Kidnapped

This rendition is exceptional and belongs in the movie Library of anyone who loves the classics. Michael Caine makes the movie. As Allen Breck he made the character everything I felt when I read the book. He looks and talks just as I pictured in my mind. Splendid indeed. David Balfou was drab and shy in the story and I found Lawrence Douglas to be just that. I love that this version follows the true chronicle, especially in the beginning and I felt like I was truly along with the characters in every scene. Donald Pleasence played Ebenezer Balfour brilliantly and his scenes with David are true to the original story. No other movie of Kidnapped was the same for me. Captivating as only Robert Louis Stevenson can be.

This is an adaption of the famous Robert Louis Stevenson novel. I haven't read it myself but hear that this film is pretty faithful to the book. Set in the aftermath of the Battle of Culloden in 18th century Scotland, a young man is sold into slavery by his unscrupulous uncle. He is soon rescued by a Jacobite rebel who is presently an outlaw wanted by the British government. The two men form an alliance of sorts and subsequently become involved in an incident that creates various complications.

The first thing that stands out from the outset here is that the cockney actor Michael Caine is starring in the role of Alan Breck, the Jacobite rebel. It seems like it must be a bit of miscasting, as it is difficult imagining Caine in such a role, however, pleasingly he is very good here and his film star charisma is used to very good effect for this particular character. The film also benefits a lot from plenty of nice on-location photography from around Scotland. It gives the whole production more of an authentic feel. The story-line is compelling and the direction is well-paced, while the events depicted are less over-the-top than in later Scottish adventures set in historical times such as Braveheart (1995) and this for me is a good thing. The story-line eventually dove-tails to a very bittersweet ending that seems like the only appropriate way to round things off.

It is actually a bit of a testament to Michael Caine's charisma, that I didn't give this one star. As a Scot, I ought to have hated it. Oddly enough, though, it's not awful. Sure, his accent is all over the place but somehow the thrust of the story is reasonably handled. It all starts with "David Balfour" (Lawrence Douglas) trekking to his uncle "Ebenezer" (Donald Pleasance) to tell him his father has passed away. The venal old gent has no intention of sharing his meagre fortune and soon "Davie" in underway across the sea under the guidance of "Capt. Hoseason" (Jack Hawkins). That ship hits a smaller one which introduces us to the Jacobite, tartan-clad, Caine ("Alan Breck Stewart") who is on the run from King George's red coats. After literally having to fight their way off the brig they have some adventures, get caught up in an high level assassination and end up with both trying to achieve their objectives against the odds. The production is pleasing to look like, and the score sets up some lovely Scottish location photography. The cast? Well, Hawkins looks like he has had way too much port; Trevor Howard is quite effective as the duplicitous Lord Advocate and the young Douglas does fine as the naive but decent young "Balfour". It is all about Michael Caine, though - and for all it's many flaws, there is no denying that the solid underpinning adventure story serves as a strong enough bedrock for this not to end up the laughable nonsense it could have been. Not a patch on the Disney version from 1959, but I didn't hate it...

Actually, comparing with the many filmed interpretations it is a fair representation of Robert Louis Stevenson's grand story. At least it was filmed for the most part in Scotland and the lovely scenic shots add to the authenticity.

I think there have been some unfair comments made on this particular interpretation but in general I would say it deserves a far better reception than some have given.

I have no problem with the English actors playing Scottish characters, Caine here is a passable lowland Scots as Allan Breck. Actors after all are judged by their skills and interpretation of the character and that's all that matters, it would be a sad day if we have to be Scottish solely to play a Scottish character. However, I'm not sure that Caine's costume would be one anyone would be seen dead in, it was clearly awful, and hardly the sort of attire a rebel would be running around in.

What matters is, that it is a fine interpretation of Stevenson's story.

I enjoyed this movie very much. It is loosely based on two Robert Louis Stevenson novels, Kidnapped and its sequel Catriona. Those who would religiously stick to the contents of these novels will be disappointed in the adaptation. However, the film has, as it should IMHO, a world and plot of its own. Moreover, the plot is engaging and quite exciting.

The film movingly portrays a culture and political cause on the verge of destruction and the politics behind it. To a certain extent, it has to modify the plot of the two novels to effectively do so. Now it might have been nice if we could have heard the Scottish language spoken amongst the Highlanders. This absence makes it harder to portray the cultural conflict which was important both in the period and in the novels. However, we can forgive the film's makers by remembering that such was rarely done in the early 1970s.

The plot may not be entirely accurate in detail (the Appin murder, etc), but the portrayal of the Jacobite Rebellion is both very accurate and insightful, surprisingly so for a big-time film. The ending is a terrific and original attempt to convey the thoughts and psychology of a man through the medium of film.

All that aside, it is a historical adventure. One either likes that genre or doesn't. If the former, then the chances are you will like this.