Tuesday 15 September 2015

Film: 'Legend'

(If you've missed all the hype, or it hasn't reached you yet, I must say at the outset that, despite appearances on this film still, the film is emphatically not about a gay wedding!)

The Kray twins (both of them most impressively played here by Tom Hardy) remain among the most notorious criminals that Britain has ever produced, with their London gangland power, influence and corruption covering police, judiciary, politicians as well as dwarfing all other crime syndicates in the capital and beyond. This film documents the height of their baleful power during the mid to late 1960s.

Both men were, frankly, bullies of the most horrific kind - and extremely volatile. Like powder-kegs they could and did go off with an ultra-violent reaction to the smallest slight or provocation. In fact, this is probably the most violent film I've seen in several years, so if you can't bear the sight of blood (as a result of fights with fists, sticks, knives, guns, glass...whatever) this is one to avoid. In addition, there's a particularly grim torture scene. However, despite the subject matter, humour is frequently present, mostly of the 'black' variety, sometimes underlined by the hit songs of the time playing as background to the vicious fights.

Reggie was slightly more considered and in control, though nevertheless still liable to go to extreme lengths to settle scores, wheras his dour, bespectacled, gay brother, Ronnie, was the more impulsive and pathological (though that is relative) of the two, his behaviour made still worse by his neglecting to take the medication prescribed to dampen down his emotions. Both men are doted on by their adoring tea-and-cakes serving mother who, despite her sons' enormous ill-acquired wealth, still lives alone in a terraced house. Whether she is aware of the true nature of their business is doubtful, though it's more likely that she just doesn't ask questions.
One particular police detective (Christopher Ecclestone) doggedly watches the pair's movements from a car in full view of them, failing to bring them to justice because of being repeatedly frustrated by the stranglehold the Krays have on the judicial authorities through threats and corruption, as well as the Kray's uneasy and unenthusiastic alliance with another East London gangster (David Thewlis).
There's a prominent romantic strand to this film in Reggie's courtship and brief, turbulent marriage - his wife (Emily Browning) trying, to no avail, to get her husband to forsake his criminal ways. Rather curiously, it is she who keeps popping up on the soundtrack to deliver a voice-over narration. To me that seems a rather strange choice of character to do it, if any was needed at all, which I don't think was. It gets even odder in the light of a certain later event.

When I first heard about this film with Hardy playing both leads, I was excited at the prospect of seeing it. Then I started wondering whether this double-role might skew the focus of the film in that the audience would be more interested in wondering "How did they do that?" when both characters were on screen simultaneously, rather than attending to the story itself. In the event it didn't distract me unduly. Hardy delivers two tour-de-force performances that are so different, yet are so believable of them being brothers. It left me admiring both the actor and the technical way in which the trick was convincingly and flawlessly realised. I noticed no 'slip-ups' at all. (This feat of one actor portraying twins was also famously achieved by Jeremy Irons [that vociferous opponent of gay marriage and vocal supporter of blood sports] playing twins in David Cronenberg's 'Dead Ringers' of 1988).

I do remember, with some admiration and affection, the 1990 film 'The Krays', where the twins were acted by real twins Gary and Martin Kemp, of one-time 1980s pop group 'Spandau Ballet'. That film also boasted in a prominent role, the great, recently-late, Billie Whitelaw as the formidable, doughty mother, fearlessly championing her boys, whereas in this 'Legend' the mother is almost a background figure. The earlier film (director, Peter Medak) also featured British stalwarts like Steven Berkoff, Victor Spinetti and the then veteran comedian Jimmy Jewel in its cast. I've not seen 'The Krays' since 1990 but even after that single viewing, 25 years later it continues to linger in the memory most agreeably. I'm not sure if 'Legend' will also retain its impact, but if it does it will surely be principally because of Hardy's superbly realised double role.

Incidentally, I wonder whose idea it was to give this film the title of 'Legend', with its associated overtones of admiration and deserved fame. If the title was intended to be ironic I think it misfired.

