LEGEND
UK, 2015, 131 minutes, Colour.
Tom Hardy, Emily Browning, Paul Bettany, Taron Egerton, Christopher Eccleston, David Thewlis, Colin Morgan, Aneurin Barnard, Tara Fitzgerald, Kevin Mc Nally, Chaz Palminteri, Sam Spruell, Nicholas Farrell.
Directed by Brian Helgeland.
Interesting that the title for this film about the infamous Kray brothers settles for “legend”. It has been said in the past that Americans making gangster films, Francis Ford Coppola for The Godfather series, Martin Scorsese for Goodfellas, go beyond legend into the area of “myth”, not just a history of the exploits of these gangsters but creating tales that, while not necessarily glorifying them, puts them on some kind of higher plane.
During Legend, the characters have quite a number of cups of tea. Frances, Reggie Kray’s wife, does the voice-over commentary, a means for getting the audience to identify with her and her perspective on the Krays. It is she who makes the comments about locals always relying on a cup of tea to solve everything. So, it might be said, that the Krays were very cup of tea gangsters and so, the stuff of legend rather than myth.
It is half a century since the Kray brothers dominated London, from the East End where they grew up and began their criminal activities (while being very kind and neighbourly, with pleasant words and donations to the locals), getting money from protection extortion, trying to go somewhat legitimate by having clever accountants work for them, buying up clubs, sponsoring gambling, going more up-market as time went on, attracting a great number of celebrities who traded on the reputation of the Krays. They became gangster celebrities in their own world and a little beyond (the Mafia becoming interested in them with London as a possible English Las Vegas but a bit bewildered by the British style, less flamboyant than Italian gangsters, their heightened self-image and their families and mamas).
There was a film, The Krays, in 1990 with the twins, Gary and Martin Kemp in the central roles, but with a very strong focus on their mother, Violet, played by Billie Whitelaw. While Violet does appear briefly in this film, especially providing cups of tea and plates of cake, the focus is definitely on the twin brothers. And the key arresting aspect is Tom Hardy, always an excellent actor, who plays both brothers. We recognise him as he plays Reggie Kray, the brains behind the duo, the leader, decision-maker. It is far more difficult to recognise him as Ronnie Kray, different head, chubby face, spectacles, and a certified psychopath. Hardy gives two tour-de-force performances.
The London 1966 world is well recreated, streets and facades of old homes, local shops, restaurants and, then, the clubs. There is quite a range of songs from the period, strongly reinforcing the atmosphere.
The film traces the career of the Krays, their self-image, their ambitions, their being in love with the idea of the gangster, putting it into practice in their rather limited world, building up a group of thugs around them, moving somewhat into the big time, even with political connections. Yet, Reggie agreeably goes to jail for six months, they indulge in intimidation of witnesses in court cases, and Reggie sees himself as just another character, or rather a dominating character, around the East End.
Ronnie, on the other hand, finds himself very early in a mental institution, his brother intimidating a psychiatrist, who privately acknowledges Ronnie’s madness, to declare him fit for release – surviving as long as he takes his tablets. The other complication is that Ronnie is unembarrassedly homosexual, two young men always in tow, wanting to build a village in Nigeria for helping the locals, trying to get political endorsement and finance but only linking himself with Lord Boothby and homosexual orgies. This is brought to the attention of Harold Wilson, trying to deal with scandals and political motivations before an election.
And, in the meantime, Scotland Yard tails Reggie Kray who chats with them, offers the officers cups of tea, taunts them. Inspector Read is played with single-minded determination by Christopher Eccleston.
As has been mentioned, the voice-over is by Frances, Emily Browning. Her brother works for the Kray, she marries him, but fails in her ambitions to reform him and she takes an overdose.
For those who do not know the ending, they might expect gangsters to go out in a blaze of the ending gun glory, something like the American gangsters. On the contrary, Ronnie after an attempted murder is confined to a psychiatric institution for almost three decades. Reggie Kray, after a brutal murder, spends more than thirty years in prison. But, they caught the British imagination, and here they are still living as cinema legends.
1. The use of the word legend rather than myth? American gangster films creating myths? This British and London legend?
2. Audience knowledge of the Krays, attitude towards them, the issue of how to present them, as real, psychological portrait, glorifying them or not, moralising about their life and careers? The Krays in that time, celebrities? The popularity? The popularity in the East End, people experiencing their kindness, generous donations? The attitude of the police?
