We shall also consider the main enigmas of the narrative, alongside Cause and Effect, Central Problematic, and the Character Arc of Harold.
Act One - The Set Up
Colin helps himself to some money which he is delivering to someone in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Accompanying him on the trip is a driver. Colin meets a young man in a pub; however, the young man and Colin's driver are abducted, shot and dumped some miles away. Still in the Belfast area, three men are counting the money delivered by Colin, and find that it is not all there. While they try to work out what has happened, their country cottage is raided by armed police.
In London, a woman stops on her way to a funeral to spit at a young man, Jeff, sitting outside a cafe. This is noted by another man, Razors, who happens to be the young ma's driver, but he say's nothing.
Harold Shand is met by Jeff at Heathrow Airport, having just landed via Concorde from New York.
Act 2 - Confrontation
Harold prepares to meet Charlie, a New York Mafia don, on his yacht, moored in St Catherine's Dock. Lots of Harold's business associates are also present, including two police officers and a local councilor. His wife, Victoria, is also present and organising the on-board party.
Harold's mother attends church, as it is Good Friday.
Colin is fatally stabbed in the changing rooms of a public swimming pool by two men.
The car carrying Harold's mother to church is blown up while she is inside, killing one of Harold's gang.
Harold outlines his plans for his new business enterprise in London to his guests, including Charlie and his lawyer, Tony.
Colin's body is found at the swimming baths and Harold visits him, accompanied by Jeff and Razors. Harold and Colin were old friends, so Harold's grief quickly turns to anger as he tries to work out who might be out to destroy him.
Harold discovers that a bomb failed to go off at his casino and gets Parkin, one of the police officers on the yacht, to get it checked out.
Harold pays a visit to Errol, Parkin's top 'grass' in Brixton, but he does not know who might be out to ruin Harold, despite being tortured by Razors.
Harold's pub is blown up, just seconds before he arrives with Victoria, Charlie and Tony. He is informed that two Irishmen tried to intimidate the pub manager the night before. Parkin also informs Harold that the unexploded bomb from the casino is very similar to those used by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) (missing uploaded sequence).
Victoria takes Charlie, Tony and Harris to a restaurant and comes clean about the bombings and Colin's murder, while Harold tells his gang to pick up any one who might know something about an Irish gang operating in London.
At the restaurant Harris accuses Jeff of possibly being untrustworthy. Jeff escorts Victoria back to her apartment and they nearly kiss after Jeff indicates how much he wants her, but Victoria is brought to her senses. Harold gets no information from rival gang members after he has them brought to the abattoir, where Colin's body lies in cold storage.
Parkin is told by Harold that he is owned by him and cannot simply walk away now the going is getting tough. Harold is informed that there was a break-in at one of Harris's building yards and explosives were stolen. On arriving home Victoria tells him that Charlie now knows about the bombings and murders, upon which he lashes out at her.
The following day Harold tells Razors to track down the woman who spat at Jeff, as Victoria recalls the strange conversation between Jeff and Harris the night before. One of Harold's gang finds the security guard at Harris's building yard dying from having been nailed to the floor; Harold suspects that one of his gang is now a traitor.
Harold meets the widow of Colin's driver in Belfast, who informs him that Jeff hired him to do the run.
Back on the yacht Harold confronts Jeff about his involvement in Colin's murder and the death of the security guard.
Harold viciously stabs Jeff to death when he learns the truth about why the IRA are after him, knowing that he has been betrayed by both Jeff and Harris. He goes after Harris and tells him to arrange a meeting with the IRA.
Act Three - Resolution
At the race track Harold delivers money to the IRA as a pay-off, and just before he is executed, his own gang kill the two IRA members and Harris. Harold feels his retribution is now complete.
Harold tells Charlie that he has put an end to the trouble, but is informed that Charlie and Tony are leaving, deciding not to do business with Harold due to the risks involved. Harold informs the two Mafia members that he no longer has any need of them, and will go into partnership with another organisation.
As he leaves the hotel, he sees Victoria being abducted in a car, and realises that he, too, has been captured by the IRA. As he is held at gun-point by the same man who stabbed Colin, he knows he is being driven away to his fate.
Enigmas
Why is Harold's crime empire under threat?
Who is responsible?
Who can Harold trust?
What happens to Harold at the end?
The first three enigmas are eventually answered - the fourth is left open, but it is clear that Harold's fate is sealed.
Central Problematic
What if your must trusted friend betrays you to an unknown enemy?
Cause and Effect
Essentially all the 'effects' (or plot points) derive from the 'cause' in the opening few minutes when Colin takes the money from the suitcase. Because the IRA believe that Harold was behind it, they set about getting their revenge and retribution.
Harris's corruption and Jeff's greed are also 'causes' for the 'effect' Harold's eventual downfall, even though he thinks he has beaten his enemies until the last few minutes. Also Jeff's betrayal is the cause for Harold's murderous act on the yacht - the ferocity of which stems from the 'father/son' relationship which seems to exist between them.
Character Arc
Harold's character arc can be traced from the moment we see him first on the yacht, attempting to be seen as a legitimate businessman. It might be that with the extent of his criminal power and reputation, he can afford to be seen as such.
Gradually, as the murders increase, Harold's character changes as his confusion turns to anger, and the change of power from himself to an unseen enemy gathers pace.
He resorts back to criminal activities in place of respectable business practice in order to win the battle - he simply cannot walk away. His attempts to escape from a world of crime are instead replaced by the knowledge that he must stay in this world in order to maintain the respect.
There is also some arrogance and a fatal misjudgment as he underestimates the power of his enemy, a warning issued by Jeff, shortly before Harold stabs him to death with the broken bottle. Had he paid heed to this, he might have protected himself and Victoria from further attack by the IRA - as it is, the power has been taken away from him, as Jeff chillingly predicted.
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