Let Him Have It is a 1991 British drama film directed by Peter Medak and starring Christopher Eccleston, Paul Reynolds, Tom Courtenay and Tom Bell. The film is based on the true story of Derek Bentley,[2] who was convicted of the murder of a police officer by joint enterprise and was hanged in 1953 under controversial circumstances.[3]
| Let Him Have It | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Peter Medak |
| Written by | Neal Purvis Robert Wade |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Oliver Stapleton |
| Edited by | Ray Lovejoy |
| Music by | Michael Kamen |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | First Independent Films |
Release date |
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Running time | 115 min |
| Language | English |
| Budget | £2 million[1] |
| Box office | $88,686 (US) £292,525 (UK)[1] |
Plot summary
editDerek Bentley is an illiterate, epileptic young adult with developmental disabilities who falls into a gang led by a younger teenager named Christopher Craig. During the course of the robbery of a warehouse in Croydon, in which Bentley is encouraged to participate by Craig, the two become trapped by the police. Officers order Craig to put down his gun. Bentley, who by this time has already been arrested, shouts "Let him have it, Chris" – whether he means the phrase literally ("Let him have the gun") or figuratively ("Open fire!") is unclear. Craig fires, killing one officer and wounding another. Because Craig is a minor, he cannot be executed and is given a prison sentence. Meanwhile, Bentley is sentenced to death under the English common law principle of joint enterprise, on the basis that his statement to Craig was an instigation to shoot. Bentley's family makes an effort for clemency which reaches Parliament. However, the Home Secretary (who has the power to commute the death sentence) ultimately declines to intervene. Despite his family's efforts and public support, Bentley is executed in 1953 within a month of being convicted, before Parliament takes any official action.
Cast
edit- Christopher Eccleston as Derek Bentley
- Paul Reynolds as Christopher Craig
- Tom Courtenay as William Bentley
- Eileen Atkins as Lilian Bentley
- Clare Holman as Iris Bentley
- Tom Bell as Detective Sergeant Fairfax
- Edward Hardwicke as Approved school principal
- Serena Scott Thomas as Stella
- Mark McGann as Niven Craig
- Murray Melvin as Secondary school teacher
- Michael Gough as Lord Goddard
- Iain Cuthbertson as Sir David Maxwell-Fyfe
- Peter Eyre as Humphreys
- James Villiers as Cassels
- Clive Revill as Albert Pierrepoint (hangman)
- Vernon Dobtcheff as Court clerk
- Bill Dean as Foreman of the jury
- Norman Rossington as Postman
- Michael Elphick as Prison officer Jack
Production
editPaul Bergman and Michael Asimow call attention to the cross examination scene, where "the camera closes in on [Bentley's] bruised face as the prosecutor and judge bombard him with questions he can barely comprehend."[2]
The film's end titles state that Bentley's sister, Iris, was still fighting for his pardon. Seven years after the film was made and after numerous unsuccessful campaigns to get Bentley a full pardon, his conviction was eventually overturned by the Court of Appeal on 30 July 1998, one year after Iris's death.[4]
Release
editThe film opened at the Odeon Leicester Square in London on 4 October 1991 before expanding to 120 screens the following week.[5]
Reception
editThe film gained positive reviews from critics. It holds an 84% approval rating from the review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes based on 37 reviews, with an average rating of 7.7/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Led by a gripping performance from Christopher Eccleston, Let Him Have It sounds a compelling call for justice on behalf of its real-life protagonist."[6]
Tom Wiener said that the film displayed the writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade's "outrage toward a system hell-bent on vengeance"[7] and John Ivan Simon called the script "first rate, no nonsense".[8]
References
edit- ^ a b "Back to the Future: The Fall and Rise of the British Film Industry in the 1980s - An Information Briefing" (PDF). British Film Institute. 2005. p. 25.
- ^ a b Bergman, Paul; Asimow, Michael (2006). Reel Justice: The Courtroom Goes to the Movies. Kansas City: Andrews McMeel Publishing. p. 47. ISBN 9780740754609. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
- ^ Hopeless, Bob (17 March 2006). "'Let Him Have It!' - The Case of Bentley and Craig". h2g2. BBC. Archived from the original on 6 April 2009. Retrieved 3 April 2011.
- ^ "Craig's relief at Bentley Pardon". BBC News. BBC. 30 July 1998. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- ^ Groves, Don (14 October 1991). "'Thieves' tops 'T2' in U.K.". Variety. p. 266.
- ^ "Let Him Have It (1991)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- ^ Wiener, Tom (1 August 2002). The Off-Hollywood Film Guide: The Definitive Guide to Independent and Foreign Films on Video and DVD. New York: Random House Digital. p. 369. ISBN 9780812992076. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
- ^ Simon, John Ivan (2005). John Simon On Film: Criticism, 1982-2001. Milwaukee: Applause Theatre & Cinema Books. ISBN 9781557835079. Retrieved 24 October 2012.