Thanks everyone for the R/R/Cs, still much appreciated.
Well ciao seems to have settled down now......
Thanks everyone for the R/R/Cs, still much appreciated.
Well ciao seems to have settled down now... but how long will it be before they 'fix' the site again..????
(still on dooyoo with same name)
Member since:04.09.2006
Reviews:456
Members who trust:111
Director: Peter Medak. Writers: Neil Purvis and Robert Wade. Producers: Jane Frazer, Luc Roeg, Robert Warr and Jeremy Thomas Stars: Christopher Eccleston, Paul Reynolds, Tom Courtenay and Eileen Atkins.
Released in 1991 this near two hour film, based on the true events in Croydon on November 1952 which changed a families life forever as one man is sentenced to death for his part in the shooting of a police officer… only for a total miscarriage of justice to be uncovered.
** BRIEF PLOT **
Derek Bently, (played by Christopher Eccleston) is a mentally challenged young man, coming from a very nice family, but he is easily led by others, especially his best friend Chris Craig, (played by Paul Reynolds), and his small gang of wanna-be gangsters. The gang spend most of their time wandering the streets getting up to o good, usually only minor criminal activities… simply more
out of boredom than malice. Unfortunately, on a cold November night Derek and his pal Chris are caught by the police on the roof of a warehouse they are breaking into, but suddenly Chris reveals a gun and begins shooting indiscriminately… killing one officer and injuring another… But with Bentley shouting "Let him have it Chris…" just before the fatal shot he is accused alongside Chris with the murder of a PC Sidney Miles, although he never actually pulled the trigger…
** IN CONCLUSION **
I'd heard about Derek Bentley and his alleged criminal activities so I thought I'd watch this when it came on the television recently.
When I first started to watch this movie I wasn't expecting much as the opening scenes flickered on the screen… I instantly presumed it was going to be a bit of a 'B' movie type with bad acting and an even worse script… But how wrong I was… it soon turned out to be one of the most moving films I have ever seen in my life… knowing that this poor sole (Bentley) was wrongly accused and treated in such a barbaric way, considering his rather immature mental attitude on life… What a remarkably touching movie… and what an utter travesty for the Bentley family.
The action is slow but considering it IS based on true facts you can't be adding all sorts of inappropriate crap just to boast the ratings…this one simply sticks to the basic facts and creates a master piece…(with the director Peter Medak having a hand in the brilliant Krays movie a year earlier).
The all round acting is fantastic and makes the movie worth watching over and over again… Paul Reynolds with his dodgy suits and his almost psychotic expressions really does give this movie a tenseness of its own…his great skills as an all rounder really coming to the surface.
And as for Christopher Eccleston, well, he simply takes his part to the limit, showing the world just how good this new actor really is… almost becoming the 19 year old Bentley with a mental age of a preteen… opening up his acting career with an outstanding performance which can only be described as pure brilliance.
The sadist thing about this movie is the knowledge that it IS based on the real life events regarding the total mess which was the justice system and how one simple mistake led to a once happy family being totally ripped apart… And what is worse is that by the time Derek Bentley was pardoned his close relatives had all passed away, all in the knowledge that justice had NOT been served.
* Would I recommend this…?
Well of all the movies I have ever seen I would have to say that this one is one of the best… it may not be action packed or filled with CGIs to entertain the younger viewers but the story is well told and knowing that this poor young man was an actually living being makes this movie a very touching piece of work.
This movie is a must for every one to watch at least once, if only to see just how British justice can be so wrong… taking the life of an innocent man, and not just any man, but a man who never really knew the difference between right and wrong…
If you want to get a copy of this brilliant film Can be bought from amazon for less than a fiver, and for what this story is about it is a complete bargain…
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Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Let him have it. These words, uttered during a shootout by 19-year-old Derek Bentley, ... more
sealed his fate. But what did they mean? Was Derek telling Chris Craig, his psychotic partner, to shoot an approaching cop... or, as the defence contended, did he jus...
![Let Him Have It [DVD] [1991]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78501341.jpg "Let Him Have It [DVD] [1991]")
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