Tony Benn: Will And Testament

Will And Testament is a documentary on Tony Benn’s life told in his own words from his first dabbles into politics right up to his later struggles on anti-war and the Gaza conflict.

The film combines archive TV footage with Benn interviewing to camera in an extremely intimate manner. The film covers his political life from his time in government and role in implementing the NHS right through to supporting the minors in the mid-1980s and the anti-nuclear movement & marching against the Iraq War.

Throughout the piece you get a real sense of what drives Benn and how he sought to fight against injustice and entitlement in the world. He also speaks passionately about the death of labour with Tony Blair changing the party’s ethos to the centre ground in order to win power.

The archive footage throughout is extremely well placed and in particular the speeches he gave to the miners and exerts from speeches made in the House of Commons really bring the film to life. He also touches on his personal life around the teachings from his father and when he speaks about his late wife Caroline it’s extremely moving.

Towards the end of the film for me it went a little overly sentimental showing images of Martin Luther King and Ghandi and in places it was a little slow moving however overall it’s an extremely engaging piece telling the story of a man who dedicated his life to politics with the aim of narrowing the gap between rich and poor, helping the less fortunate in society and this comes across in bounds.