Lionsgate Home Entertainment Fred: The Godfather of British Crime
Description
A sombre examination into the psyche of former London gangster Freddie Foreman: 85 years old, allegedly responsible for multiple murders and nearing the end of his life. Former gangster Freddie Foreman was a Krays associate and ruthless criminal, feared and revered by his contemporaries and infamous amongst the British underworld. Fred is the only gangster who lived through the turbulent history of the British underworld and survived to tell the tale. He masterminded headline-grabbing crimes, mingled with pop stars and footballers and amassed a fortune of ill-gotten gains. Now he lives in a retirement home: Alone, estranged from his family, with only the memories of his former crimes to look back on. In this incisive character study, director Paul Van Carter leads a master interview with Freddie, delving deep into his life story to uncover the socioeconomic and psychological factors that turned a young East End boy into a ruthless criminal. From his childhood growing up in poverty, to his violent and traumatic memories of the Blitz, Fred is revealed as a man shaped by the brutality of war. A man who, years later, suffers night terrors rooted in the horrors of WWII. With archive footage, actuality, and the help of contributors including eminent criminologist Dick Hobbs, Van Carter delves into the psyche of a man said to be responsible for nearly a hundred murders. The film takes Fred back to some of his old haunts in an attempt to understand what drives him, capturing the moments when his mask slips and his body language suggests a darker truth beneath the bonhomie. In the weeks leading up to a potential reconciliation with Fred’s estranged children, he proudly proclaims that his crimes were committed for his family... yet they refuse to answer his calls. He is a father who claims to know no other way to provide for his children than crime and in the process distanced himself from them forever. Fred... Do you have any regrets?
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