The Krays (1990)

Director:

Peter Medak

Writer:

Philip Ridley (written by)

Release Date:

9 November 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

When People are afraid of you, You can do anything. Remember that.

Plot:

This fact-based movie follows the life of the twin crime-lords in London's 60's underworld.

Plot Keywords:

Twin | Gangster | Gay Kiss | Cockney | Doom

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 4 wins & 1 nomination

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
Roger Monk	...	Charlie Jnr.
Jimmy Flint	...	Perry
Andrew Kitchen	...	Dennis
Michael Joseph Carr	...	Eddie (as Michael Carr)
Ian Burfield	...	Whip
Bob Brimson	...	Grey
Russell Gold	...	Terry
David Arlen	...	Dickie
Jon McKenna	...	Sam Ripley
Sean Blowers	...	Chris Ripley (as Sean Blower)
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 (as Chrissie Coterill)
Simon Foy	...	Lost Boy
Tony Sands	...	Lost Boy
Behrouz Behnejad	...	Maltese Gangster
Mathew Barney	...	Boy in Classroom
Ben Brazier	...	Charlie Aged 12 (as Benjamin Brazier)
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 12
Jamie Bennett	...	Ron and Reg Aged 12
Jimmy Batten	...	Straker
Brian Nickels	...	Frank
Dave Courtney	...	Bill
Ben Mansworth	...	Tom
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sean Barry-Weske	...	Postman / Block Warden (uncredited)
Terence Dackombe	...	Thug (uncredited)
Michael Elphick	...	George - Prisoner (uncredited)
Frank Jarvis	...	Drill Sergeant (uncredited)
Andrew Michael Jolley	...	Boy# 2 (uncredited)
Lenny McLean	...	Spectator at Ringside (uncredited)
Julia Migenes	...	Judy Garland (uncredited)
Jonathan Reason	...	Thug (uncredited)
Susie Ann Watkins	...	Susie (uncredited)

Directed by
Peter Medak

Writing credits
Philip Ridley		(written by)

Produced by
Dominic Anciano	....	producer
Jim Beach	....	executive producer
Ray Burdis	....	producer
Paul Cowan	....	associate producer
Michele Kimche	....	executive producer
Stuart St. Paul	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Michael Kamen

Cinematography by
Alex Thomson		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Martin Walsh

Casting by
Noel Davis
Jeremy Zimmermann		(as Jeremy Zimmerman)

Production Design by
Michael Pickwoad

Art Direction by
Michael Buchanan

Costume Design by
Lindy Hemming

Makeup Department
Jennifer Boost	....	chief makeup artiste
Karen Edwards	....	hair dresser
Patricia Kirkman	....	chief hair dresser
Ailbhe Lemass	....	makeup artist
Aaron Sherman	....	prosthetics
Maralyn Sherman	....	prosthetics

Production Management
Ken Shane	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bernard Bellew	....	third assistant director
Simon Moseley	....	second assistant director
Michael Zimbrich	....	first assistant director
Stuart St. Paul	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Alan Ashby	....	charge hand plasterer
Robert Betts	....	charge hand painter
Angus Cameron	....	assistant art director
Alan Chesters	....	construction manager
Aron Clayton	....	art department runner
Winston Depper	....	dressing props
Jim Foran	....	charge hand carpenter
Bert Gadsden	....	stand-by propman (as Burt Gadsden)
Alan Hooper	....	stand-by painter
David Ned Kelly	....	stand-by carpenter (as Ned Kelly)
Steve Payne	....	dressing props
Rodney Pincott	....	stand-by propman
Anna Pinnock	....	prop buyer
Doug Purdy	....	dressing props
Paul Turner	....	property master
Brian Webb	....	charge hand stagehand
Michael Webb	....	stand-by stagehand

Sound Department
Alan Corder	....	assistant sound editor
Leonard Green	....	assistant sound editor
Derek Holding	....	adr editor
Gerry Humphreys	....	sound mixer
Eddy Joseph	....	dialogue editor
Godfrey Kirby	....	sound recordist
Jack T. Knight	....	footsteps editor (as Jack Knight)
Dick Philip	....	boom operator
Jupiter Sen	....	dubbing editor
Geoffrey Simm	....	sound maintenance
Bronwyn Wolfe	....	assistant dubbing editor (as Bronwyn Wolf)
Dean Humphreys	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Ken Lailey	....	special effects supervisor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Simon Dowling	....	main title designer (uncredited)

Stunts
Del Baker	....	stunt performer
Marc Boyle	....	stunt performer
Tony Ellis	....	stunt performer
Sarah Franzl	....	stunt performer (as Sara Franzl)
Frank Henson	....	stunt performer
Jeff Hewitt-Davis	....	stunt performer (as Jeff Davis)
Sy Hollands	....	stunt performer
Jazzer Jeyes	....	stunt performer (as Jazz Jeyes)
Vincent Keane	....	stunt performer
Tim Lawrence	....	stunt performer
Tom Lucy	....	stunt performer
Stuart St. Paul	....	stunt coordinator (as Stuart St Paul)
Malcolm Weaver	....	stunt performer
Steve Whyment	....	stunt performer
Rod Woodruff	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Allwork	....	aerial photographer
Richard Blanshard	....	still photographer
George Boner	....	rigging gaffer
Sonny Burdis	....	electrician
Frederick Crawford	....	stand-by rigger
Tony Cridlin	....	grip
Dave Everall	....	charge hand rigger
Dennis Kington	....	Steadicam operator
Nic Milner	....	focus puller (as Nick Milner)
David Morani	....	gaffer (as Dave Moroni)
Dave Owen	....	electrician
Steve Potts	....	electrician
Alex Thomson	....	camera operator
Chyna Thomson	....	clapper loader

