there be so many thing to appreciate in this movie . first and foremost and bob hoskins and helen mirren give outstanding performance a the first couple of london underworld . he and with the cockney make good aspiration for status and the class he can never attain and epitomize the hand on manager overtake by large event . she and the cool head savvy tough and sexy moll and be almost on top of thing enough to redeem the situation but not quite . the key element of the underworld ruling coalition dirty councilor and policeman and lieutenant of vary background both tough and educate make you believe in how this man have achieve peace through strength . the film plot be byzantine whodunit and with gangland style violence a an accent piece that seem downright tame in the age of pulp fiction . the real hidden star and though and be late 70 london oh so run down and yet full of the potential that drive harold ambition . the view from boat on the thames be unrecognizable to those who have only see modern london the sole landmark in common be tower bridge and the savoy hotel . the tower of the city and modern docklands be just a twinkle in dreamer eye . overall tlgf be a modern tragedy in the true land of shakespeare tradition and somewhere between macbeth and hamlet and king lear represent ambition and betrayal and and the sweep of history interact richly without be heavy hand in symbolism or over artiness . this be a satisfying and complex film that invite re view and reflection .