Mona Lisa (#107)

The brilliant breakthrough film by writer-director Neil Jordan journeys into the dark heart of the London underworld to weave a gripping, noir-infused love story. Bob Hoskins received a multitude of honors—including an Oscar nomination—for his touchingly vulnerable, not-so-tough-guy portrayal of George, recently released from prison and hired by a sinister mob boss (Michael Caine) to chauffeur call girl Simone (Cathy Tyson, in a celebrated performance) between high-paying clients. George’s fascination with the elegant, enigmatic Simone leads him on a dangerous quest through the city’s underbelly, where love is a weakness to be exploited and betrayed. Jordan’s colorful dialogue and eye for evocatively surreal details lend a dreamlike sheen to Mona Lisa, an unconventionally romantic tale of damaged people searching for tenderness in an unforgiving world.

DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

2K digital restoration, supervised by director Neil Jordan and director of photography Roger Pratt, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack

Audio commentary from 1997 featuring Jordan and actor Bob Hoskins

New conversation with Jordan and actor Cathy Tyson, moderated by critic Ryan Gilbey

Interviews from 2015 with screenwriter David Leland and producer Stephen Woolley

Interview with Jordan and Hoskins from the 1986 Cannes Film Festival

English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

PLUS: An essay by Gilbey