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Anthony Black	....	wardrobe supervisor
Robyn Elliot	....	wardrobe assistant
Debbie Scott	....	assistant costume designer
Christine Tucker	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Gilmore Smith	....	second assistant editor (as Gilmour Smyth)
Elaine Thomas	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Michael Kamen	....	music producer
Stephen McLaughlin	....	music mixer
Ed Shearmur	....	assistant: Mr. Kamen

Other crew
Mike Ashwell	....	executive: for Jim Beach
Clare Beatty	....	unit nurse
Renée Glynne	....	script supervisor (as Renee Glynne)
Barry Gold	....	legal services: (Parkfield ) (as Barry Gold at Gold Mann and Co.)
Gay Huse	....	assistant accountant
Maurice Hutchinson	....	jobfit trainee
Bob Jordan	....	location manager
Caroline Knollys	....	production runner
Charles Kray	....	technical assistant
David Laidlaw	....	production runner
David Lawley-Wakelin	....	production runner
Lew Morgan	....	location services
Dione Orrom	....	production coordinator
Mikaela Skinner	....	production runner
Toa Stappard	....	location runner (as Taratoa Stappard)
Bob Storer	....	legal services: (Fugitive ) (as Bob Storer at Harbottle and Lewis)
Catrin Strong	....	floor runner
Katie Thompstone	....	location assistant
Paul Van Der Weele	....	production accountant
Emma Ward	....	production assistant
Robert Warren	....	security (as Robert Warren of Topguard Security)
Nicola Watkins	....	production runner
Jonathan Wicks	....	location assistant
Betty Williams	....	assistant accountant

Thanks
Roger Daltrey	....	special thanks
Paul Feldman	....	special thanks
Duncan Heath	....	special thanks
Iain Hill	....	special thanks
Dave Read	....	special thanks
Anna Scher	....	special thanks
Sam Schwartz	....	special thanks
Charles Verrall	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Fugitive TV Productions (made by)
• Fugitive Features
• Parkfield Entertainment

Distributors

• J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors (1990) (UK) (theatrical)
• Miramax Films (1990) (USA) (theatrical)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Video Ltd. (1990) (UK) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Universal Pictures (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• Cineplex Odeon Films (1990) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Palace Films (????) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Phase Films (1991) (France) (theatrical)
• América Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Cecchi Gori Home Video (2005) (Italy) (DVD)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1991) (USA) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Ken Lailey Effects (special effects)

Other Companies

• Agfa Gevaert  film stock (as Agfa-Gevaert)
• Crew Catering  location catering
• East End Advertiser, The  special thanks
• Film Finance  completion guarantee
• Film Flow  location transport
• Film Lighting Services  lighting equipment
• Greenwich Borough Council  special thanks
• Greenwich Council  special thanks
• Master Rock Studios  music recorded at (as Masterrock)
• Members of the Anna Scher Theatre  special thanks
• Morris Angel  costumes supplied by
• Phil Symes Associates  publicity
• Point to Point  travel by
• Reid and Casement Research  film research (as Reid & Casement Research)
• Residents of Caradoc Street and Neighbouring Streets in Greenwich, The  special thanks
• Ruben Sedgwick Ltd.  insurance (as Ruben Sedgwick Insurance Services)
• Sammy's  Moviecam camera and lenses from
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services
• Sarm Studios (West)  music recorded at (as Sarm West Studios)
• The Optical Partnership  titles and opticals
• The Town House  music recorded at (as The Townhouse)
• Topguard Security  security by
• Twickenham Film Studios  sound re-recording at
• United Media Film Sales  the producers gratefully acknowledge the help of, in the making and marketing of this film

Also Known As:

"The Kray Twins" - Europe (English title)

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/12 | New Zealand:R16 | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Aldwych Underground Station, Aldwych, Holborn, London, England, UK

Company:

Fugitive TV Productions

Trivia:

The East End of London had been extensively redeveloped since the Krays' heyday so the company filmed across the River Thames in Greenwich, especially in Caradoc Street.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the slow-motion sequences of the fairground boxing scene, the filming lights illuminating the scene can be seen flickering very prominently, due to beating between the mains frequency of the lights and the very high frame rate used to achieve the slow motion. They should have used DC-powered lights!

Quotes:

[to Ronnie and Reggie, aged three]
Violet Kray:Who loves you, eh? That's right, Mummy loves you, you little monsters. Mummy loves you more than anything - more than all the cakes, more than all the jewellery, more than all the chocolate in the world.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Gorgo (#10.9)" (1998)

Soundtrack:

Balling the Jack

What a big disappointment

This looked like a promising film: a portrait of Britain's most feared gangsters with great performances and some stylish,but graphic violence.

How wrong I was.

True, the violence was graphic etc but the film was let down by a script which ignores facts and skims over certain characters eg Teddy Smith, Inspector ''Nipper'' Reid.

Also, most of the film was focused on the family. True, the Kray brothers were mummy's boys, but we got the point in the first ten minutes. The film sticks with this and does not paint a portrait of the terror they created and an authentic picture of British gangland. Plus,the acting wasn't the best, except for Gary Kemp as Ronnie.

Watch Gangster No.1 . That was how this film should have been.