The Black Panther (1977)

The Black Panther (1977)

The Black Panther is a 1977 British thriller film directed by Ian Merrick and starring Donald Sumpter, Debbie Farrington and Marjorie Yates. Ex-soldier turned armed robber Donald Neilson kidnaps a teenage heiress.

A true case, with details verified from primary sources and limited dramatic licence, the film was heavily attacked in the media on first release, with interviewer Sue Lawley calling the film "sick" on the BBC's Tonight programme, but John Patterson for The Guardian commented on its DVD and Blu-ray release in 2012 that it "emerges as a meticulous, tactful, well-made and highly responsible true-crime movie". (Wikimedia)

Although subsequently acclaimed for being a mature and responsible reconstruction of events on its UK home video release in 2012, the film caused such a huge media controversy on its initial release in the UK in 1977 amid claims that it was a sordid exploitation film that many local councils banned the film sight unseen and it was pulled from distribution shortly after its release. Ironically the film briefly touches on the irresponsible reporting by many of those same papers in a feeding frenzy during the Lesley Whittle kidnapping that many blame for causing the death of Donald Neilson's final victim.  (IMDB)

Why The Black Panther can hold its head up high

 

Donald Neilson died in December 2011 of motor neuron disease.