SPOILER WARNING: I’m going to assume most people coming to the thread have watch watched the movie, so there are some spoilers below!
Welcome to The Avocado Movie Club’s first discussion! Every two weeks we’ll meet here to discuss a movie, each suggested by one of you. Hopefully everyone got a chance to watch our first movie, The Long Good Friday, one of the most classic British gangster flicks.
Released to theatres in 1981 (although it had a festival run in 1980) and directed by John Mackenzie, The Long Good Friday follows Bob Hoskins as Harold Strand, a violent bulldog of a man trying to become a legitimate businessman, aided by his wife, Victoria, played by Dame Helen Mirren. Their plans are interrupted by a series of attacks and bombings on Harold’s partners and businesses, and we follow him over the course of a fraught 24 hours as he seeks out the perpetrators, culminating with a tragically inevitable conclusion.
- This was the film debut of Pierce Brosnan, who played one of the IRA assassins. He was 25 years old at the time. It was originally meant to be a silent role but he improvised a single line, “Hi.”
- Harold’s right hand man, Jeff, played by Derek Thompson, was originally going to be beheaded by a sabre!
- Dame Helen Mirren wrestled for creative control over her character, turning her from a much more passive, working class woman into the more intelligent and complex character we see on-screen.
What did you think of the film? Share your thoughts below!
Up Next: Takashi Miike’s First Love (2019)
July ended up with a coincidental theme: gangster movies. Here’s where it’s available:
USA
- Stream: Freevee (free w/ ads), Hi-Yah!, Hoopla, Peacock, Plex, Pluto TV(free, ads), Viki Rakuten
- Rent or Buy: Amazon, Vudu, Apple TV, Microsoft Store, Google Play, YouTube, AMC On Demand (only available to buy)
Canada
- Steam: Hoopla, Plex, Rakuten Viki
- Rent or Buy: Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
UK
- Stream: Prime Video
- Rent or Buy: Amazon, Apple TV, Rakuten TV, Google Play, YouTube, Sky Store, BFI Player (rental only)