Culture Cinema & Tv Show reviews

Secrets of the Krays

Secrets of the Krays | Show review

The Kray twins are a household name to many, whether remembered as the lords of the East End in the 1960s or as the subjects of ultra-glamorised biopic Legend (starring Tom Hardy as both twins). For those who are not acquainted with the reputation of the Krays, they were violent and ruthless gangsters who terrorised the East End of London throughout the 1960s. ITV’s three-part series, Secrets of the Krays, compiles a varied series of interviews with everyone from relatives to historians of the twins, recalling the havoc and brutality they unleashed.

The first compliment this series deserves is that, unlike the aforementioned film, it does not strive to romanticise or make icons of the twins. In fact, one of the first lines of the series from society photographer David Bailey is, “You have to be careful making heroes of people who don’t deserve it.” In one of the trailers for Legend the taglines is “Love like a legend” – and then the film proceeds to show Reggie Kray raping his mentally ill wife. Through interviews with people who knew the Krays personally or studied them, this series ensures that they are shown for what they were: violent and merciless criminals, not legends. 

Where the series falters is that it makes the assumption that the audience already has a certain amount of knowledge about the twins. Near the opening the death of their mother is discussed, without having fully introduced the brothers themselves. The narrative also jumps from one topic to another without any consistency, jumping from Ronnie’s sexuality to their BBC interview and their connection to Frank Mitchell (“The Mad Axeman”), then back to their personal relationships. Although the information is detailed and intriguing, the flow of the series feels disjointed and rushed. 

However, it is always reassuring to see sinister men exposed for what they truly are, and not portrayed as “iconic” because they wore expensive suits and had natural good looks. The Krays murdered, terrorised and took advantage of their celebrity status to intimidate and tyrannise, and that is exactly what Secrets of the Krays shows. 

Emma Kiely

Secrets of the Krays is released on Britbox on 13th May 2021.

Watch the trailer for Secrets of the Krays here:

More in Shows

Smurfs

Umar Ali

“A photogenic young heiress who goes missing with her son is like catnip to the tabloids”: Lauren Lyle and Emer Kenny on Karen Pirie season two

Christina Yang

“It makes you laugh while you watch people get blown to pieces”: Shalom Brune-Franklin and Devon Terrell on The Assassin

Christina Yang

“She’s not the coolest assassin in the world, but she’s a great character in her own right”: Keeley Hawes, Harry and Jack Williams, Freddie Highmore, Shalom Brune-Franklin and Devon Terrell on The Assassin

Christina Yang

Suranne Jones leads high-stakes political thriller Hostage, launching on Netflix this August

The editorial unit

Too Much

Antonia Georgiou

“A lot of people have said, ‘I’m going to call my mum,’ after watching it”: Paul Andrew Williams and Jason Watkins on Dragonfly at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

Christina Yang

Karlovy Vary International Film Festival: Dragonfly

Christina Yang

Superman

Christopher Connor