Rob Roy: The Highland Rogue

Release Date: October 26, 1953

The setting for this movie is the early 18th century in Scotland. Several clans rose up against King George I, wanting to replace him with James Stuart. Eventually all clans gave in, except for the MacGregors, led by Rob Roy. After a battle at the beginning of the movie, Rob Roy is arrested, but he escapes and makes his way home. He marries the girl he loves, but on their wedding night a small army is sent by the Duke of Montrose to arrest him. 

Rob Roy escapes by going over a waterfall, and sneaks back home. The MacGregor clan has been forbidden to use its name and Killearn threatens to tax them for every last penny and piece of land. Rob Roy threatens to retaliate for anything done to his clan. He carries out this threat until the Duke of Montrose sends Killearn to arrest Rob's mother to set a trap. A battle ensues, and his mother is killed.

Blinded by rage, hatred, and vengeance, Rob Roy leads his clan against Killearn and the "red coats" stationed with him. The MacGregor clan lays siege to their fortress. Meanwhile, in London, Rob Roy is already becoming a legend. The Duke of Montrose requests an army of 6,000 men to attack the MacGregor clan and kill Rob and his followers. At the same time, the Duke of Argyll, one who is sympathetic towards Rob, goes before the king to beg for a pardon. He believes truth and diplomacy are better than violence.

In a movie full of action and that could have glorified violence in the name of honor, I loved the message about violence not being the answer. As Rob pursued revenge against his enemies, he was becoming just as brutal as they were. After taking a fort and killing Killearn, Rob Roy and his clan vow to fight to the last man. At this point, Rob's wife Helen Mary steps in and scolds them.

"Ay, you're brave men! And when the English armies come and set the whole Highlands aflame and bravely you'll die to the last man. And then nothing will be left of the clan MacGregor, nothing but the women and the burned houses and the fatherless bern to tell of your glorious deeds. You think I'll sing your praises then, Robert MacGregor? No. I'll say that once you were a man that wanted to save your people... I honored you then, but I do not honor you now."

What a great reminder of the senselessness of violence, hatred, and vengeance!

The movie doesn't have a lot of humor, but there is a fun scene where Rob goes to the MacPherson home to ask Helen to marry him. Helen's father decides that moment is a perfect time to clean and practice his bagpipes. It's obvious that he is doing it on purpose and it made me laugh. The humor in this scene is immediately contrasted in the next when the wedding celebration is interrupted by Rob's arrest.

In his autobiography, Richard Todd talks about the adventures they had while filming this movie. Hundreds of "actors" used for the soldiers were actually part of a real battalion that had just returned from Korea. In his own words, Todd said, "That they entered into the fray with a will would be an understatement. I was soon to see why the medical unit and ambulances had been provided." Over a hundred injuries were treated after the first day due to the overzealous soldiers!

Richard Todd did not go without an injury himself! In the opening sequence, shortly after charging on the redcoats, he stepped in a rabbit hole and suffered an injury that incapacitated him for a short while! Filming on location in Scotland certainly had its excitement! Another funny story is while in Scotland, they toured places owned by descendants of the characters they were portraying. At one point, they visited a farm and when a woman opened the door, Richard Todd's companion introduced him as Rob Roy. The woman lost it, thinking it was the ghost of the real Rob Roy!

This is the final movie that Richard Todd made with Disney, and his acting in it is excellent! I also love that he got to act alongside Glynis Johns and James Robertson Justice again! Everyone played their part so perfectly. It's a shame that Richard Todd didn't do more films with Disney, because all three movies he starred in were wonderful and well worth watching!

The Sword and the Rose

Release Date: July 23, 1953

Richard Todd had many positive things to say about working on this film. These lines come from his autobiography, Richard Todd In Camera: "It now seemed that I would be working for Walt Disney for the next year or more, and I could not have wished for a pleasanter prospect... I soon found that working again on a Disney film, as with Robin Hood, had a special quality about it quite unlike the atmosphere on any other production. There was very much a family ambiance, a feeling of harmony... I look back on those Disney days with great warmth - they were such fun! Although we all worked hard and well together, we also laughed a lot - especially Glynis and myself, the two worst gigglers in the business."

I imagine this must have been a very fun movie to make. Glynis Johns is absolutely hysterical in her role as Mary Tudor. The banter between her and her brother Henry the VIII (played by James Robertson Justice) is such a delight! Henry may be the king, but Mary Tudor is not someone who will be bossed around. Her tricks had me laughing out loud several times during the film.

Richard Todd plays the role of Charles Brandon. He is a commoner, but Mary Tudor falls in love with him. The king wants his sister to marry the aged king of France. Determined to make her own destiny, the princess decides to sneak away with Charles Brandon on a ship bound for America. When plans don't work out, the princess is forced back to the castle and Charles Brandon is arrested and thrown in the Tower of London.

Mary finally agrees to wed the King of France, as long as her brother will allow her to select her second husband once the king dies. She confides in her friend the Duke of Buckingham and asks for his help to release Charles Brandon from prison and to wait for her. Unbeknownst to her, the Duke of Buckingham has long loved the princess and despises his rival. He arranges to have Charles Brandon killed, and wrongly believes he is successful.

Later, while retrieving Mary Tudor from France after the king's death, the duke tries to force the princess to marry him. Charles Brandon arrives in time to fight the duke and defend the woman he loves. The climax of the movie is a swordfight on the beach, where a wounded Brandon must prove himself to be superior to his opponent in order for love to prevail.

I could watch this movie over and over. It is a delightful film and the actors do such a tremendous job! If you haven't seen this gem, I highly recommend watching it!