The story is very controversial, as the justice system had made a mistake. It is argued that the court did not take into account seriously of Bentley’s mental age during the sentencing. I don’t think Bentley should have been hanged, as there was sufficient evidence to show that he had a mental age of eleven. Even when Bentley was in custody he did not attempt to escape which proved he had no intention of killing or harming anyone. Craig was more in the blame for killing the officer and should have got death penalty, as he pulled the trigger. Bentley’s life should have been spared as a lot of evidence given was bias and did not see Bentley's point of view. Bentley was also epileptic and could never think for himself and always followed someone.
Medak gains our sympathy for Derek by basing the movie around the misfortunes of his life. The opening scene of the blitz during world war II where Bentley is trapped under rubble, as soon as they lift the rubble of the see Bentley having an epileptic fit, we already sympathise for Bentley, during this scene Medak zooms in onto Bentley during the fit and reduces the volume of the background and concentrates on the sound of Bentley. This opening scene is very effective; at this point Medak has already gained our sympathy for Bentley as we he is a child who suffers from epilepsy. In our minds we see a stereotype of a child being innocent.
This scene is bias as it features on Bentley only and not on any other characters so we straightaway feel sorry for him. We see no one else’s troubles apart from Bentley’s, he emphasises on Bentley’s innocence. This automatically makes you question why it had to be him and not someone without an illness. During the blitz is not the only time we feel sorry for Bentley. During his time in approved school, not aware of what he was doing due to his mental age, he is caught stealing food with his friends. The caretaker shines light into his eyes that triggers his epilepsy and he has a fit.
When hid father is called in to the school, Bentley is sat outside the office listening to the conversation about him, this brings a emotion of sadness into his eyes, the viewers feel his pain. This is bias as Medak purposely done this for us to sympathise with Bentley and to feel his sadness.
Just before Bentley follows Craig onto the roof of the factory in south London , the camera zooms into Bentleys face, we can see fear in his eyes. We can tell from his face that he doesn’t want to do it. When he climbs up the pipe, he looks down for a split second; we see his face get a shock. With the mentality age of a eleven year old Bentley is facing fears beyond his age. We feel sorry for him that he is being forced to do something that he doesn’t want to do. During the shootout Bentley attempts to help the police but they rudely refuse. At this point we think how he would know what to do in such a situation, the police unaware of his illness mistreat him, again Medak does this deliberately.
The trial is very bias, where Medak manages to make it so affective that we sympathise the most during his trial. The court case is full of bias. The judge’s attitude towards Bentley, knowing his mental and health state, is very harsh. Through the trial Medak concentrates on Bentley’s face, which gives us the impression of a scared, vulnerable child. The judge’s eyes are concentrated on too, his eyes show the anger in him, which he can’t wait to use on Bentley’s sentencing.
During the trial we begin to hate Craig as he sits there with a smirk on his face, knowing that he won’t have to suffer. We question the justice system in this scene as a man is sentenced to death after a trial that lasts one day. When the sentence is passed, Craig receives a ten-year prison sentence, as he leaves with a grin on his face, the camera zooms into Bentley. At this point we feel very sympathetic as we can imagine how it would feel having to wait. After the death sentence, follows police commendations. At the end of this scene the camera focuses on Bentley’s face at an angle so we see the darkness on one side of his face. As he walks down the stairs, Bentley stops for a second; at this point we know that he’s scared.
His days in death row, his fear begins to come through. We see him keeping hope and always repeating that he’ll get out. When his family comes to visit Iris, Bentley’s sister doesn’t talk to him very much. We feel sorry for him as he used to talk to her a lot, but after the sentencing they just don’t know what to say to each other.
After the trial the press is a big issue, as most of the country was astonished at the sentence. Many people campaign against the sentencing, but the home secretary was bias and understood only one thing, a police officer had been killed and someone had to go down for it. His family had appealed against the sentencing; they would get the news on the day of the hanging at 8am. Bentley’s father was told pardon would be discussed after the hanging. We feel sympathy for Bentley’s father here as no father would be able to stand there being told his son would be hanged.
The execution lasted a very short time, we feel sympathetic towards Bentley, as he is confused at the speed of everything. Within a few seconds he is already dead. Bentley was hopeless; he couldn’t do anything to save his life.
I believe Medak had a message in this movie and it was to show that the justice system is not always just. He proved that no one could decide to take someone’s life. Medak was successful in delivering this message; he showed the life of someone who always followed someone else. This is a common situation in modern days. Peer pressure puts many in danger today. Medak must have had strong feelings about the death sentence and he portrayed that through Derek Bentley outstandingly in this film.