3. London in the 1960s, the East End, drab, the streets, the facades of the buildings, ordinary homes, the shops and protection, the clubs, going further upmarket? The atmosphere of gambling, money protection, drugs, sexuality and politics?
4. The range of contemporary songs and their placement throughout the film? Mood?
5. The story for the 21st century? The fact of Reggie Kray spending decades in prison? Ronnie Kray in the institution? Their reputations?
6. The presence of Tom Hardy, the two performances, the contrast between the two brothers, yet reinforcing the bond of the twins?
7. The background, their mother and her influence, father the father’s presence, the older brother? The mother protecting her children, during the war, the effect? The visits to their mother, tea and cake? Crime in prison?
8. Francis and her comment about cups of tea for every occasion – and this portrait of the Krays as cup of tea London gangsters in contrast with the high-powered American gangsters, Italian, drinking, drugs, the mothers and family?
9. The idea of the gangster, their self-image, ambitions, ruthlessness, jumped up criminals? Issues of power, violence, the image of the gangster and enjoying it?
10. Frances, her voice-over, the audience to identify with her and her perspective? Her brother and his work for Reggie Kray, her mother, hostility – and wearing black to the wedding? The attraction to Reggie? Study, wanting to get out, going out with him, the attraction, falling in love, the nature of the relationship, the effect on Reggie? The period of glamour, outings and clubs? The proposal, the wedding, the happiness, the hostility of her mother? Her hopes for Reggie’s reform? The failure? The taking pills, Reggie and his violence, her leaving, his coming to plead with her, the final talk, then taking the pills, laid out in death, Reggie’s response?
11. The relation between the twins, the bond between them, Reggie making the decisions, Ronnie in the institution, the pressure on the doctor to declare him sane, the recommendations of the pills, the doctor’s private verdict of his madness? Ronnie and his madness in action?
12. Reggie, Tom Hardy’s performance, a leader, but worried about crime, giving himself up, going to prison for six months, his being surrounded by thugs, locals, the tough attitude? Protection, the standard tactics? Taking Frances to the club, taking time out to confront Jack, pleasant and then hitting him, repeated later? Seeing himself as a gangster heavy, his swagger in the streets, relationship with the police, with the Inspector, chases and eluding the police, taunting them? His saving Ron, Ron and his violence, his boys accompanying him? The relationship with Leslie Payne, Payne and his professionalism, crooked but legitimate? The success, Ron his animosity? Payne and his lifestyle? The deals, the clubs, protection and the money, the accounts? Reggie and his buying the upmarket club, style, the singer, the higher class guests?
13. Ron, his appearance, the talk with the Mafia boss, his declaration of his homosexuality? No prejudice, liking Greeks and Italians? The two young men always in tow, the home life, their ability to act violently, and yet at home with Mrs Kray? The breaking out, commissioning Jack to shoot Leslie Payne? At home with his mother and the cup of tea and cake? The psychiatrist pressurised to declare him sane?
14. The visit from the Mafia, the discussions, the American attitude towards the low key British? Coming over to check up? London to be the Las Vegas of England?
15. Lesley Payne, character, deals, the end, his being shot, the police talking to him, his giving up the information?
16. Inspector Read, his associate, tailing the Krays, following, his serious attitude, his determination, the confrontation with Reggie, his being tricked into the photograph? Scotland Yard, disbanding the group, setting it up again?
17. Ronnie, the plan for financing the centre in Nigeria, Lord Boothby, the sex, the orgy sequence, the photos, being shown to Harold Wilson, his reaction, the politics, the political consequences and his handling them?
18. The Krays in court, the witnesses, lying, the dismissal of the case?
19. Ron, being his own law, Reggie and his overreaching himself, the wedding, the promises to Frances, unable to keep them, enjoying the swagger, his reaction to Frances leaving, talking with her, her death?
20. Jack, commissioned by Ronnie to kill Payne, at the club, drinking, taunting Reggie, especially about Frances, Reggie’s frenzy in stabbing him to death?
21. The brothers overreaching themselves? The decades for Reggie in prison, for Ronnie in the mental institution?
