Mona Lisa (1986)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Neil Jordan

Writers:

Neil Jordan (screenplay) and
David Leland (screenplay)

Release Date:

13 June 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

Sometimes love is a strange and wicked game.

Plot:

George, after getting out of prison, begins looking for a job, but his time in prison has reduced his stature in the criminal underworld...

Plot Keywords:

Driver | Gangster | Brighton England | Strip Club | Lesbian

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 13 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Bob Hoskins	...	George
Cathy Tyson	...	Simone
Michael Caine	...	Mortwell
Robbie Coltrane	...	Thomas
Clarke Peters	...	Anderson
Kate Hardie	...	Cathy
Zoë Nathenson	...	Jeannie (as Zoe Nathenson)
Sammi Davis	...	May
Rod Bedall	...	Terry
Joe Brown	...	Dudley
Pauline Melville	...	George's Wife
Hossein Karimbeik	...	Raschid
John Darling	...	Hotel Security
Bryan Coleman	...	Gentleman in Mirror Room
Robert Dorning	...	Hotel Bedroom Man

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (1988) | Finland:K-18 (1986) | Iceland:16 | Australia:M | Netherlands:12 (2002) | Germany:18 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Brighton, East Sussex, England, UK

Company:

HandMade Films

Trivia:

At one point HandMade Films producer Denis O'Brien suggested Grace Jones for the role of Simone after seeing her on the poster for the Bond movie A View to a Kill (1985).

Quotes:

Thomas: [shows George a plate of plastic spaghetti] What do you think?
George: Do you melt it down and eat it?
Thomas: No. They're ornamental.
George: Ornamental spaghetti.
Thomas: Yeah. Could go a bomb.
George: Where'd you get them?
Thomas: Contacts, George. You can't find plastic spaghetti just anywhere.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Secret Life of Brian (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

MONA LISA

"Well, let's say you're a lady. " - George (Bob Hoskins)

Neil Jordan's 'Mona Lisa' is a great film that was sadly forgotten over time, even though Hoskins got an Oscar nomination for the film. 'Mona Lisa' follows a basically good guy whose made some bad choices George (Bob Hoskins) and his return from prison. Shunned from his wife and some of his old buddies, George feels kind of unwanted but gets a job from his old boss (Michael Caine) chauffeuring a call girl (Cathy Tyson) around at night. The call girl and George form a bond, while the story turns into violence, crime and George and the call girl's search for a young innocent teenage girl forced into prostitution. In my opinion, 'Mona Lisa' is one of Jordan's best films if not his best. Hoskins is absolutely amazing in his role, while Cathy Tyson and Michael Caine provide solid performances as well. Clarke Peters (who you may know as Detective Freeman from HBO's brilliant dramatic series 'The Wire') is also in this as Cathy Tyson's evil and psychotic pimp. For all you indie fans out there, rush to the Blockbuster near you to rent 'Mona Lisa' (make sure it's not 'Mona Lisa Smile', that movie is a tad bit different.) Most likely, you'll find a lot to enjoy and/or admire about this little British indie gem. Grade: B+