How does Peter Medak create sympathy for Derek in ‘Let Him Have it’ Essay

Peter Medak order this Film from a truly biased tiptop of view. He presents one side of an opinion in this case sympathetic to Derek Bentley though exact events argon not certain. At nine am on the morning of the 28th January 1953 Derek William Bentley was hanged at Wandsworth Prison London, as an accomplice to a murder which was committed by a friend in the course of a sousebery attempt, it created a cause clbre leading to a 45 year farsighted and ultimately successful campaign to win him a posthumous pardon. The Trial took place before lord Chief of referee for England and Wales, Lord Goddard, at the octogenarian Bailey London. Medak gains a lot of sympathy for Derek by screening his misfortune through proscribed.The beginning of the film indicates a truly somber atmosphere. Immediately after the credits we gamble a Blitz conniption with Derek buried to a embarrasseder place the rubble of an old building during the bombing. As an interview you soon realize that he h as suffered a physical, genial and emotional trauma which has left him with brain dam geezerhood.In the next scene Derek is four years some clock time(a) causing mischief vandalizing a shed with a group of other boys. The boys, however, are rumbled and managed to escape only when Derek overhears caught and, put in a difficult situation, experiences an epileptic fit.We fast forward again a hardly a(prenominal) years, the tv photographic tv camera moves d experience a corridor towards Derek sitting feeling concerned outside the Heads authorisation of the Kingswood Approved School he had been admitted to. The decision is make that he is to be released hold upially because of his low take aim intelligence, that of an eleven year old. The scene foreshadows what happens later from what is express you get a real sense that the institutions of confederation are much more powerful than the private in this case, Derek. Justice is firmly against him, although it is apparent th ither is nothing criminal or so him.Ashamed of what happened, Derek becomes a recluse and does not leave the house. Within his own world he feels comfortable exactly as soon as he leaves the he begins to limn his vulnerability. We then come across Chris Craig for the first time as he sees Derek from the street corner he is completely over dressed and it is evident he is a confident character, a tilting apoplexy upwards signifies this. there is a muscular contrast surrounded by the twain Chris, 16, tries to emulate and pretend to be a gangster with a strong Ameri suffer square up around the time of Al Capone and Prohibition. Derek who had very micros copper colorical contact with the outside world and has only dependable discovered a love of music. Their style and behavior differ as well. Despite Chris small elevation he constantly manipulates people around him and because Derek nave, he is easily persuaded. The scene in which the twain meet is set beside the train lin e. The sound of a train approaching almost builds tension and gives you a sense of resounding force Derek is up against exit you asking, what events will follow?Derek soon becomes more acquaint with Chris and begins to feel a sense of belonging. From being with Chriss clique he soon makes the connection that to get what he wants he needs money.It is rather scant(p) to forget Chriss age. In the next scene he is a part means at domesticate exchanging various objects for weapons. Because the film is set in a post second world war period, in that respect were a lot of guns around which made their itinerary into the hands of the youngsters. It becomes low-cal Chris actually uses the guns whereas the others in his class of his age do not. This is vital to the Tamworth road scene. As their teacher enters there is a high tiptoe shot looking over the class, showing the students insufficiency of power (authority).Derek is physically large and appears strong but is of a gentle nature .Derek becomes more and more snarled in the gang and is given a blue sky crown by Niven Chriss associate who, noticing his physically large stature, perhaps had an intention of using him. This jacket is however a light blue a contrary colour to the black they were wearing so this does send word he is still an outsider.When Derek returns home, his fathers suspicions are brocaded to the highest degree his whereabouts. Through questioning it is obvious he is not any good at duplicity nor does he act well nether pressure, he has to rely on his sister to help him.Reluctantly, Derek has to down the stairs-take a physical test so he can be exc utilise from national service, due to his epilepsy, as an audience you feel sorry for Derek as they didnt believe him. Despite his appearance Derek is shown in an organic close up as vulnerable, unable to turn out up for himself.Derek is excused from service and is deemed subnormal. At this stop Dereks self-worth is low and his parents ta lking about him makes matters worse. next this we see Chriss brother struggling in a feud with the natural law. subsequently seeing his brother assay to shoot his bureau out of leash its as if it is no longer a game for Chris and he is hardened by the sequence as his brother is destined to twelve years imprisonment. His beneficial hand man however is not aerated which leads you to think Dereks fate would be the equivalent in just such an occurrence.Bentley does try to stomach the lure of the gang but is drawn back, as he goes to see Chris there is a establishing shot on Derek to show empowerment on his part (he had obtained the key to the butcher where he had been humiliated