Themes: Mothers and Sons, Sibling Relationships, Twins and Lookalikes
Main Cast: Billie Whitelaw, Tom Bell, Gary Kemp, Martin Kemp, Charlotte Cornwell, Susan Fleetwood
Release Year: 1990
Country: UK
Run Time: 119 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Peter Medak directed this fact-based drama, chronicling the lives of the infamous Kray Brothers, notorious celebrities in 60s London. The Krays were twin gangsters who ruled London's stylish East End club scene, staking out their territory by committing the most violent crimes imaginable, preferring to perform the most torturous acts themselves. The film stars Gary Kemp and Martin Kemp, founding members of the pop group Spandau Ballet, as Ronald and Reginald Kray. The film opens as their mother Violet Kray (Billie Whitelaw) recalls a dream in which she is a swan from which two beautiful babies have hatched. She can't tell if the swans are angels or demons, but the film soon answers that question for her. Brought up in London's East End in the 1930s, Ronald and Reginald Kray are raised in the resentful world of Violet, who is hateful of her lot in life and bitter at the control men have in running the world ("Housework is a lethal business," she says). The twins react to each other almost telepathically and they take out their anger by clogging the nose of their sleeping father (Alfred Lynch), pushing around fellow schoolboys, and even beating each other to pulp at a boxing match. When her mother chastises them for their fight in a fairground boxing ring ("You fight them up, but you don't fight each other"), the twins veer into the London underworld. In their self-contained world of Us-Against-Them, the Krays rapidly rise to the height of power, first taking over the territory of a petty mobster by violent means and then putting together an underworld empire of posh clubs, cars, and fancy suits. But at the height of their fame, the twins begin to break from each other. Reginald falls in love with Frances (Kate Hardie), while Ronald gets involved in a homosexual relationship with one of his underlings. Ronald, in a jealous rage over Frances stealing his brother away from him, becomes even more brutal in his crimes and while the brothers' backs are turned, a group of older mobsters challenge the Krays' authority, invoking a horrible bloodbath that effects not only the two brothers but Frances and Violet as well. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
Review
Peter Medak's 1990 film gives viewers two villains for the price of one: the twisted twin brothers Ronald and Reginald Kray, Britain's kings of crime in the 1960s. Not only did they look and dress alike, they also killed alike, and are portrayed here with spooky synergy by brothers Gary and Martin Kemp, members of the '80s rock group Spandau Ballet. Performing before a camera was not new to the Kemps, as both had studied acting as children and appeared in several BBC productions. They apparently learned their craft well, for it is their extraordinary acting that makes The Krays worthwhile. Like the Krays, the Kemps grew up in a lower-class London neighborhood and reportedly tended to think and act alike in their early life. They exhibit icy ruthlessness in their roles as kooky mama's boys with enough smarts and criminal derring-do to rise to celebrity status in protection and gambling rackets, even rubbing elbows with legends of the entertainment world. Billie Whitelaw is superb as the boys' mother, who had much to do with shaping her twin tots into twin terrors. Although Philip Ridley's script has been criticized for focusing too much on uneventful moments in the Krays' childhood, its biographical accuracy remains uncontested. ~ Mike Cummings, All Movie Guide
