The Krays (film)

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The Krays
Directed by	Peter Medak
Produced by	Dominic Anciano Ray Burdis
Written by	Philip Ridley
Starring	Martin Kemp Gary Kemp Billie Whitelaw Tom Bell
Music by	Michael Kamen
Cinematography	Alex Thomson
Editing by	Martin Walsh
Distributed by	Rank
Release date(s)	April 27th, 1990
Running time	119 min.
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
IMDb profile

The Krays is a 1990 film based on the lives and crimes of the British gangsters Ronald and Reginald Kray, twins who are often referred to as The Krays. The fil mwas written by Philip Ridley and directed by Peter Medak.

The film was reasonably well-received by critics although, like the real-life gangsters on which it is based, it is not all that well known outside of the UK.

The Kray twins were notorious figures in the London underworld of the 1960s. They were subsequently convicted of murder and were incarcerated for over 30 years. Ron died in Broadmoor Hospital (for the criminally insane) in 1995. Reg however was released on the 1 October 2000 on health grounds. He later died in hospital of cancer. They were played by real-life brothers (Gary Kemp) and (Martin Kemp), who at the time of the film were more famous for their pop group Spandau Ballet.

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 Ronald was diagnosed paranoid schizophrenia.

The film contains a notoriously gruesome scene whereby Ronald gives someone a "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". On a lighter note the film also contains a memorable scene whereby 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. The other gangsters know how devoted the Krays are to their mother and they treat her with fawning respect.

The film also has a small role for paper gangster Dave Courtney, who also provided security for Ron's funeral in 1995. Security was so important leading up to the funeral that Dave himself spent a week in the chapel of rest with Ron's body.

[edit] 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
Michael Tezcan .... Italian Gangster
Richard Vanstone.... Man Cut Outside Regal
Chris Pitt .... Young Eddie
Mark Burdis .... Mark
Pete Gillett .... Man in Fight
Julie May .... Midwife
Jackie Downey .... Angry Customer
Vernon Dobtcheff .... Teacher
Ryan Ward .... Steve's Friend
Chrissie Cotterill .... Barmaid
Simon Foy .... Lost Boy
Tony Sands .... Lost Boy
Behrouz Behnejad .... Maltese Gangster
Matthew Barney .... Boy in Classroom
Ben Brazier .... Charlie Aged 12
John Paul White .... Ron and Reg Aged 3
Michael White .... Ron and Reg Aged 3
Harlon Haveland .... Ron and Reg Aged 8
Sam Haveland .... Ron and Reg Aged 8
Jason Bennett .... Ron and Reg Aged 10
Jamie Bennett .... Ron and Reg Aged 10
Jimmy Batten .... Straker
Brian Nickels .... Frank
Dave Courtney .... Bill
Ben Mansworth .... Tom
Sean Barry-Weske.... Postman/Block Warden
Michael Elphick .... George, in prison
Andrew Michael Jolley. Boy# 2
Julia Migenes .... Judy Garland
Jonathan Reason .... Thug
Brian Wilson .... Tourist