Let Him Have It
Let Him Have It
In 1950s England, slow-witted Derek Bentley falls in with a group of petty criminals led by Chris Craig, a teenager with a fondness for American gangster movies. Chris and Derek's friendship leads to their involvement in the case which would forever shake the United Kingdom's belief in capital punishment.
匚卂尺ㄥ reviewedMarch 23, 2025
Derek William Bentley had a mental age of 11 and an IQ of 66 when he was arrested and charged with the murder of a uniformed Police Constable on an east London warehouse rooftop. Bentley was a 'follower' and had not the capability to form Criminal Intent (Mens Rea) the Defence argued. Christopher Craig (played by Paul Reynolds) was what we now call a young offender, and was the actual gunman who pulled the trigger. Christopher Eccleston brilliantly gives a truly believable portrayal of Bentley. Paul Reynolds performance will have you hating Christopher Craig. Lord Goddard was the trial Judge who sent Derek Bentley to the hangman. This movie is a must see on so many levels. A scathing indictment of a 'Justice' System which sought unmitigated revenge for what the trial judge apparently saw as an unforgivable attack on it's very self. Despite the democratic basis of the system, the Jury's recommendation for leniency was ignored.