Top London gangster flicks

Listen up, you muppets...the Yanks may have the mafia an' all that, but we’ve got proper hard London gangster flicks to be proud of. We've rounded up the top lot of movies that show the capital in all its grimy glory.

The Long Good Friday (1980)
Cuddly Bob Hoskins ain't so cuddly here, guv'nor, as a prosperous Thatcherite gangster, Harry, who finds that his well-off world is about to fall apart, thanks to a new syndicate who want to muscle in on his turf. With great support from Helen Mirren and a blink-and-you'll-miss-him appearance from a young Pierce Brosnan, The Long Good Friday is considered by many to be the definitive London gangster flick. It's gripping, masterful and believable all at once — and the film which deservedly kick-started Hoskins' international career.

Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
Before he started wearing bits of red string and became better known as Mr Madonna, Guy Ritchie was once British films' brightest young hope, believe it or not. He made a storming debut with the high-octane, thrilling adrenaline rush of Lock, Stock, which made London seem sexy as hell once again. OK, it's stuffed full of cor-blimey East End clichés and gave the world uber-ligger Nick Moran, but we won't hold that against him.

Gangster No 1 (2000)
Chronicling the rise and fall of the vicious Gangster — played by Paul Bettany in his younger guise and Malcolm McDowell as the older version — this film has become notorious for its brutal violence. Concerning the typical crime plotlines of loyalty, revenge and jealousy, it's hard work at times, but ultimately a fiercely realistic portrayal of this seamy side of life. The murder scene in particular has become notorious for its graphic, intense violence that's hard to stomach. Not one for a cosy night in on the sofa...

Layer Cake (2004)
Last year's critically-acclaimed modern gangster flick proved that Guy Ritchie's producing partner Matthew Vaughan had just as much skill for depicting the capital's gritty crime underworld as he did. It stars spanner-faced Daniel Craig as the cocaine-dealing protagonist 'XXXX', who is tempted out of early retirement by that stock cliché — the one last job. But Layer Cake is a cut above the mockney cartoon stylings of many inferior efforts and is a wiser, more realistic and cautionary tale.

The Krays (1990)
The news that erstwhile Spandau Ballet poseurs Martin and Gary Kemp were to play the roles of the notorious Kray brothers didn’t bode well for this movie before it came out, but thankfully, they took their critics by the neck, and roughed 'em up good'n'proper. Sort of. Anyway, this turned out to be another London Gangster Genre Gem, portraying the real-life story of Ronnie and Reggie Kray, who ruled their criminal empire in the East End of London with an iron fist, but loved their dear old ma etc.