Scotsman Jim MacKenzie (Duncan Macrae) lives in a primitive homestead in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia where he is raising his two grandsons, Harry (Jon Whiteley) and Davy (Vincent Winter who steals every scene he is in), following the death of their father in the Boer War.
As a result of his son’s death, Jim hates the Dutch, which leads to Harry brawling at school with the son of a Dutchman.
Harry falls down a cliff and is helped home by the local doctor, Willem Bloem (Theodore Bikel), a Dutchman who is in love with MacKenzie’s daughter, Kirsty (Adrienne Corri) with whom he is having a clandestine romance.
Forbidden by their grandfather to have a dog, Harry and Davy “kidnap” an unattended baby and care for the child in a deserted shack as their ‘pet’.
Filmed at Pinewood Studios and on location in the Scottish Highlands, this beautiful black & white film is a masterpiece of British cinema. It was released in the USA as The Little Kidnappers.
Director Philip Leacock was also responsible for the tremendous Reach for Glory (1962).
Jim MacKenzie (Granddaddy)
Duncan Macrae Grandma MacKenzie
Jean Anderson Harry
Jon Whiteley Davy
Vincent Winter Kirsty MacKenzie
Adrienne Corri Dr Willem Bloem
Theodore Bikel Jan Hooft Sr.
Francis De Wolff Arron McNab
James Sutherland Andrew McCleod
John Rae Dominie
Jack Stewart Tom Cameron
Jameson Clark Sam Howie
Eric Woodburn Jan Hooft Jr.
Christopher Beeny Archibald Jenkins
Howard Connell
