Review of Mona Lisa (1973) by Andreas C — 02 Nov 2008

I like challenging movies, and this certainly qualifies. I like that this a movie with quality actors (Michael Caine, Bob Hoskins), that explores the underworld of crime in London. Hoskins attempts to save a couple of women from the abusive web of prostitution.

In a way, since he has limited access to his daughter, they serve as substitute daughters for him. He starts out as being one of their drivers (the only job he could get being out of prison, and also, he was a bit of a man with criminal ways himself, so he fell back on the criminal way when he was rejected by his former wife).

The movie presents these criminal webs as difficult and binding, and certainly there is tragedy. As with most movies, there is a tacked-on happy ending, but this film is an overall sad story, which doesn't make it bad of course.