Movie Type: Crime Drama, Juvenile Delinquency Film
Themes: Social Injustice, Death Row, Dangerous Friends
Main Cast: Christopher Eccleston, Paul Reynolds, Tom Courtenay, Eileen Atkins, Clare Holman, Tom Bell
Release Year: 1991
Country: UK/NL/FR
Run Time: 115 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
The Derek Bentley Case has been an uneasy blight on the British legal system since the early 1950s. Two young, frightened boys were caught by police trying to break into to a building. One of the boys had a gun. When the policeman reached out to the youth to turn over the gun, his friend shouted "Let him have it," and the policeman was killed by a gun blast. Whether the boy understood "Let him have it" to mean he should turn over the gun or to kill the police officer has been debated ever since. But the result was the 19-year-old boy was executed for the crime -- only to be posthumously exonerated in 1953. In this dark and biting film by Peter Medak, the life of Derek Bentley (Chris Eccleston) that led up to the crime is recreated in pitiful detail, as well as the ensuing trial and execution. The story begins in 1952, when the likable Bentley is released from reform school. Bentley is an impressionable young man who returns home to his loving family -- his parents (Tom Courtenay and Eileen Atkins) and sister (Clare Holman) -- but becomes involved with a group of friends, led by the intimidating Chris (Paul Reynolds), who live in the poverty of post-World War II Britain and escape their bleak world by emulating the American gangster films they see at the local cinema. They play-act at being gansters, but with real guns ... and tragic results. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
Review
1991's Let Him Have It is a stylish example of British film's tradition of social realism and class consciousness. Based on the 1952 trial and execution of Derek Bentley, a 19-year-old retarded boy who was the victim of circumstance and gullibility, the film is as concerned with society's corruption of innocence as with the injustice of the British legal system. The accomplished debut performance from Christopher Eccleston gives the film emotional weight, and Tom Courtenay, who made his name in such prototypical English "social commentary" films as The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, also stands out as Derek's father. The film was originally to be directed by Alex Cox (Repo Man, Sid and Nancy) but, when he insisted on shooting in black-and-white, the producers brought in Peter Medak, who had previously directed another slice of British crime history, The Krays. ~ Brendon Hanley, All Movie Guide
Henry Harris - Art Director, Jane Frazer - Associate Producer, Pam Tait - Costume Designer, Peter Medak - Director, Ray Lovejoy - Editor, Michael Kamen - Composer (Music Score), Michael Pickwoad - Production Designer, Oliver Stapleton - Cinematographer, Luc Roeg - Producer, Jeremy Thomas - Producer, Robert Warr - Producer, Neal Purvis - Screenwriter, Robert Wade - Screenwriter
A spare, difficult score for a spare, difficult film about the murder of a British policeman by teenagers in the 1950s, and the resulting catastrophic trial that resulted. Kamen has deliberately kept the musical elements as minimal as possible, which works in the context of the film, if not in the context of a soundtrack album. ~ Steven McDonald, All Music Guide
Jo Stafford (Performer), Kay Starr (Performer), Ray Charles (Performer), Stan Getz (Performer), Wardell Gray (Performer), Michael Kamen (Arranger), Michael Kamen (Oboe), Michael Kamen (Main Performer), Richard Edwards (Engineer), Richard Edwards (Mixing), Stephen McLaughlin (Engineer), Stephen McLaughlin (Mixing), Paul Quinichette (Performer), Johnathan Rees (Violin), Edward Shearmur (Arranger), Edward Shearmur (Compilation), Matt Howe (Engineer), Matt Howe (Compilation), Frank Schaefer (Cello), Dave Heath (Flute), Heidi Cannavo (Assistant Engineer), Ray Williams (Executive Producer), Ray Williams (Compilation), Maggie Cole (Harpsichord)
Let Him Have It is a 1991British film set in 1952 and based on the true story of the case against Derek Bentley, who was hanged for murder under controversial circumstances.[1] While Bentley did not directly play a role in the murder of PCSidney Miles, he received the greater punishment than the gunman (who was below the age of 18). It stars Christopher Eccleston as Bentley, with Paul Reynolds, Tom Courtenay and Tom Bell and was directed by Peter Medak.
Synopsis
The title of the film is taken from Bentley's alleged cry of "Let him have it, Chris!" shortly before Christopher Craig shot PC Miles. Crown prosecutors suggested that Bentley meant, "Go ahead and shoot him," while the defence argued that he meant, "Give him the gun" which he in fact meant (and thus, surrender). Despite what the film showed, a police officer dying from cancer stated that Derek Bentley never said the infamous phrase. If this is the case, it is widely believed that the reason the police attributed the quote to Bentley is that there was a similar case where someone had said "Let him have it!" and it was still fresh in the police officers' minds.
Craig was sentenced to gaolAt Her Majesty's Pleasure, but only spent ten years there. He has been a law abiding citizen ever since.
Derek Bentley's father bought an expensive bottle of wine in 1958 to celebrate their victory in proving that he was innocent. Sadly however, Bentley's parents never got to drink it. His father William Bentley died on 12 July 1974 and his mother died on 10 October 1976.
The film's end titles state that Bentley's sister Iris was still fighting for his pardon, however seven years after the film was made and after numerous unsuccessful campaigns to get Derek Bentley a full pardon, he was posthumously pardoned on 30 July 1998. However, Bentley's sister had also died by this point [2]
Tagline: The shocking story of an unbelievable miscarriage of justice.
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