Mona Lisa – 1986 | 104mins | Drama, Thriller | Colour

Plot Synopsis

An accomplished thriller from Neil Jordan that creates a touching doomed romance in a menacing London: we’re talking prostitution, drugs, and blackmail.

Set in London’s sleazy criminal underworld, small-time criminal George (Bob Hoskins) gives a giant performance as an ex-con reduced to chauffeuring West End call girl Simone (Cathy Tyson). Michael Caine is perfectly sleazy as the vice-king Mortwell, who employs George to drive Simone around to expensive hotels to visit her clients. An unlikely relationship blossoms as George finds himself falling in love with his passenger, and together they search the grubby underworld for her young hooker friend Cathy (Kate Hardie).

George tracks Cathy down to a nearby church, from there he follows her as she is taken to Mortwell’s mansion by Anderson (Clarke Peters). George breaks into the mansion and discovers a back room equipped with a two-way mirror and camera trained on a bedroom, in the room an old man is having sex with Cathy. George enters the room through a secret door and grabs Cathy; he then takes her to join up with Simone at Brighton. George is now well out of his depth, and discovers that Simone and Cathy are lovers, and whilst walking on the pier voicing his anger to Simone is confronted by Anderson and two henchman seeking Cathy. George and Simone evade their pursuers and return to their hotel room, only to find Mortwell waiting for them. Simone produces a gun and proceeds to shoot both Mortwell and Anderson, with his romantic illusions shattered, George leaves the scene to rebuild his life with Thomas (Robbie Coltrane), and his daughter Jeannie (Zoe Nathenson).