This adaptation of the famous Robert Louis Stevenson novel (and parts of his follow-up novel, Catriona) begins at the end of the Jacobite Rebellion in 1746 with young David Balfour (Lawrence Douglas) arriving at the bleak Scottish house of his wizened and mean uncle, Ebenezer Balfour (Donald Pleasence), to claim his inheritance.
Miserly old Ebenezer first tries to murder the intractably virtuous David and then has him kidnapped and shipped off to be sold as a slave in the colonies.
Fortunately for the lad, he strikes up a friendship on the slave ship with swashbuckling fugitive Jacobite rebel Alan Breck (Michael Caine), who is fleeing following the defeat of Bonnie Prince Charlie at Culloden.
When the ship’s master, Captain Hoseason (Jack Hawkins, dubbed by Charles Gray), tries to kill Breck for his money, the two manage to get to land and set out for Edinburgh, dodging the ruthless Redcoats.
In Scotland, David meets Alan’s kinsman James Stewart (Jack Watson) and his daughter, Catriona (Vivien Heilbron).
The English Redcoats arrive, and their leader, Mungo Campbell (Terry Richards), is shot dead. James Stewart is accused and taken to Edinburgh for trial.
The rest of the film concerns attempts to rescue Catriona’s father, interspersed with a few romantic interludes and a mildly surprising finale in which the real murderer of Mungo Campbell is revealed.
There are plenty of action scenes and a strong supporting cast, including Trevor Howard, Gordon Jackson, Freddie Jones and Jack Watson.
The acting is uniformly splendid (although casting the truly cockney Michael Caine as the truly Scottish never-say-die clansman Alan Breck no doubt seemed sacrilegious to many Scots), and the Scottish Highlands look spectacular in glorious Technicolor, but the film did not perform well at the box office, resulting in many of the cast not being paid.
Alan Breck
Michael Caine David Balfour
Lawrence Douglas Catriona Stewart
Vivien Heilbron Lord Advocate Grant
Trevor Howard Captain Hoseason
Jack Hawkins Ebenezer Balfour
Donald Pleasence Charles Stewart
Gordon Jackson Cluny
Freddie Jones James Stewart
Jack Watson Riach
Peter Jeffrey Duke of Cumberland
Roger Booth Lt. Duncansby
Geoffrey Whitehead Andrew
Andrew McCulloch Barbara Grant
Claire Nielson Simon Campbell
John Hughes Mungo Campbell
Terry Richards
Director
Delbert Mann
Video
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Miserly old Ebenezer first tries to murder the intractably virtuous David and then has him kidnapped and shipped off to be sold as a slave in the colonies.
The rest of the film concerns attempts to rescue Catriona’s father, interspersed with a few romantic interludes and a mildly surprising finale in which the real murderer of Mungo Campbell is revealed.
Alan Breck
Charles Stewart
Lt. Duncansby
