The Long Good Friday
Seen it?1980 | 114 min | Crime, Thriller, Drama
Saturday SpecialWhy it’s a Saturday Special
Critics loved it (97% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it's still drawing plenty of interest, despite a box office loss. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for crime-drama fans and anyone who likes to be kept guessing. If you loved State of Grace or The Departed, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Tense, dark and gritty.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 54 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
In the late 1970s, Cockney crime boss Harold Shand, a gangster trying to become a legitimate property mogul, has big plans to get the American Mafia to bankroll his transformation of a derelict area of London into the possible venue for a future Olympic Games. However, a series of bombings targets his empire on the very weekend the Americans are in town. Shand is convinced there is a traitor in his organization, and sets out to eliminate the rat in typically ruthless fashion.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
97% on Rotten Tomatoes, 82 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.2 out of 10
- AwardsBelow par
Nominated for 1 BAFTA.
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$500K worldwide on a $1 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 199K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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The Dead Pool Weeknight WatchAnother mob crime drama, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
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Cast & crew
Directed by John Mackenzie
- Bob HoskinsHarold Shand
- Helen MirrenVictoria
- Dave KingParky
- Bryan MarshallHarris
- Derek ThompsonJeff
- Eddie ConstantineCharlie
- Paul FreemanColin
- P.H. MoriartyRazors
- Alan FordJack
- Paul BarberErroll