Let Him Have It (1991)

Director:

Peter Medak

Writers:

Neal Purvis (writer) &
Robert Wade (writer)

Release Date:

January 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | History

Tagline:

The shocking story of an unbelievable miscarriage of justice.

Plot:

In 1950s England, slow-witted Derek Bentley falls in with a group of petty criminals led by Chris Craig...

Plot Keywords:

Capital Punishment | Slow Witted | 1950s | Gangster | Friendship

Cast

Christopher Eccleston	...	Derek Bentley
Tom Courtenay	...	William Bentley
Eileen Atkins	...	Lilian Bentley
Rebecca Eccleston	...	Iris aged 10
Peter Eccleston	...	Derek Bentley aged 8
Craig Turner	...	Derek Bentley aged 14
P.J. Nicholas	...	First Boy in Shed
Bret Walker	...	Second Boy in Shed
Walter Sparrow	...	Nightwatchman
Edward Hardwicke	...	Approved School Principal (as Edward Hardwick)
Clare Holman	...	Iris Bentley
Ben Brazier	...	Denis Bentley
Paul Reynolds	...	Chris Craig
Serena Scott Thomas	...	Stella
Peter Jonfield	...	Butcher

Also Known As:

L'âge de vivre (France)

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

France | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:M | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Cranbury Road, Reading, Berkshire, England, UK

Company:

British Screen Productions

Trivia:

Mark McGann (Niven Craig) is the younger brother of Paul McGann, who played the Eighth Doctor in Doctor Who (1996) (TV). In 2005, Christopher Eccleston (Derek Bentley) succeeded the elder McGann in the role, playing the Ninth Doctor in "Doctor Who" (2005) during its first series.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene where Bentley is signing the letter to his family you can see that he is writing in upper case, but when it shows his name in close up it is in lower case.

Quotes:

Niven Craig: I just change my get up as often as I change my women.

Movie Connections:

Features "What's My Line" (1951)

Gut-wrenching

This movie is one of the saddest pictures ever made. Made even more sad by the fact that this is based on a true story. I couldn't believe this was Christopher Eccleston's 2nd movie; I hadn't seen him in anything before JUDE. I'm utterly speechless to talk about this movie. I noticed someone commented saying this is like DEAD MAN WALKING; that movie does not compare to this. Bare in mind that LET HIM HAVE IT WAS MADE 4 years before DMW. I felt this one was much, much, much more rendering and mournful. God bless you Brits for making films on social content with such potency; American audiences could take a lesson from you: SCUM, LONELINESS OF THE LONG DISTANCE RUNNER, ALFIE, ...if, TRAINSPOTTING (best movie ever made)