The Adventures Of Greyfriars Bobby (2005)
Director: John Henderson
Movie review
From Time Out London
Are we perhaps heading for a spate of live-action animal flicks? Following hot on the heels of ‘Lassie’ comes this similarly-styled British tale of canine loyalty about a fluffy mutt that allegedly stayed beside his Scottish master’s graveside for 14 years. Call me pernickety, but according to the history books – and a statue in the grounds of Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh – the original eponymous mutt was a Skye terrier, a scruffy, dark-haired pooch with a cute, mischievous face. In this film, though, he’s represented as a frankly character-less white West Highland terrier – ‘for practical considerations’. But enough canine discrimination already.It’s 1858, and Bobby and his master, PC John Gray (Thomas Lockyer), live and work in Edinburgh’s deprived Old Town, keeping crime at bay and performing a sterling service at calming runaway bulls on market day. Soon after the opening credits, Gray succumbs to TB and is buried in the grounds of Greyfriars Church, whereupon the dog begins his interminable ritual. Of course, the locals are besotted with the little fella and none more so than good-natured Tam-O'-Shanter-clad youngster Ewan (Oliver Golding), who comes to the pooch’s rescue when the local charity commissioner orders in the dog catchers.
In order to keep the kids focused,director John Henderson pads out this amiable little film with a cross-country adventure, a collapsing house, a scary cellar and an ‘Oliver’-style workhouse. It’s hardly riveting stuff, but it’s authentically mounted and imaginatively cast. Just a shame it’s not very emotionally satisfying. Still, the Scottish Tourist Board will doubtless be clicking its heels at the prospect of a whole new tranche of visitors.
Author: DA
Time Out London Issue 1851: February 8-15 2006
Cast & crew
Director: John Henderson
Producer: Christopher Figg
Cast: James Cosmo, Oliver Golding, Christopher Lee, Gina McKee, Greg Wise, Sean Pertwee, Ardal O'Hanlon full cast
Genre(s): Action/Adventure, Children's
Rated: PG
UK Release: Feb 10 2006
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
A Bond a day: No.7 'Diamonds Are Forever'
Join Time Out as we revisit the 21 official James Bond movies to celebrate the release of 'Quantum of Solace'
Steve McQueen on 'Hunger'
Dave Calhoun meets artist Steve McQueen’s whose debut feature film, ‘Hunger’, is the story of IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands
Producer Stephen Woolley on ‘How to Lose Friends and Alienate People’
Stephen Woolley, recalls the near catastrophes he had to contend with in bringing Toby Young’s memoir to the screen
Paul Newman: 1925 – 2008
Paul Newman died at his Connecticut home this weekend, at the age of 83. We look back at one of the great movie careers of the twentieth century
Richard Attenborough: interview
‘Entirely Up to You, Darling’ is the long-awaited autobiography from Sir Richard Attenborough. David Jenkins meets him in his Richmond home
Hard hacks to follow
To celebrate the release of 'How To Lose Friends and Alienate People', Time Out pick some of the toughest journalistic gigs in cinema









What do you think?
Post your review now