trusted associate is liquidated. Harold tries to solve the case as quickly as possible, but it is more complicated than that. After his deal has fallen through, Harold discovers that some of his men cheated the IRA in an arms deal. The problem is that the IRA believes Harold is the mastermind. Too late, Harold discovers that even he has his master. He learns this in the bleak and memorable ending.

The screenwriter, the director and the actors are jointly responsible for making The Long Good Friday such a breathlessly exciting and dynamic film with nuanced characterisations. When I heard the film's musical theme during the film, I was not enthusiastic. It reeked of late-seventies saxophone, but the music helps give the film momentum, and since I can still hum a few bars of it, it can hardly be all bad.