Let Him Have It - Movie Review

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Is it odd that every film about British justice is truly about its miscarriage? Let Him Have It is unfortunately a tepid entry into Britain's genre of choice. Alongside films like In the Name of the Father it pales in comparison. Christopher Eccleston (with the aid of his entire family, it seems) plays amicably well the role of a "slow-witted" man condemned to execution for his part in the murder of a cop (the film revolves around the titular phrase: Was it meant literally (surrender the gun) or figuratively (shoot the bastard)?). But this movie is so slow and artless that its message -- that, you know, we shouldn't hang retarded kids -- isn't given much power.

Facts and Figures

Year: 1991

Run time: 115 mins

In Theaters: Wednesday 1st January 1992

Distributed by: British Screen

Production compaines: Film Trustees Ltd., British Screen Productions, Canal+

Reviews

Contactmusic.com: 2.5 / 5

Rotten Tomatoes: 81%
Fresh: 29 Rotten: 7

IMDB: 7.3 / 10

Cast & Crew

Director: Peter Medak

Producer: Luc Roeg, Robert Warr

Screenwriter: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade

Starring: Christopher Eccleston as Derek Bentley, Tom Courtenay as William Bentley, Eileen Atkins as Lilian Bentley, Serena Scott Thomas as Stella, Michael Gough as Lord Goddard, Iain Cuthbertson as Sir David Maxwell-Fyfe, Tom Bell as Fairfax, Clive Revill as Pierrepoint

Also starring: Rebecca Eccleston, Peter Eccleston, Craig Turner, Bret Walker, Luc Roeg, Robert Warr, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade