Search - Rob Roy : The Highland Rogue on DVD

Rollicking adventure from Disney

microjoe | 09/04/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"THE STORY: Rob Roy MacGregor (Richard Todd) is the leader of the MacGregor Clan of Highlanders in Scotland in 1715, and they are unhappy with the domination by the new English king, George I. Their answer is to rebel with force. Rob Roy is declared an outlaw, and must constantly avoid capture by the British. In between he has time to court Helen Mary (Glynis Johns). Helen asks Roy to surrender as she is certain he will be killed. Rob Roy even captures Inversnaid Fort. Terrific costumes and sets in this period piece, along with high adventure and swordplay. I prefer this version of the classic story, for starters it is not depressing or exceedingly violent and gory. It is very family friendly.

BEHIND THE SCENES & TRIVIA: This was the 4th in a series of live action films shot in Britain, during a period when the assets of American companies, including the Walt Disney Studio, could not be taken out of that country due to the economic devastation they suffered during the WWII. Walt's solution to this was to set up a semi-permanent movie production team in the United Kingdom from the late 1940's to 1954, who were responsible for producing live action movies including in order "Treasure Island", "The Story of Robin Hood", and the "Sword and the Rose", and "Rob Roy". Richard Todd was the lead actor in the last 3 of the films, appearing along with many other cast and crew that shared credits on all of the films. This film was the last produced by this U.K. Disney team, and Walt did not return to film there until 1960, with "Kidnapped". Roby Roy was directed by Harold French, since Ken Annakin was prevented by his contract to work on the film as planned. Screenplay by Lawrence E. Watkin, and Walt Disney studio's marketing campaign at the time stated that is was NOT based on the book by Sir Walter Scott, but other historical documents. The tagline for the movie was, "Every minute flames with furious action!" . The matte paintings for special effects were by Peter Ellenshaw, who was hired in England to work on Treasure Island and stayed on with the studio for decades, culminating in his receipt of the Academy Award ® for Special Effects for his work on Mary Poppins. The "Scottish Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders" appeared in the film on loan from the Scottish Command of the British War Office, appearing as the British soldiers in the movie. One reviewer here thought this was created as a "Wonderful World of Disney" television show two part episode. But actually it was released to theaters first, on February 4, 1954 in the US in glorious Technicolor. It had already premiered in England on October 26, 1953. Two years later it aired as a two-episode title on ABC television's "Walt Disney Presents Disneyland" on October 3 and 10, 1956. The title "Wonderful World of Disney" was not used until 1970. In the second episode Disney had to produce some filler material, so they used scenes from "The Mickey Mouse Club Newsreel" of Scottish bagpipers. There is an animated segments on persistence, using scenes cut from "So Dear to My Heart." The 85 minute movie edit of the film, not the TV edit, was first released to VHS in 1985. Neither the video or the DVD in current release includes the extras created for the television viewing in 1956.
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Fighting for Scotland's freedom

Chrijeff | Scranton, PA | 11/14/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Based upon Sir Walter Scott's novel Rob Roy (Oxford World's Classics), this is a Wonderful World of Disney double segment focusing on the struggle of the Scottish clans against the Hanoverian Royal House of England in 1715. Rob Roy MacGregor (Richard Todd), known as "Robin" (and a sort of Robin Hood to his countrymen), is a leader of the Jacobites and the chief of his clan, a patriot who long resists the prospect of marrying his sweetheart, Helen Mary MacPherson (Glynis Johns) for fear of leaving her a widow, but is finally persuaded to follow his heart--only to have his wedding feast invaded by a force of British redcoats with the news that his clan has been excluded from the general amnesty negotiated by the Duke of Campbell (James Robertson Justice). Outraged, he takes to the heather as an outlaw to continue the fight, and his efforts earn him admiration all the way to London, where even King George I (Eric Pohlmann) and his indispensable Countess (Ina de la Haye) find the ballads of his exploits irresistible.

Though not fully faithful to either history or Sir Walter's original, this movie stands on its own merits as a tale of adventure and patriotism (as seen from several viewpoints) and includes plenty of rousing action and rugged scenery (it was filmed partly in rural Scotland). Rob Roy is a sympathetic and human character with his full share of flaws, and the supporting cast (including Johns, Justice, Pohlmann, Jean Taylor Smith as Rob Roy's mother, Michael Gough as the Duke of Montrose, and veteran Finlay Currie as Helen Mary's uncle, innkeeper Hamish MacPherson), is excellent. There's a lovely surprise twist at the end, too. This is a Disney Movie Club exclusive that will fit well into any family collection."

THE HIGHLAND ROGUE???

Mrs. Flora Holmes | NEWMAINS,LANARKSHIRE, SCOTLAND | 09/30/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"WELL I DON'T KNOW THAT ROB ROY WAS A HIGHLAND ROGUE,BECAUSE IN THE MOVIE...RICHARD TODD WAS SOMETHING OF A HERO...LOOK AT "BRAVEHEART" WILLIAM WAS VERY MUCH THE HERO, ANYWAY RICHARD TODD WAS INDEED ROB ROY, A FINE PERFORMANCE, AND REALLY A GOOD MOVIE, THEY JUST DON'T MAKE THEM LIKE THAT ANYMORE!"

The story of Robin Hood

Kenneth J. White | Albion Park NSW Australia | 04/24/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Movies of this period were well directed certain scenes were'nt shoved into ones face with all the realism the camera could muster. Story flowed "Rob Roy The Highland Rogue" has lived on in the mind of imagination for many a year, can we really expect the movie of today will do so?"