a number of times). At this point Chris appears at his weakest. We are reminded of his adolescence wearing his PJswith toy cars and a gun on his bedside table.Derek and the gang join forces once again the camera lingers on Derek signifying that is not entirely sure what he is up against, whereas the cam era looks up at Chris trying to exert his power. By this point Derek is in a black coat like the others, perhaps to suggest he is no longer an outsider. Their plan to rob the butchers doesnt materialize so Chris and Derek attempt to break into Barlow and Parker (confectionary wholesale and manu featureurer warehouse) via the roof. The camera looks down on Derek once again and up at Chris as he shouts from above.Even at this point the two are messing around. In this scene the action is in the first place focused on Chris as he fires a revolver aimlessly into the air as the police arrive and detective Sergeant Fairfax reaches the lift-housing. In a pivotal part of the film Derek is placed under arrest but breaks free and shouts Let him begin it Chris which can be perceived in different ways but resulted in Dereks condemnation as he was said to have mentally aided murder. Derek stands up to Chris but to no prevail. The camera looks down on Chris as he exhausts his ammunition, he is c onsequently left powerless. Cornered, Chris jumped some thirty feet from the roof, fracturing his anchor and left wrist when he landed on a greenhouse. At this point, he was arrested.The next issue is the funeral of the policemen shot dead, Constable Sidney Miles, in the incident. The al-Qaida writing table of the time David Maxwell Fyfe is shown to say to the family of the officer Justice will be done in a vengeful tone.We quickly move to the trial, as viewers we are witnesses and not at all impartial. on that point is a whole establishing shot of the court room with the two accused looking small and insignificant in the middle of shot.The court system was in the main run and bindled by the higher classes but the justice is not necessarily shown through camera angles or office staffing as the greatest power in the room, under questioning Chris is almost in control of the judicature despite the enormous charges and the severity he still manages to cast doubt over the cour troom elders, manipulating. You continue to feel sympathy for Derek with a demur that seems to get weaker throughout even though he is as much of a victim.It is not at all surprising that Derek is caught by the prosecution under questioning and the trial begins to feel unfair towards Derek. The fact that Derek had a knuckle duster and on him used as evidence builds sympathy again as none of which were his but given to him by Chris. As tension builds, through sound effects and an positive close up we get a strong insight into his mental anguish as he struggles with his words. The camera pans around the room from Dereks position with his family solidly there in the forefront of the picture. The camera rests on Dereks father the longest as he still looks towards him more concerned about his thoughts and opinion even though the panel intelligibly depict their negative impressions.The verdict is passed by the jury with a recommendation of mercy, there is a low angle shot of Derek as h e is taken down. He appears disorientated and dizzy after the devastating sentence the picture gets darker as he is put in detention reflecting the situation. Chris is presented as a young boy as they both sit behind bars. After reading the home office psychiatric reports the Home Secretary refuses to request clemency from the Queen. This does make the efficacious system seen fallible, you feel increasing sympathy for Derek as we find out that the sentence is rarely carried out in this situation and especially since it was contreary to public opinion. There was talk that the trial was manipulated to send the public a message that of murder especially of a cop is unacceptable a point made clear by Peter Medak.The family only finds out the watchword in a slightly cruel way through a journalist. In the last confrontation between Derek and his family the camera focuses on Derek at nerve level. Once again he displays his mental age in saying will it hurt there is a strong sense of p oignancy about it.Dereks father goes to Parliament to appeal with a petition however they were not allowed to discuss Bentleys sentence until it had been carried out. In a birds eye view shot we find Dereks farther pacing up and down in a large space awaiting the MPs decision. By this point nothing can be done.The picture fades to the next scene where one of the guards is scribing for Derek in a letter, as he attempts to sign the letter we recognize he is left handed considered rough at the time and different, considering he is shown as very right sided at the beginning of the film. Dereks is shown to be understandably emotional but shows maturity, he had soreness but not the judgment. There is a long establishing shot of Bentleys street signifying morning which in tern is quite and peaceful.In the Penultimate scene the camera tracks down the stairs of the house into the living room with the clock on the mantelpiece getting louder and louder as it nears nine oclock the time of exe cution. The hie in which it takes place is quite dramatic on with it is a sense of finality.The story is controversial, because Medak has chosen a topic which had been familiar with the public not so long ago. The end sequence suggests that justice is a blunt instrument and the film in its sum raises the question of capital punishment the incorrect decisions, the dangers and whether it should be abolished.