This fact-based movie follows the life of the twin crime-lords in London's '60s underworld.This fact-based movie follows the life of the twin crime-lords in London's '60s underworld.This fact-based movie follows the life of the twin crime-lords in London's '60s underworld.
- Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
- 4 wins & 2 nominations total
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaReggie Kray reportedly wrote regular fan letters to Martin Kemp.
- GoofsIn the boxing scene at the fairground, the twins' are portrayed as young adults and that the fight between them transpires after Ronnie knocks out the prize fighter - this incident actually took place when they were both small boys. The ringmaster shouted to the crowd if anyone wanted to take on the show fighter and the young Ronnie Kray shouted that he'd fight him. Amid much laughter, the referee pointedly said he was a bit young - whereupon Reggie stepped up and challenged his brother. They fought gamely, and were both awarded half a crown for their efforts; this was also the bout that led to their later semi-professional careers as pugilists.
- Quotes
Rose: I was on the bus the other day. And some old toerag was boasting about all he'd suffered during the war. Stupid old... I tell you, they don't know. It was the women who had the war - the real war. The women were left at home in the shit, not sitting in some sparkling plane or gleaming tank. There's no glamour for us. They should have been with me when old Pauline Woolley went in to labour. D'you remember that, Violet?
Violet Kray: Yes, yes I do, darling.
Rose: Seven hours of screaming down Bethnal Green bloody tube station. Then I had to cut the baby's head off - to save the mother's life. She died anyway, poor old cow. God, there was so much blood! Jesus! And the abortions. Those poor girls. One day they'll drain Victoria Park lake. And you know what they'll find? What glorious remnants of the Second World War? Babies, that's what. Bullets and dead babies. Men! Mum's right. They stay kids all their fucking lives. And they end up heroes - or monsters. Either way they win. Women have to grow up. If *they* stay children, they become victims.
- Alternate versionsThe infamous 'Chelsea Smile' scene was reduced in the UK cinema version but was later restored fully uncut for video releases after 2002.
- SoundtracksBittersweet
Written by Chris Rea
Published by Warner Chappels Music
By Arrangement with Chappell Music Ltd.
This film is a depiction of power, greed and money and how it corrupts. "When people are afraid of you, you can do anything" says Ronnie Kray to his brother Reggie. The greediness and other forms of corruption - like revenge - become so strong that they finally destroy everything the brothers have reached. The theme is pretty much the same as in DePalma's Scarface and many other similar depictions of power and money. The last scene in The Krays is very powerful and important as it crystallizes the whole message of the film.
The film also tells about females and love. Love is also destroyed because other things become more important for Reggie, who has found a girlfriend. This film has also very powerful female characters, mainly the mother of brothers. She is very feminine and all the female characters seem to hate males in this movie, but that is perhaps all some males deserve in the film since all they seem to be able to do is getting drunk and fight and not help the females in any way.
Technically The Krays is a proof of Medak's talent as the photography is great and the film is very powerful in its elements. The part when mother Kray realizes what her boys do "for living" is very powerful and told with the very effective tools of cinema. Music is often effective and violence is off putting, as the attitudes and values of the movie's characters are, too. This film is very powerful as the aforementioned last scene is very sad and though provoking, and really underlines the final message of the film. I think the characters are somewhat too shallow occasionally and their acts are not fully explained all the time. That is also the case in another film written by Philip Ridley, The Passion of Darkly Noon. Mostly I'm irritated how Reggie treats his wife since there seems to be believable emotional relationship between the two. Also, the girl who plays Reggie's wife over-acts little in some scenes and it is irritating to watch as it is not as realistic and natural as possible. If the characters were little more natural and believable, this would be even greater piece of cinema.
The Krays is important piece of 90's cinema and very powerful depiction of different kinds of corruption that finally lead to destruction and death of dreams. I give this 8/10 and the film is recommended for those who appreciate films like Romeo is Bleeding and Scarface, for instance.
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Die Krays
- Filming locations
- Walcot Square, London, Greater London, England, UK(Reggie beats up men)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $2,060,847
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $948,002
- Nov 11, 1990
- Gross worldwide
- $2,060,847
- Runtime2 hours
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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