human
Can you translate this from English to Dutch: With the possible exceptions of BRIGHTON ROCK and GET CARTER,"The Long Good Friday" has a strong case in being the best British gangster film yet produced.It thankfully lacks the jokey,facetious and overtly bloody attitudes that has plagued most UK-based hybrids since the 1990's (as personified by Guy Ritchie and others).It's occasional lapses into nastiness and schematic excesses are easily outweighed by an excellent script (which possesses considerable caustic wit),fine direction,great performances and memorable scenes.Gangland boss Harold Shand (Bob Hoskins) is on the verge of something big in his native London's docklands;replacing the declining port-side areas with vast new modern developments and buildings,even with a view to holding a future Olympic Games there.There is however a considerable fly in the ointment;would-be mafia backers are concerned as Harold's manor and underlings are subjected to a campaign of murder and bombings,later revealed to be the work of the IRA,who think Shand was responsible for the deaths of several of their members (when in fact he wasn't).An enraged Harold plans his revenge,but should he go ahead and do so?The basic plot of "The Long Good Friday" is perhaps the film's only real weak point.In it's favour,it is certainly unusual but often somewhat over-complicated (several viewings may be needed to properly connect all it's threads) and a little far-fetched;the fact it is set around Easter (Ireland has had some very important events occurring around this holiday period throughout it's long history) may be intended irony.But in the midst of the considerable quality around it,these are modest complaints.John McKenzie's direction (what a shame his subsequent work has been much lower profile) is very well-judged,being either fast,exciting,subtle or reflective when the situation demands it,serving the thoughtful,literate,clever,often droll script by Barrie Keeffe.The characters are not the familiar stereotypes you'd expect in such gangster dramas,and performers like Bryan Marshall,Alan King and Eddie Constantine (in a rare English-speaking part) are given slightly more depth to roles that could have been mere ciphers.Helen Mirren is first class as Harold's mistress,one of the most interesting gangster's molls ever put on screen,but the entire film is dominated by the career defining performance of Bob Hoskins.His searing,commanding presence as Shand is outstanding,carrying conviction in every moment.Hoskins' portrayal is arguably the most anti of anti-heroes in cinematic history.Harold Shand thinks himself as a businessman and no longer a criminal with the 1980's about to loom,with apparent peace with rival gangs for a decade further emphasising this point.But with the uncontrollable mayhem taking place around him threatening his legitimate credentials,Harold is more than prepared to dish out some extremely brutal (if not sado-masochistic) treatment to find those responsible so the lucrative deal can go forward,making cynical,hypocritical remarks about the decline of various neighbourhoods along the way.With the exception of a brief view of Tower Bridge near the beginning,director MacKenzie does not fall into the trap of familiar tourist views but less known London back streets and perhaps the last real view of the UK capital's somewhat neglected docklands in the pre-Thatcherite/Yuppie era in the late 70's/early 80's before it's redevelopment,Canary Wharf and all. This aspect of the plot turned out to be fascinatingly prophetic and accurate (if in a slightly different context),along with hopes for a London-staged Olympic Games.What with his desire for enterprise and virulent hate for Irish Republicans,it is no surprise that the character of Harold Shand could be perceived as a hero with certain right-wing types in Britain!
gpt
Met de mogelijke uitzonderingen van Bristow ROCK en GET CARTER heeft 'The Long Good Friday' het voordeel dat het de beste Britse gangsterfilm is die ooit is geproduceerd. Het mist gelukkig de schertsende, schertsende en openlijk bloeddorstige houding die de meeste in Engeland geboren halfbloeden sinds de jaren negentig heeft geplaagd (de personificatie van Guy Ritchie en anderen).