What's the matter with people? The Black Panther is directed by Ian Merrick and written by Michael Armstrong. It stars Donald Sumpter, Debbie Farrington, Marjorie Yates, Sylvia O'Donnell, Andrew Burt, Alison Key, Ruth Dunning and David Swift. Music is by David Hewson and cinematography by Joe Mangine. Between 1971 and 1975, an armed robber turned murderer known as The Black Panther was hunted by police while the public in the North and Midlands areas of England waited anxiously. When Leslie Whittle, a 17-year-old heiress to a fortune, was kidnapped and held for ransom, it ended tragically. This is the story of Donald Neilson, an ex-soldier of Her Majesty's Forces, also known as The Black Panther. The Neilson trial concluded in 1976. Production on this movie began shortly after, which many felt was premature. Soon afterward, a storm erupted when the press and media reported it, with headlines like "sick exploitation" appearing. Even BBC’s Sue Lawley criticized it as “sick rubbish,” though she hadn't even seen the film—at that point, nobody had! It was all speculation. The film was pulled from imminent distribution in hopes of calming the uproar. A few months later, it received a limited release and was well-received by critics who considered it not exploitative but intelligent, tactful, and meticulous in its reconstructions. However, the press continued to condemn it, leading to another wave of criticism as councils began banning the film in their cities. Eventually, the picture was withdrawn, and apart from a limited, yet successful, VHS release in the early 80s, it disappeared and remained buried until now, when the BFI has released The Black Panther on DVD and Blu-ray, finally allowing Merrick and Armstrong's brilliant movie to get the exposure it deserves. There’s no avoiding the fact that the subject matter is troubling and will always be close to crossing into bad taste. Often, bigger budget films have shamefully exploited real-life horror in search of profits. The Black Panther isn’t one of those cases; it's a sharp film that asks important questions while also examining police inadequacies and press interference related to the Whittle kidnapping. Neilson is not sensationalized here; he’s portrayed as a bumbling fool once his crimes begin. His planning may be meticulous, and his army training gives him mental strength, but, as shown through real accounts and testimonies, he was an inept person in over his head. His home life reveals him to be a bully who can't let go of his military mindset, with his poor wife and daughter meekly submitting to his tyrannical ways—though they had no idea they were living with The Black Panther. How would you know if you lived with a monster fantasizing about being a master criminal? Someone capable of murder? Would you? Because lawyers thoroughly reviewed the screenplay, viewers can be assured that what is seen onscreen is factual. The only parts left to interpretation are those involving Neilson and young Lesley, as we only have Neilson’s account of these events; however, nothing is glorified, and Merrick uses admirable restraint to emphasize the sadness. The film also unfolds against a grim mid-70s British backdrop, with Neilson's crimes reflecting the gloom of a United Kingdom grappling with strikes, unemployment, racism, and troubles in Northern Ireland. It’s an interesting snapshot of the times. Dialogue is sparse, often forcing viewers to uncomfortably observe Neilson as he works and plots, smiles at his reflection, and experiences rare moments when he lowers his emotional guard. The filmmakers prompt us to ask important questions: what made Donald Neilson who he was? Who was he? And should blame be shared? Featuring an astonishing and riveting performance by Sumpter, The Black Panther is a gripping account of a terrible crime spree and the man who committed those crimes. It’s been far too long that this film has been forgotten; that itself is as much a crime as the actions taken by the hypocritical press who fought to keep it from audiences back in the late 70s. 10/10

Source on TMDB