Mona Lisa (1986)

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
Raad Rawi	...	Arab Servant (as Raad Raawi)
David Halliwell	...	Tim Devlin
Stephen Persaud	...	Black Youth in Street
Maggie O'Neill	...	Girl in Paradise Club
Gary Cady	...	Hotel Waiter
Donna Cannon	...	Young Prostitute
Perry Fenwick	...	Pimp
Dawn Archibald	...	Wig Girl in Club
Richard Strange	...	Pornshop Man
Alan Talbot	...	Bath House Attendant
Geoffrey Larder	...	Hotel Clerk
Helen Martin	...	Peep Show Girl
Kenny Baker	...	Brighton Busker
Jack Purvis	...	Brighton Busker
Bill Moore	...	Brighton Busker
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Ashton	...	Man (uncredited)
Harry Fielder	...	Plain cloths cop (uncredited)
Jeremy Hardy	...	Shop Assistant (uncredited)
Derek Lyons	...	Pinball Player (uncredited)
Zoot Money	...	Carpenter (uncredited)
Mandy Winch	...	Flower Shop Girl (uncredited)

Directed by
Neil Jordan

Writing credits
Neil Jordan		(screenplay) and
David Leland		(screenplay)

Produced by
Chris Brown	....	co-producer
Patrick Cassavetti	....	producer
Ray Cooper	....	co-producer
George Harrison	....	executive producer
Denis O'Brien	....	executive producer
Nik Powell	....	co-producer
Stephen Woolley	....	producer

Original Music by
Michael Kamen

Cinematography by
Roger Pratt

Film Editing by
Lesley Walker

Casting by
Susie Figgis

Production Design by
Jamie Leonard

Art Direction by
Gemma Jackson

Costume Design by
Louise Frogley

Makeup Department
Lois Burwell	....	makeup artist
Nick Dudman	....	additional makeup artist
Stevie Hall	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Linda Bruce	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tony Aherne	....	third assistant director
Chris Brock	....	second assistant director
Ray Corbett	....	assistant director

Art Department
Len Bailey	....	stand-by construction
Les Benson	....	property master
Richard Burkett	....	painter
Ron Burkett	....	chargehand painter
Steven Burkett	....	stand-by construction
Stan Cook	....	propman
Gary Crosby	....	painter
Andy Evans	....	construction manager
Micky Ince	....	stand-by construction
Katie Kilroy	....	prop buyer (as Kate Kilroy)
Andrew Palmer	....	propman (as Andy Palmer)
Dave Pearce	....	chargehand carpenter (as David Pearce)
Alfred Pulis	....	carpenter
Tony Robson	....	carpenter
Denise Ruben	....	assistant art director
Robert Schofield	....	stand-by construction (as Bob Schofield)
Alfie Smith	....	propman (as Alf Smith)
Colin Smith	....	stagehand
Eric Strange	....	chargehand prop
Micky Swift	....	propman
Jim Taylor	....	stagehand
Chris Townsend	....	art department assistant
Stuart Williams	....	carpenter

Sound Department
Jonathan Bates	....	sound editor
Paul Carr	....	sound re-recording mixer
Paul Cridlin	....	sound assistant
David John	....	sound recordist
Chris Kelly	....	footsteps editor
Matthew Launay	....	boom operator
Brian Mann	....	adr editor
Brian Paxton	....	sound re-recording mixer

Stunts
Terry Forestal	....	stunt arranger (as Terry Forrestal)
Derek Lyons	....	stunt performer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bob Brock	....	clapper loader
John Cantwell	....	electrician
Clive Coote	....	still photographer
Russell Farr	....	electrician
Bill Geddes	....	camera grip
Ian Norgate	....	rigger
Barry Read	....	electrician
Ted Read	....	chief electrician
John 'Porky' Rivers	....	camera grip (as Porky Rivers)
Mike Roberts	....	camera operator
Ian Tabor	....	electrician
Robert Wilcox	....	electrician (as Bob Wilcox)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Brenda Dabbs	....	wardrobe supervisor
Patrick Sharkey	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Jeremy Hume	....	first assistant editor
Kevin Lane	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
Dave Hunt	....	music recording engineer
Andy Jackson	....	music mixer

