Review of Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby, The

Introduction

If you felt that Dick Van Dyke`s cockney accent spoilt `Mary Poppins` then this film is not for you. The range of weird `Edinburgh` accents in this otherwise excellent family film are truly awful.

If, like me, you`re prepared to put that to one side, then this is a surprisingly enjoyable retelling of a heart-warming legend.

`Greyfriar`s Bobby` is supposedly a true tale, and has, over the years become part of the magical mythology of Edinburgh. Originally a Skye terrier, `Bobby` is a cheeky terrier who, having lost his master (who succumbed like many before him to TB), refuses to leave his graveside for the remainder of his years, choosing to sleep upon the grave at Greyfriars in all weather. It`s a tale of devotion, tenacity, courage and love - and therefore makes a perfect narrative for a heart-warming, tear-jerking family film.

However, the story plain and simple would make anything but entertaining viewing if a little artistic licence were not taken, and some spicy historic action added to spice up the tale.


Disney first used the Greyfriar`s legend in 1960, and this new version could be seen as little more than a remake. But this new outing for Bobby (now cast as a Westie) takes the opportunity to build in some hard hitting social commentary about the inequality that raged in Britain at the time (mid-19th Century) and the squalid and dreadful conditions suffered by inhabitants of the Edinburgh old town too. It`s positively stirring stuff, with injustice after injustice adding to our heroes woes, though you can rest assured that all works out nicely in the end.

In this outing, ownership of the cute `Bobby` is accurately attributed to do-good copper John Gray, rather than `Auld Jock`, a simple shepherd, who was a fictional creation of author Eleanor Atkinson`s popular re-telling of the tale in 1912.

Whilst a little episodic, the movie does have a fine cast making their way through almost pantomime-like narratives where it`s always clear who the baddies and the goodies are.

Perhaps the best performances are those of Pickup and Pertwee who lay it on thick as the spiteful villains of the piece. Newcomer Oliver Golding does a believable and charming job as the young urchin Ewin, though he`s clearly not a native Scot.

It`s also a pleasant surprise to see the comic relief being provided by `My Hero` & `Father Ted` star Ardal O`Hanlon as a wily `man of the road` with a heart of gold, and Christopher Lee doing a powerful cameo as the town`s legal Provost.

It`s also an impressive performance by the dog (or dogs) who plays Bobby. Terriers are not renowned for their obedience and good behaviour, and I`m sure the crew will have many tales of the challenges of getting these takes right.

It`s all sumptuously shot with an impressive array of locations and elaborate studio pieces, giving the whole outing a big budget Hollywood feel.

The film is an emotional roller-coaster ride which will have the whole family dabbing their eyes with tissues one minute, and laughing aloud the next.

Video

Absolutely superb anamorphic 16:9 transfer. Beautifully shot and edited, this is a flawless piece.

Audio

A serviceable Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack. The score is very evocative and the mix throughout full and emotive.

Features

None - which seems a wasted opportunity. With a dog on set, the outtakes were sure to have been voluminous, and there was surely enough here of interest to have made a `making of` which would have been great fun for dog lovers. It`s also surprising that there`s no related `Greyfriars Bobby` documentary. Having said that, maybe its intended audience (kids) have little or no interest in these things.

Conclusion

This heart-warming movie has all the right ingredients to be a `watch again` hit for the whole family. Despite casting a cute Westie in the lead (the original and `real` Bobby was a Skye Terrier), the movie sets this familiar tale against a bleak historic backdrop, introducing a heroes and villains plot that will have you shouting for justice one minute, crying the next, and finally laughing with joy. An emotional roller-coaster ride for the whole family.

Its one weakness is the varying Scottish accents throughout, though if Dick Van Dyke`s cockney accent didn`t spoil your enjoyment of `Mary Poppins` then this won`t damage your enjoyment too much either.

In the final analysis it`s a feel-good movie where good is rewarded and bad punished, and it`s a neat introduction to the inequalities and social deprivation suffered by many of our forebears in centuries past.

The dog (or dogs) that play the central role is as cute as can be, and the supporting cast do a sterling job of playing out the various sub-plots with easily understood pantomime-like drama, meaning that despite the films complexities, it would be engaging for any child over the age of, say, seven.