The Bridal Path

This is a little gem of a movie, made in more innocent times. It's about a man who leaves a small island and travels to the Scottish Mainland in search of a bride. A succession of unfortunate events befall him, and a number of well-known British character actors make appearances. Bill Travers is a square-jawed, handsome devil, but his character has a certain amount of smug machismo that would not play well nowadays. The small town Scotland of the 1950's is very well captured, and the ending is pure Judy Garland Wizard of Oz. Don't go looking for happiness - it's back home where you left it.

This time, Bill Travers' wife, Virginia McKenna, doesn't appear. To see them at their best in black and white 50's England, watch their superb movie "The Smallest Show on Earth", also starring Margaret Rutherford and a young Peter Sellers, who plays an elderly projectionist with a penchant for silent moves and the bottle.

A whimsical and thoroughly enjoyable film that only the British could have made and then, only in the 1950s. The gentle giant hero; the stereotypical and yet reassuring secondary characters; and the most beautiful scenery combine to make this charming film well worth the look.

No blood; no special effects; no nudity (we do get a glimpse of a woman changing at the beach which was probably pretty racy in 1950s Britain); and no improbable explosions. Just a peculiar reliance on something called 'story'. There aren't any real baddies in the film just a crowd of Englishmen and some incompetent but well meaning policemen.

Well written and very funny. Most of the gags still work very well. Even my teenage son sat through this film and laughed.

Heart-warming, comforting and, in the end, highly moral film that depicts Island life with it's minor prejudices (Catholics and Campbells) with a beautiful understanding and deeply affectionate approach. Nigel Tranter, the author of the original book, wrote many great stories about Scotland and I can recommend both this film and his books wholeheartedly.

On a small Scottish island a ruling is made by the elders that no more first cousins will be allowed to marry in order to stop inbreeding and all that comes with it. Sadly for Ewan he is due to marry his first cousin. With the romance off Ewan travels to the mainland in order to get himself a wife. However several cases of mistaken intentions and mistaken identity find Ewan on the run from the police and trying to get back home.

I found this o the backwaters of channel 4 at about 4 am! I taped it as I always try to see as many different things as I can, rather than just relying on my multiplex to show me what exists in the cinematic world. The plot is very basic and a bit strange in that it admits that the islanders are inbred. However our hero is a huge man who appears strapping and not inbred at all! He sets off to find a wife but instead only fins whimsical misunderstandings and innocent humour. It's all very slight and never very funny but it has an affable mood about it and is warming if not hilarious.

Some of the accents are a bit off but most are OK. Travers plays the giant hero well and is as innocent a man as the role required. People like Cole and Terry Thomas with Scottish accents are a bit iffy but are amusing – especially Cole who was an old hand in film by 1959, having been a child actor.

Overall this is enjoyable and is interesting to see now because it's a type of film not made any more. I can't think of a single film that is recent that is as whimsical as this. The photography is great and Scotland looks beautiful in the constant sun (really – that's how it is!). An enjoyable, if slight, experience.

I haven't seen The Bridal Path in years. It used to be shown occasionally in the US but it is becoming rare that anything but American films are aired on TV. I remember the movie very well however and loved the sound track that included a Gaelic Choir in the background as Ewan tramped the West Highlands searching out a wife. The shopping list the elders gave him was hilarious. (good legs for the chickens etc) One of the funniest scenes was after he had befriended a police dog (following his arrest) they later loosed the same dog on him in pursuit. (He having escaped) Ewen was jumping into a row boat and the Alsatian jumped in and sat down beside him wagging his tail! The cinematography was beautiful as well with the glorious highlands in colour. Along with the funny story, the music and the spectacular shots it is burned in my mind as a terrific wee film. I wish it were out on DVD! Tapadh leibh, Brian Mac Sheumais Ceanadach

Bill Travers revives his "Geordie" character from that film four years earlier but now gets the accent just about right, this time as Ewan MacEwan the Hebridian country-boy Islander who makes a last effort to find and marry a mainland girl to avoid the dreaded consanguinity (the marrying of blood relations) on his island community . A series of misunderstandings and various escapades,lead to him constantly missing breakfast, dinner and tea. Pursued by the police he is finally arrested in mistake for "Mike Flanagan" leader of the "Dynamite Mob" of Glasgow salmon poachers (just as he is about to sit down for ANOTHER meal , appropriately, poached salmon!). Finally escaping the police and a pair of harpy man-eating sisters he decides there's no place like home, where, the girl of his dreams has been waiting all the time! This is a splendid heart-warming film. There are some lovely glimpses of Oban and the surrounding countryside in the 50s indeed one can visit most of the film's locations in a day out from that town. The island of Beigg (Eorsa in the book)is filmed at Easdale with the nearby Clachan bridge the site of the New Inn. Castle Stalker near Appin North of Oban sits on its islet in a blue loch north of Oban, exactly as it does today, whilst the King's House Hotel in Glencoe is where Ewan is finally nabbed by the long arm of the law. The cast include the "usual suspects" many of whom appear in many of the Scottish comedies of the time including the excellent Jameson Clark the perennial policeman. However the best line in the film goes to another copper, the splendidly dour George Cole addressing his subordinate Gordon Jackson on hearing that the notorious Flanagan Gang have been cornered at the King's House Hotel "This looks like the biggest thing we've had in this district for years Alec - get the bicycles out". Heartily recommended.