LET HIM HAVE IT

UK, 1991, 115 minutes, Colour.
Christopher Eccleston, Tom Courtenay, Eileen Atkins, Craig Turner, Edward Hardwicke, Paul Reynolds, Mike Mc Gann, Murray Melvin, Clive Revell, James Villiers, Ronald Fraser, Michael Elphick, Linda Bassett, Michael Gough, Ian Cuthbertson, Tom Bell, Vernon Dobtcheff.
Directed by Peter Medak.

Let Him Have It is the story of Derek Bentley who was executed for the murder of a policeman. Bentley was partially pardoned posthumously by the then Home Secretary of the 1990s, Michael Howard. Howard declared that the hanging was wrong but that Bentley was still guilty. Later, the Court of Appeal overturned Bentley’s conviction, stating that he did not have a fair trial because of the behaviour of the trial judge, Lord Goddard. The film brought the case to public attention in the 1990s, especially in the discussions about the justice of capital punishment.

Christopher Eccleston, who has had a very successful career on the small screen as well as on the big screen (and spent a season as Dr Who), is persuasive as Derek Bentley, a young man who was mentally slow, suffered from epilepsy, was easily led by those with whom he mixed. Eileen Atkins and Tom Courtenay are very good as his parents.

The film recreates London in the period of gangsters and the Krays (and Peter Medak directed The Krays a year earlier than this film).

The film raises all the issues of responsibility, guilt, peer pressure as well as law and order and issues of justice.

The film was directed by Peter Medak, who came from Hungary to London after the 1956 uprising. He has worked mainly in television but has directed a number of significant films at different films at different periods including The Ruling Class and A Day in the Death of Joe Egg in the 1970s, Zorro the Gay Blade in the 1980s and The Krays and Let Him Have It in the 1990s.

The title comes from an ambiguous statement on the roof when there is the confrontation between the criminals and the police – and whether the police meant that they should let Bentley have it or give him what he asked for.

1. The title, the quote, its meaning? Fate, justice? The state and the people condemning people to death – letting him have it?

2. London in the 1940s and 1950s, the aftermath of the war? The suburbs? The re-creation of the period? The fire, the school, homes, the neighbourhood? Costumes and décor? The musical score?

3. The film based on a true story? Characters, situations? The message about justice?

4. The prologue, the fire? After the war and the injury? The boys and being caught vandalising? School? The effect? The issue of mental age and mental capacity?

5. The scenes at home with the Bentleys, the children alone, Derek and his sister and support, bonds? The parents, the father’s expectations? The record and Jo Stafford? Going out, buying things? The girl, the fear, the sister’s return? The parents pleased? The outing, the dog? Derek venturing out?

6. The portrait of the family, the father and his strictness, expectations and severity? The mother and her tenderness? The sister – life, concerns, bonds and hopes?

7. The portrait of Chris Craig? His energy, being part of the group, modelling himself on James Cagney? Clothes and manner? Friendship? Derek and his resistance? Craig as attractive, talking, wandering around the neighbourhood, the butcher etc? His brother and style? The girls?

8. School, the kids with the guns, the teacher? The approved school principal?

9. Sunday nights, Chris, Vincent, being forbidden to go out, going out, the plans, Derek and the consequences?

10. The brother, thug, meeting Derek, the cars and the burglary, the girl and the betrayal, the treatment, Chris, the judge – angers?

11. The plan, the butcher and the keys, the knuckleduster, going in, being seen, going up, the police and the reaction, Derek and the arrest – and the statement, “Let him have it”? His not running?

12. Chris and his defiance, James Cagney at the end of White Heat? The shooting, taunting? The killing?

13. The police, the reactions to the group, their angers, shooting, death and the funeral?

14. The portrayal of the trial, it being over quickly, the questions, the evidence? The lawyers, the behaviour of the judge? The jury and their decision? Issues of mercy?

15. Derek and his reaction, Chris and his anger? The guards, Derek being good, the visits?

16. The petitions for clemency, letters, the father and his effort, the visits? The collapse of the case?

17. Derek and his preparation for death, the letter, the execution?

18. The issues in parliament – and the later exoneration, the overturning of the case? The consequences for the family? Issues of capital punishment – and the wrong person being executed?