★ 6 / 10
It is actually a bit of a testament
CinemaSerf
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 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...
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★ 7 / 10
Colorful flick developing events about battle of Culludon with superb cinematography in Tecnicolor and powerful score
ma-cortes
This classic story of romantic adventure by Daniel Mann , filmed in location , comes to life enriched by the brilliant photography , as the color of the…
This classic story of romantic adventure by Daniel Mann , filmed in location , comes to life enriched by the brilliant photography , as the color of the Scotland's fields is stunning and being freely based on historical events . A good clean fun with a legendary Scottish adventurer against the British army , the Red Coats . In 18th century Scotland , during the Jacobite Rebellion , David Balfour (a feeble Lawrence Douglas) claims his inheritance from his uncle (Donald Pleasence who turns a fine studio of evil) , but he is sold as a slave who has him shanghaied on a ship where David meets fugitive Jacobite rebel , a Highland patriot called Alan Breck (the cockney Michael Caine who gives a lift just when it needs it most ) . Breck is a dash and adventurous rebel who is escaping from Bonnie Prince Charlie's defeat at Culludon . As they getaway from the slave ship and return to battle the British ."Kidnapped" is an amusing adventure movie that certainly hits the mark ; being plenty of action , thrills , colorful cinematography , luxurious costumes and catching score ; all meld together under Delbert Mann's fine direction . Although the story has been told before , tight filmmaking and nice acting win out . Combination of overwhelming battles , and full of villainy , romance , swashbuckler and heroism . This version covers both the novel "Kidnapped" and the first half of its sequel "Catriona¨ . It is a little slow , at times , in the telling , mainly because of the stolid acting of the sad couple playing David and Catriona . As Lawrence Douglas seems a little frail for the adventurous David Balfour and Vivien Heilbron is hardly casting as Catriona Stewart . But Michael Caine is magnificent , though uneasily cast with his cockney accent , he lends the part sufficient swashbuckling gusto to make it work . As Caine play his character with rush and swagger . The support cast is frankly excellent -though many of them were not paid because of cash problems- such as Trevor Howard as Lord Advocate , Donald Pleasence as Ebenezer Balfour , Gordon Jackson as Charles Stewart , Freddie Jones , normally seen in comedy characters , as Cluny and Jack Hawkins who had lost his voice in 1966, was dubbed by Charles Gray . The Scottish Highlands are a treat for your eyes in glamorous Technicolor similarly to recent TV series ¨Outlander¨ . Being luxuriously shot by Paul Beeson , he was also the Director of Photography for the film Kidnapped (1960) . Sensitive as well as thrilling musical score by Roy Budd . The movie was well directed by Delbert Mann (Separate tables, Desire under the Elms, Marty) . However , the film would be a failure and panned by critics , it nowadays is best considered . The flick will appeal to adventures buffs .They are several versions based on Robert Luois Stevenson classic novel , though producers do seem to choose the most unlikely players to perform Stevenson's Alan Breck : the American Warner Baxter , subsequently Australian-raised Peter Finch , then , the Cockney Michael Caine and finally the New Yorker of Italian descent Armand Assante . These are the followings : 1938 produced by Daryl F Zanuck , directed by Alfred Werker with Warner Baxter , Freddie Bartholomew , Arlene Whelan , John Carradine . 1960 a Disney movie by Robert Stevenson with Peter Finch , Jamez MacArthur , Peter O'Toole . 1955 Cable rendition by Ivan Passer with Armand Assante , Brian Blessed , Brian McCardie , Patrick Malahide .
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