This is a good film. American director Brian Helgeland, who's been known so far mainly for writing a number of significant films including 'L.A.Confidential' and 'Mystic River', acquits himself well in this busy and bloody affair, with not a dull moment. I spent much of the time gripping the arm-rest of my seat, wondering when either of the two brothers (one or both on the screen for almost the entire time) would explode without warning in a particularly bloody way, which they often did.

If you can take the blood and guts, I give it a clear recommendation......................7.  

12 comments:

  1. Good. I was thinking about seeing it just because of Hardy and Ecclestone. (That's if it comes to my local theater. That may be iffy.)

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    1. I see that it's showing at the Brighton Odeon, Sadie, as well as on one of our local smaller cinemas so it's probably got a wide release nationwide. It deserves it and I do hope you manage to catch it.

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  2. I remember seeing the film in the 90s, having never heard about the Krays on this side of the pond, and I'm really looking forward to seeing this version as well. Their's is a frighteningly interesting story.

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    1. They were monsters, Bob, scary as hell. They got everybody in authority trembling - even the media hardly dared mention their names at the time. It was only in retrospect that we all got to know what murderous antics they'd got up to and how far their tentacles had reached and strangled any threats to their 'kingdom'. 'Legend' is different from the 1990 film, certainly far more violent, but both are very worthy watches.

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  3. Tom hardy is fast approaching star status in the uk...
    He's a great allrounder!

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    1. I agree totally, J.G. I was going to put in mu post how he is currently the fastest rising star of the British 'younger' generation of actors. So amazingly versatile - and it could be that his best is yet to come.
      I first noticed Hardy in 'Bronson' a few years ago, another brutal, very bloody tale based on fact.

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  4. Hey Ray because of the guts and torture this is something i cant watch. but from your description it sounds very good in special effects.

    All I can say is
    'Give me a word any word!'
    'Crocodile' (Said in unison)

    'We are going home for a cup of tea with our Mum.' I said this quite often at my old work, it is a sign I am stressed or some one is getting right on my nerves.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Z2EAZDRvVY



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    1. I'm afraid I don't get your second para, Sol. Sounds like it's from some comedy I'm not familiar with. But thanks.

      Thanks also for the YouTube clip link. I just noticed that the 1990 film is on telly tonight - ITV4 at 9 p.m. I haven't seen it since it's release but will try to watch as much as I can, though keeping awake beyond 10 is asking a lot of me nowadays.

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  5. Its the words from the film. Give me a word any word is the Teacher when the twins are at school. And then the 2nd bit is from that clip. where they tell the Sargeant that he isnt saying anything and he is saying it too loud so they are going home with for a cup of tea with their mum.

    You will see tonight

    The Aunty give me the chills. I dont know why

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    1. Yes, I managed to watch the first 30 mins before succumbing, Sol - and there was that bit about the 'crocodile'. I hadn't seen it for 25 years so it's not surprising that I hadn't remembered. Wish I could have stayed up for the entire film. Next time, maybe, - though as it's not the 'Eurovision Song Contest' or General Election results night it won't be easy.

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  6. Ray,
    Sorry, I can't take the "blood and guts" aspect of movies today Ray, no matter how well the movie is constructed. The last movie that I sat through (and liked) was "Pulp Fiction" that was a black humor, blood and guts movie. These days, the first sight of gratuitous violence (and sex), I eject the offending disc from my DVD player. I can tolerate some but not much more. Plus, I always have a problem with one actor portraying twins. The only exception being that Bette Davis movie "Stolen" which she every so convincingly played twins.
    Another good review!
    Ron

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    1. Your point re not wanting to see bloody films is well taken, Ron. 'Pulp Fiction'? So long ago. You must have not seen quite a number of films since then which I would rate highly. But if they're not to your taste, well fair enough.

      I'd not heard of the film 'Stolen' but I find that over here it was called 'A Stolen Life', which actually doesn't make me any wiser. I can't recall it having ever been on TV but now, with your recommendation I'll look out for it.

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