Tom Hardy’s ‘Legend’ latest in slew of British mob movies

Tom Hardy portrays London's notorious gangsters, Reggie and Ron Kray, in a double performance in "Legend." Credit: Universal Pictures
That’s Tom Hardy playing both Ronnie and Reggie Kray in “Legend,” opening Nov. 20, a new film about the real-life gangster twins who terrorized London in the 1950s and ’60s. It’s just the latest example of the Brit crime drama, a genre that our friends in Blighty have been handling quite well for some time. A few highlights:
BRIGHTON ROCK (1947) Based on the Graham Greene novel, starring a very young Richard Attenborough as a truly creepy, baby-faced assassin.
THE ITALIAN JOB (1969) Ex-con Michael Caine plans a high-risk heist in Italy, in which some Mini Coopers, a Jaguar and a bus play key roles.
GET CARTER (1971) Gangster Michael Caine’s brother has been murdered, so he declares war on some Newcastle bad guys. He also must get his niece out of the porno business. One brilliantly nasty film.
THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY (1980) Gangster boss Bob Hoskins and mistress Helen Mirren are trying to swing a big business deal with an American mobster, but all sorts of things keep getting in their way. They are, in fact, having a very, very bad day. Generally considered the best Brit mob movie of all time.
THE KRAYS (1990) Gary and Martin Kemp of Spandau Ballet fame play the bad guy brothers in this stylish — and very violent — film, the first of several about these awfully nasty boys.
LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS (1998) A botched card game ends up involving loan sharks, dope growers, hard core gangsters and four buddies. As funny as it is violent, featuring Jason Statham in a star-making role.
SEXY BEAST (2000) Retired mobster Ray Winstone just wants to enjoy his villa in southern Spain, but a very scary — and Oscar-nominated — Ben Kingsley forces him to return to Britain for one last big heist.
IN BRUGES (2008) Colin Farrell messes up an assassination and is forced by gang boss Ralph Fiennes to hide out in Bruges, Belgium, with partner Brendan Gleeson. Alternately horrific and hilarious, featuring first-rate dialogue from writer-director Martin McDonagh.
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