A Long Good Friday moment

One of my favourite films from the early 1980s is "The Long Good Friday". Despite the fact that Bob Hoskins' character is a top London gangster, one warms to his personality. And, in the final scene of the film, one even has pity for his predicament.

I was a teenager when I first saw the film, and could never really quite understand the look on Bob Hoskins' face in the final scene of the film. He had just been taken hostage by the IRA and was being driven away with absolutely no hope of survival. His initial reaction to the situation was to think of a way of escape. But that scenario flits across his face only momentarily. Then came the look that perplexed me for a long time. Hoskins smiled. It took me a while to understand why he smiled. From surprise to shock to resignation all condensed into a minute of action. Not a word was s...