HOLDING ON
UK, 1999, 91 minutes, Colour.
Kenneth Colley, Douglas Fielding, Jan Goodman, Joshua Henderson.
Directed by Afonso Reis A. Sousa.
Holding On was produced at a time when the British film industry was interested in gangster films, something they continued for several years into the new century. Gangster Number One made quite an impact and many aspiring film-makers, like the group responsible for this one who also directed some episodes of The Bill, tried to make films in the same vein.
They were small-budget and lacked a strong cast. Veteran Kenneth Colley appears as a former detective who was acquitted of misconduct, sells security over the phone, is invited to help with an investigation and wants to clear the name of the wife of the friend who was murdered. It seems that he was the wrong target. However, there are various complications, gang warfare in London, murders from both sides, corrupt police. There is a twist at the end – and a rather gloomy ending.
The film is familiar material from many television episodes of police investigation series.
1.The popularity of British gangster films at the time? How well do they stand up?
2.The London settings, the streets, north and south of the river? The homes, brothel, police precincts? An authentic feel?
3.The title, the reference to Phil? His life? The other police and their work? To the gangsters?
4.The opening, the young man waking, the money, the bike, the gun, the killing at the doorstep? The other car, Rigg and his chauffeur, the message, his not going to the brothel? The complication of who was the target for the killing? The phone call to the killer, reference to the newspapers, to the wrong person being killed?
5.The police, Stokes and his dislike of Phil, his being in charge? His testing out Phil to get more information, the visits, the confrontations? John as a friend, inviting Phil to the investigation? His taking orders? His shrewdness? The other police, Fowler, his following Phil? His being on Rigg’s payroll? His shooting Tony? The discussion with Rigg, his drug-taking, Phil realising the truth, confronting him? Fowler’s death?
6.Sue, the death of her husband, not telling her daughter? Phil and his phoning her, the meeting, going to the morgue, the meal, the relationship? The devotion to her daughter? Phil seeing the daughter’s drawings, realising the abuse situation? Suspicion of Sue? Going in the car, the talk, her shooting him? Her taking her daughter, free or would she be captured?
7.Rigg and his gang, Glaswegian, a young thug, moving drugs? His brutality, torturing people? His bashing the lover of the rival gang leader?
8.Burrows, his domain in London, his retirement, his past contact with Phil, fifteen years of Phil pursuing him? The lover being killed? Phil’s visit, his indication of Fowler being corrupt?
9.The brothel, the madam, the prostitutes, the information given? Phil and his visit, the massage, getting the information? Rigg going to the brothel? The barrister going?
10.The investigation, wheels within wheels? The solution? The pessimistic ending?
