Appearance
The Krays
Directed by Peter Medak, The Krays (1990) is a stylish and chilling biographical drama that explores the lives of Ronnie and Reggie Kray, the twin brothers who dominated the London underworld during the 1960s. Real-life brothers Gary and Martin Kemp (of Spandau Ballet fame) deliver haunting performances as the twins, focusing not just on their brutal gangland violence, but on their intense, obsessive relationship with their mother, Violet (played by Billie Whitelaw).
The film is noted for its dreamlike, almost operatic quality, moving away from standard gangster tropes to focus on the psychological bond and the strange domesticity of the most feared men in Britain.
Locations
To recreate the East End of the 1950s and 60s, which had changed significantly by the 1990s, the production filmed in various parts of London and South East England that still retained an older, mid-century atmosphere.
Vallance Road, Bethnal Green
The "Fortress," the family home of the Krays on Vallance Road, was recreated using streets in Bethnal Green and Bow. While the original Kray house was demolished, the production utilized the surviving Victorian terraces of the East End to capture the claustrophobic and tightly-knit community of the twins' youth. Map Location
The Blind Beggar Pub, Whitechapel
One of the most infamous locations in Kray history is the Blind Beggar on Whitechapel Road, where Ronnie Kray shot George Cornell in front of witnesses. The production filmed in and around the Whitechapel area to maintain the historical weight of the location, although some interiors were filmed on controlled sets. Map Location
Greenwich, London
The grander, more "swinging sixties" scenes, including the twins' foray into upscale West End-style clubs, utilized the period architecture of Greenwich. The historic buildings provided a sense of the power and influence the twins amassed as they moved from street thugs to celebrity gangsters. Map Location
Richmond Theatre, Surrey
The scenes depicting the twins' love of the theater and their public-facing social lives were filmed at the Richmond Theatre. Its ornate Victorian interior stood in for various London venues where the Krays would rub shoulders with the celebrities of the day. Map Location
Shooters Hill, London
The scenes involving the brothers' more violent "disposal" methods and outdoor meetings were shot around Shooters Hill and the nearby woods. The elevated, somewhat isolated location provided a stark, cold backdrop for the film's more brutal sequences. Map Location
Director
Peter Medak
Cast
Gary Kemp
Martin Kemp
Billie Whitelaw
Tom Bell
Susan Fleetwood
IMDB
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