The Sixth Commandment
Created and written by Sarah Phelps
Directed by Saul Dibb
Starring
Timothy Spall
Anne Reid
Sheila Hancock
Éanna Hardwicke
Annabel Scholey
Ben Bailey Smith
Executive producers Lucy Richter, Derek Wax, Sarah Phelps, Brian Woods
Producer Frances du Pille
Cinematography Rik Zang
Editors Sarah Peczek, Steven Worsley
Production companies Wild Mercury Productions, True Vision Productions
The Sixth Commandment is a four part BBC docudrama about a particularly heinous series of crimes committed by one Ben Field in 2014 and 2017 that resulted in two deaths, and an assortment of other crimes. Field was convicted in 2019 on one of those deaths and a variety of other charges, resulting in a minimum sentence of 36 years.
The series stays fairly true to the events, although of course a lot of fictional verbiage and interaction is woven into the story for narrative purposes, as is almost always the case in this genre.
However, with solid acting, good direction, and skillful plotting, this is a taut, suspenseful and gripping story of a man, possibly a narcissist and a psychopath, who used manipulation, gaslighting and incredible psychological viciousness to drive his victims to the grave and take many of their possessions.
But what makes the series a must-watch (and absolutely horrifying) is the acting performance of Éanna Hardwicke, who played Ben Field. The 26 year old turns in a performance that is subtle, understated, and completely terrifying. He is like the late James Gandolfini in that he can present a volume of ominous information and incredible menace with just a slight twitch of an eyebrow, or a barely-noticeable smirk. They could have had someone else who was competent, and it would still be a good show, but with Hardwicke, it becomes sublime, a fearless look at a monster loose in society. Timothy Spall and Anne Reid play Field’s victims, Peter Farquhar and Ann Moore-Martin, and both accomplished actors are more then fit for the task.
Rather than a police procedural, it’s more of a barrister procedural, in which the court advocates discuss and determine how to use the evidence in the way most likely to get a guilty verdict. It’s an interesting (and for Americans, very different) take on the criminal process.
Keep an eye on Éanna Hardwicke. I think he’s destined for great things.
Now on BBC.