MY apprehensions faded quite soon after this biopic of terrible twins Reggie and Ronald Kray began to roll across the screen. It’s more engaging than I expected.

From East End, working-class origins Reggie and Ronnie achieved wealth and social prominence in London in the 1960s by fair means or foul, predominantly the latter.

Their West End “clubs” catered to the recreational choices of the rich and famous. Obstacles put in their way by competing “club” owners didn’t hinder their climb to notoriety. Scotland Yard’s campaign to shut them down took many years. The press loved their cheeky rejection of community standards. Violence was their recreation and, as author John Pearson described in his book, their profession.

Writer/director Brian Helgeland’s film tells an intimate story of their lives, loves and families. Playing both brothers, Tom Hardy gives two impeccable performances.

Emily Browning is Frances, blind to Reggie’s behaviour, defying her mother’s (Tara Fitzgerald) opposition to their marriage, loving him until it was too late to back away. Ronnie was not the marrying kind. Dr Humphries (Nicholas Farrell) tells Reggie, “Your brother Ron is violent and psychopathic and I suspect he’s paranoid schizophrenic… to put it simply he’s off his f…..g rocker!”

While some may quibble about whether “Legend” serves any useful social purpose, it’s entertaining in a monstrous sort of way.

At Palace Electric, Dendy, Hoyts Belconnen and Limelight.