Veteran British actor Bob Hoskins is retiring at the age of 69, it was announced this week, after having been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Here is a roundup of five of his film roles.
The Long Good Friday
A gangster movie masterfully directed by John Mackenzie, The Long Good Friday (1980) is Bob Hoskins' breakthrough film. Playing an ex-Mafioso turned businessman, Hoskins was joined by Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan in the cast of what remains one of the best British thrillers.
Trailer: youtu.be/4tiH5oAwkYE
Mona Lisa
In this movie directed by Neil Jordan and released in 1986, Hoskins play an ex-con who becomes a high-class call girl's driver. His performance was hailed at the Cannes Festival, the BAFTA Awards and the Golden Globes.
Trailer: youtu.be/F8CAdm_1gZA
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
The fantasy comedy by Robert Zemeckis mixing animated scenes with live action will remain Hoskins' most famous performance -- as private detective Eddie Valiant, investigating a murder in a world where cartoon characters and human beings live together.
Trailer: youtu.be/kYNqYC_jNAg
Super Mario Bros.
Acknowledged by Bob Hoskins himself as "the worst thing I ever did," the 1993 adaptation of Nintendo's franchise managed to be something both the movie and the gaming industries wish to forget. John Leguizamo (Luigi), Samantha Mathis (Daisy) and Dennis Hopper (Bowser) also starred in the movie.
Trailer: youtu.be/wtMZKYnLg5c
Felicia's Journey
Released in 1999, Atom Egoyan's Felicia's Journey let Bob Hoskins express his dramatic talent in the role of Joe Hilditch, a serial killer taking in a pregnant Irish teenager.
Trailer: youtu.be/z2yPGlwHk_I