Kate Hardie - Frances; Jimmy Jewel - Cannonball Lee; Avis Bunnage - Helen; Alfred Lynch - Charlie Kray, Sr.; Steven Berkoff - George Cornell; Gary Love - Steve; Victor Spinetti - Mr. Lawson; Barbara Ferris - Mrs. Lawson; Michael Balfour - Referee; Jason Bennett - Ronald Kray, Age 10; Mark Burdis - Mark; Chrissie Cotterill - Barmaid; Noel Davis; Vernon Dobtcheff - Teacher; Soo Drouet - Jack's Girlfriend; Michael Elphick; Sadie Frost - Sharon Pellam; Harlon Haveland - Ronald Kray, Age 8; Stephen Lewis - Policeman; Patti Love - Iris; Angus MacInnes - Palendri; John McEnery - Eddie Pellam; Murray Melvin - Newsagent; Julia Migenes - Judy Garland (uncredited); Roger Monk - Charlie Kray, Jr.; Chris Pitt - Young Eddie; Norman Rossington - Shopkeeper; Peter Turner - Regal Manager; Richard Vanstone - Man Cut Outside Regal; John-Paul White - Ronald Kray, Age 3; Laura Cox - Ivy; Julie May - Midwife; Jeremy Zimmerman; Michael White - Reginald Kray, Age 3; Michael Carr - Eddie
Credit
Paul Cowan - Associate Producer, Charlie Kray - Consultant/advisor, Dominic Anciano - Co-producer, Ray Burdis - Co-producer, Lindy Hemming - Costume Designer, Peter Medak - Director, Martin Walsh - Editor, Michael Kamen - Composer (Music Score), Jennifer Boost - Makeup, Michael Pickwoad - Production Designer, Alex Thomson - Cinematographer, Jim Beach - Producer, Aaron Sherman - Special Effects, Maralyn Sherman - Special Effects, Stuart St. Paul - Stunts, Philip Ridley - Screenwriter
The film begins with a shot of a swan in flight over the caption "Shall I tell you my dream?" and charts Ronnie and Reggie Kray's lives from their humble beginnings in the East End of London to their rise in the 1960s to become the most infamous and notorious gangland leaders in London's criminal underworld.[3] They were subsequently convicted of murder and were incarcerated for over 30 years. Ron died in Broadmoor Hospital, a high security psychiatric hospital, in 1995. Reg however was released on the 1 October2000 on health grounds. He died 3 weeks later of cancer. They were played by real-life brothers Gary and Martin Kemp, who at the time of the film were more famous for their popgroupSpandau Ballet.[4]
The film charts the lives of the Krays from childhood, paying particular attention to how they were very close to their doting mother (played by Billie Whitelaw) and also the relationship between the twins, with Ronald (Gary Kemp) the more dominant and violent twin and Reginald (Martin Kemp) carrying out acts of violence primarily at the behest of his brother. The real-life Ronnie was diagnosed as suffering from paranoid schizophrenia.[5]
The film contains a notoriously gruesome scene in which Ronald gives someone a so-called 'Chelsea smile', which involves holding a knife horizontally over the victim's mouth and applying pressure, the blade carving through the victim's cheeks and the resulting injuries giving the impression they are, quite literally, smiling "from ear to ear".[6] On a lighter note the film also contains a memorable scene where the Krays hold a meeting at their parent's house. Halfway through the meeting the Krays' mother cheerfully brings up cups of tea for everyone and fusses over all the heavily built men who are crammed into one tiny room. Their mother was supposedly unaware that her sons' business activities were illegal. The other gangsters know how devoted the Krays are to their mother and they treat her with fawning respect.
Cast
Billie Whitelaw .... Violet Kray Tom Bell .... Jack 'The Hat' McVitie Gary Kemp .... Ronald Kray Martin Kemp .... Reggie Kray Susan Fleetwood .... Rose Charlotte Cornwell.... May Kate Hardie .... Frances Avis Bunnage .... Helen Alfred Lynch .... Charlie Kray Gary Love .... Steve Steven Berkoff .... George Cornell Jimmy Jewel .... Cannonball Lee Barbara Ferris .... Mrs. Lawson Victor Spinetti .... Mr. Lawson John McEnery .... Eddie Pellam
Philip Bloomfield.... Charlie Pellam Norman Rossington .... Shopkeeper
Patti Love .... Iris
Michael Balfour .... Referee
Terence Dackombe.... Thug
Roger Monk .... Charlie Jnr.
Jimmy Flint .... Perry
Andrew Kitchen .... Dennis
Michael Carr .... Eddie
Ian Burfield .... Whip
Bob Brimson .... Grey
Russell Gold .... Terry
David Arlen .... Dickie
Jon McKenna .... Sam Ripley Sean Blowers .... Chris Ripley Murray Melvin .... Newsagent Sadie Frost .... Sharon Pellam Stephen Lewis .... Policeman
Peter Turner .... Regal Manager
Soo Drouet .... Jack's Girlfriend
John H. Stracey .... Boxer
David Fenwick .... Doctor
Laura Cox .... Ivy
Angus MacInnes .... Palendri