Transportation Department
Mark Binnall	....	driver: transport and facility
Paul Daley	....	driver: transport and facility
Mark Daubney	....	driver: transport and facility
Peter Godfrey	....	driver: transport and facility
Alan Howard	....	unit driver
Peter Lupson	....	unit driver
Ray Randall	....	driver: transport and facility
Ian Rankine	....	driver: transport and facility
Dave Watson	....	action vehicle mechanic (as David Watson)
Des Wyard	....	driver: transport and facility
Stuart Rose	....	action vehicle coordinator (uncredited)
Brian Weske	....	driver: Michael Caine (uncredited)

Other crew
Bobby Blues	....	production accountant (as Bob Blues)
Laurie Borg	....	location manager
Jacky Holding	....	accounting assistant (as Jackie Holding)
Laura Julian	....	production coordinator
Michael Larkins	....	production accountant
Simon McNair Scott	....	assistant location manager
Pat Rambaut	....	script supervisor
Ringo Starr	....	special production consultant (as Richard Starkey MBE)
Bob Stilwell	....	follow focus
Fran Triefus	....	assistant to producer
John Varley	....	production runner
Brian Weske	....	personal assistant: Michael Caine (uncredited)

Thanks
Nat 'King' Cole	....	grateful acknowledgment

Production Companies

• HandMade Films (presents)
• Palace Production

Distributors

• Hem Films (1986) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Island Pictures (1986) (USA) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (UK) (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Cannon Screen Entertainment (1987) (West Germany) (VHS)
• Cannon Screen Entertainment (1986) (UK) (VHS)
• Criterion Collection, The (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Stormovie (2009) (Italy) (DVD)
• Sunfilm Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2009) (Australia) (DVD)
• VTI Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Video Film Express (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Effects Associates

Other Companies

• Audio International  music mixed at
• Geoff Axtell Associates Ltd.  titles and opticals
• Grip House  grip equipment
• Joe Dunton & Company  camera equipment
• Lyps Inc.  additional sound recording
• Mr. Lighting  electrical equipment
• National Philharmonic Orchestra  soundtrack performed by
• Roger Cherrill  sound re-recording
• Smith & Jones Catering  catering
• Stuart Rose Film Services  action vehicles
• Studios CTS  music recorded at

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: You're not joking, are ye?
George: When did I ever joke?
Thomas: You used to tell that one about the randy gorilla.
George: Yer, well no-one ever laughed, did they?
Thomas: It's the way you tell 'em...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in I Liza kai oloi oi alloi (2003)

Soundtrack:

Bimba dagli occhi pieni di malia

An Odd Crime Genre Entry

Neil Jordan's Mona Lisa is a gangster film, but it's a love story, but it's not romantic, but it's sentimental. It has the violence and testosterone-driven grit and Cockney linguistics of an English gangster movie, but it's emotionally driven story and the deeply felt inner softy in the outwardly angry, husky Bob Hoskins character make it different. As a love story, it's not for one second a boy-meets-girl, boy-loses-girl, boy-gets-girl yarn. It's much more complex and goes in a much different direction. I like that about Mona Lisa. Jordan makes the film very offbeat by making it very personal, which he does every film he makes. He closes in on a character's emotional motives and inner battles.

Bob Hoskins leads the very realistic cast with his powerful performance, not quite as intense or charismatic but just as interesting and different as he was in The Long Good Friday. Michael Caine, as he always has and always will be, is the highlight of the cast though. No matter how charming he is or how much presence he has to make the audience yearn for his time on screen, he still portrays a ruthless crime boss that we hate for Hoskins's sake. His half-closed eyes and spread lips during a scene when he loses his temper make him an almost bullying figure that must get his comeuppance.

Mona Lisa, aside from its rushed and perplexingly tacked on ending, is a decent contribution to the English crime genre, coming from a very individual approach.