Showing @ Filmhouse, Edinburgh, Fri 27 Jun & Cineworld, Edinburgh, Sun 29 Jun

Skip Kite / UK / 2014 / 90 mins

It would be misleading to suggest that Tony Benn: Will and Testament is a documentary fuelled by suspense. Indeed, UK residents will likely know their opinion of the recently deceased Mr. Benn before the film even starts; generally, you either agree with him and admire his resolve, or you disagree with him – and still admire his resolve.

What drives Skip Kite’s uplifting eulogy then, is not the revelation of new information, but the honesty and warmth of its subject. Known for his unwavering socialism, Benn (who narrates) accredits his views to an upbringing that persuaded him “every decision is a moral one” – right or wrong. When learning about The Bible, Benn was taught to look at it as “the prophets against the kings” and at one point he recalls that, even as a child, what made him cry was not whether something was difficult or painful, but if it wasn’t fair.

Yet despite effective use of both new interviews and stock footage, the film’s structure is not perfect, and there are sections, such as one detailing the diaries Benn kept during parliament sessions, that fail to go anywhere. Where Will and Testament does succeed, however, is in conveying charm. Often speaking from the kitchen of his modest home, the moments where Benn mentions his wife are extremely touching. Even more satisfying, though, are those where he expresses his desire, even toward the end of his life, to always remain relevant. “I got a death threat the other day,” he relates, unfazed. “I hadn’t had one in ages. I was so chuffed!”

Showing as part of Edinburgh International Film Festival 2014