Film Review of Let Him Have It

Film Review of Let Him Have It 'Let Him Have It' was a film produced in 1991. The film is directed by

Peter Medak and screenplay is by Neil Purvis and Robert Wade. It is

115 minutes long and is in full colour. The main character, Derek

Bentley, is acted by Christopher Eccleston.

The movie is a true story, based in post-war (1950's) London about a

19 year old boy wrongly hanged for murder. Derek Bentley is an easily

led boy with a low I.Q. When he is accused of a murder which he did

not commit, he is manipulated by the jury which results in him being

hanged on the 28th January, 1953. Since then his innocence has been

proven.

In this piece I will consider all the aspects of the opening four

scenes that make Bentley appear in a sympathetic light. I will look at

camera angles, music and how other media devices have been used, as

well as how characters are portrayed.

Different techniques are used in the opening scene to create sympathy

for Derek Bentley. First of all, during the opening credits we hear

sirens and panic before we see anything. The opening credits simply

use white writing on a black background; this is very plain and

creates a depressing mood. The sirens etc. cause the audience to

experience feelings of apprehension, nervousness and curiosity,

wondering what the sounds could be about. The chaos is heightened as

it is set at night; the darkness makes things more confusing. Amongst

this we see fire which makes everything appear more prominent and

terrifying. An image of a Mother and child in distress brings up the

possibility that they have lost a loved one and that people are dying.