The End reveals the bloody history and confessions of the cockney gangster.
Against the background of the East End of London England, Nicola Collins explores the fascinating complexity of the lives of her father and his friends: infamous criminals that shaped their war torn environment into a violent underworld. The End is a story never before been told of a group of men with a common bond. All born in the East End of London into poverty striving for a better life and all found that life in crime. Unashamed and unapologetic these men live their lives defined by a code of honor. The End reveals the bloody history and the confessions of the cockney gangster.—The End
The End is filmed largely in black and white. Its message is anything but. In it, director Nicola Collinswhose twin sister, Teena, serves as coproducerinterviews her father Les Falco and his cronies, all members of Londons underworld, about their lives. Deftly and unflinchingly, Collins records the memories of this aging criminal fraternity. Set in the citys violent East End, their stories are rife with brutality and bloodshedbut, somehow, she manages to frame them without judgment. Indeed, in counterpoint to her gritty visual style and industrial soundtrack, she captures glimmers of humanity in the now grizzled faces of these notorious Cockney gangsterswho still crave respect, abide by their criminal code of honor, and talk as freely about their families, friendships, and God as they do about murder.
The documentary begins with historic footage of a burned-out London during World War II. Poor kids, Les and his friends tried to survive without much money, food, or adult supervision in the East End. They pilfered what they needed. Says one of Collinss intervieweesVictor Dark, Mickey Goldtooth, and Pretty Boy Roy Shaw among themAll the people down there was brought up on boxing and pigeon shit. What they now call a little bit of villainy grew into a life of crime. Guns, knives, acid, and knuckledusters were their weapons of choiceand soon enough it became way too easy to kill someone. Most of them served prison time; most were stabbed or shot at least once. Some have no regrets; others cringe at the harm theyve done.
Before directing her feature debutwhich she also wrote and shotCollins worked as a fashion model for Elle, Vogue, and others. With her twin, she also appeared in Guy Ritchies Snatch in 2001. [D-Man2010]
