Let Him Have It was released in the UK on 4 October 1991.
Based on the 1953 execution of 19-year-old Derek Bentley, an “illiterate, epileptic with developmental disabilities,” who was found guilty of the murder of a police officer, the film was considered responsible for re-introducing the case to the public consciousness and helping overturn his conviction in 1998 (Elvis Costello had included a song about the case, “Let Him Dangle” on his 1989 album Spike).
Bentley’s conviction rested on the phrase “Let him have it,” which Bentley yelled at Christopher Craig, who shot the police officer (Bentley was unarmed). The defense argued that Bentley was telling Craig to hand his gun over, while the prosecution argued that he was instructing the 16-year-old Craig to shoot. Both Bentley and Craig denied that the phrased had ever been used.
While Bentley was sentenced to death, Craig was sentenced to prison, where he served 10 years. Capital punishment was abolished in England in 1965.
Neal Purvis and Robert Wade’s screenplay was praised for “sticking close” to the facts of the story, and 27-year-old Christopher Eccleston received positive reviews for his portrayal of Bentley. The film was released in the US in January 1992.
