Rob Roy il bandito di Scozia

Walt Disney's follow-up to THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD AND HIS MERRIE MEN (1952) is this similar epic about another legendary outlaw (emanating from Scotland this time around). He is once again played by Irishman Richard Todd (who has just passed away at the venerable age of 90) and the film even re-unites the actor with his three co-stars from yet another period outing from the Disney Studios, THE SWORD AND THE ROSE (1953), namely Glynis Johns, James Robertson Justice and Michael Gough. For some reason, the film is fairly maligned (awarded a measly *1/2 by the "Leonard Maltin Film Guide"!) but I rather enjoyed it, while readily admitting to be the least of Disney's three colorful adventures derived from the pages of English history. In traditional Disney fashion, the familiar events were simplified (though by no means rendered juvenile, as would often prove the case later) but there is enough sprawling action and engrossing drama – to say nothing of the beautiful scenery captured in gleaming Technicolor – to please most audiences. Similarly, characterization for this type of larger-than-life fare is pretty much standard but, given careful casting all round, it emerges as forceful rather than clichéd; besides, at a terse 81 minutes, the film has little chance of outstaying its welcome. Incidentally, I had found the flabby, oddly uninvolving and ill-cast 1995 remake (which had garnered critical praise and at least one top Oscar nod back in the day) a major disappointment on my sole viewing so far!

Although not based on Sir Walter Scott's novel of the same name, I found "Rob Roy" a most entertaining effort. Splendidly acted throughout, particularly by James Robertson Justice (as the sympathetic Campbell), Michael Gough and Geoffrey Keen (two wonderful villains), and Eric Pohlmann (a truly charismatic performance – one of his best – as King George), "Rob Roy" emerges as a rousing adventure yarn with plenty of swashbuckling excitement, hair's breadth escapes, and even a bit of humor and romance. French has directed in rousing style. He has an eye for both the pictorial and dramatic possibilities of real locations. Supporting technical credits are absolutely first-class, featuring fine scenic photography and a handsomely atmospheric music score.

If you're looking for a perfect swashbuckler in which people sound like stage Scots, ye can nae do better than this movie about the Scottish cattle thief and protection racketeer whom the early 18th-Century press, along with highwaymen, romanticized into heroes; the magnificently idiotic image was perfected by Sir Walter Scott and so we have this flick.

Disney went full English with this, shooting at Elstree and the Highlands with a British cast, and the care shows, particularly with Guy Green's beautiful oil-painting Technicolor lighting. Richard Todd gives a fine performance in the traditional, anachronistic costume; Glynis Johns (who is still with us as I write this) has never been cuter; Finlay Currie was never more Scottish; and John Robertson Justice, as the Duke of Argyll, plays his role as befitting a man whose name is John Robertson Justice, even though his real middle name was Norval.

Obviously this was not a big enough hit to make it an attraction at Disneyland. Maybe that was down to the fact that RKO,who distributed the film,were at the time in some disarray due to the ownership of Howard Hughes.

It is a reasonably entertaining film,well photographed in Technicolour. It has to be said that Richard Todd doesn't quite make the same impact as Robert Newton did in Treasure Island.

He is supported by lots of familiar character actors, particularly Finlay Currie and Eric Pohlman.. I always find it funny when you see Scots depicted as fighting bare chested. Didnt anyone that it is freezing in Scotland and they would have died of hypothermia before reaching the battlefield.

One of Disney's better historical pictures with excitement and plenty of action to satisfy moviegoers of all ages. Richard Tod stars in the title role as the rogue clan leader and is primarily a British production, as it was filmed mainly in Scotland and the film contains mostly British actors. Our hero leads raids and uprisings against British troops and the main thrust of the film is his efforts to get amnesty for his MacGregor clan in return for a truce. The main nut is that the English might be so inclined, but not for Rob Roy himself. Lots of battle and chase scenes throughout the picture keep the action moving.

This film is much better than the write-up given it in Maltin's. For some reason the reviewer thought very little of it and gave the film a bad review. As is often the case, you must judge for yourself, because in my opinion it is one of the better family-oriented action films from the Disney studio.

7/10 - The website no longer prints my star ratings.