Let Him Have It

912 Words2 Pages

Let him have it

The film ‘let him have it’ is based on a true story: however the director gives us facts from his own viewpoint. Focusing on the first three scenes, show how the director persuades us to feel sympathy for Derek Bentley, and how he attempts to influence opinions concerning capital punishment.

‘Let Him Have it’ is set in 1952 and based on the true story of the case against Derek Bentley, who was hanged for the murder of an officer named Sidney miles. While Bentley did not directly play a role in the murder of the officer, he received a more deadly punishment than the shooter Christopher Craig (who was below the age of 18).

It stars Christopher Eccleston (derrick Bentley) who is known for ‘our friends in the north,’ ’28 days later,’ ‘Dr who’ Paul Reynolds (Christopher Craig) who is known for ‘absolutely fabulous’ ‘lucky you’ Robert Morgan (PC Miles)who is known for ‘doctors’ ‘Midsomer murders’

The story is about two young boys, who become good friends and who are caught committing a crime. Derek was easy led so the director uses this to show how easy influenced Derek was by Chris. During the scene of the crime Derek shouts at Chris to ‘let him have it’ but not meaning start shooting but Craig starts to fire at officers. Dc Fairfax heard what Derek said and misunderstood the meaning of it and thought that Derek was encouraging what Chris was doing. Craig then shoots an innocent officer in the head with one shot and is then later arrested and taken to court along with Derek. Once taken to court both got found guilty but Derek got a much worse punishment than Craig even though it wasn’t him who took the life of the officer.

Peter Medak directed the film in his own opinion. He had many ways in which...

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...r uses close ups and particular camera angles such as when he was with the group of kids breaking into the shed. He shows Derek in trouble but making it seem like it’s never his fault. He shows you how people use aggressive language towards Derek but him never retaliating back but only using a polite tone. The director only shows his point of view which could seem biased but he felt that Derek was railroaded by the British justice system and this needed to be shown to the public. The film made people feel sorry for Derek and helped people to understand the situation he was put in.

I believe that capital punishment is a mixture of right and wrong. It’s right because if some ones willing to commit a crime then they should be willing to pay the consequences for it but in cases like Derek Bentleys its wrong because an innocent life was taking without enough reason.

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