Greyfriars Bobby *** (2005, James Cosmo, Christopher Lee) – Classic Movie Review 1448

Greyfriars Bobby was a Skye terrier who became known in 19th-century Edinburgh for supposedly spending 14 years guarding the grave of his owner until he died himself on 14 January 1872.

Remaking and reworking Walt Disney’s 1960 film, co-writer/director John Henderson’s likeable and appealing real-life 2005 shaggy dog story movie tells how the bereaved, loyal Bobby the terrier mounts permanent watch at the grave of his old owner in Greyfriars Kirkyard.

Thomas Lockyer plays Edinburgh policeman John Gray, who owns Bobby, now a West Highland white terrier, and allows a shy boy called Ewan (Oliver Golding) to be the dog’s friend. When Gray dies and is buried in the Greyfriars Kirkyard, the dog will not leave the grave, despite his affection for Ewan.

James Cosmo stars as the Greyfriars gravedigger James Brown, who takes a shine to Bobby and gives him food and protection, but the passing of a new dog law in Scotland threatens Bobby’s existence. The boy must try to save his canine pal, even involving the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, who finally decides to award the dog the freedom of the city so he can stay in the Kirkyard.

This old-fashioned tale is way out of its time, a film from another long-ago era. a real tearjerker, richly sentimental and perhaps not a good watch if you’re a cat person But it is nevertheless delightfully told, beautifully shot and truly heart-warming. It is blessed with atmospheric filming and sweet performances from the dog, James Cosmo as gravedigger James Brown, Golding as the boy and Christopher Lee as the Lord Provost. Gina McKee, Greg Wise, Sean Pertwee, Ardal O’Hanlon, Ronald Pickup and Ian Richardson (as the judge) are also useful cast members, giving strong turns.

The Edinburgh Castle scenes were shot at Stirling Castle, and many disapproved of casting a West Highland white terrier as Bobby, and for adding new characters while leaving out one of the later major characters in Bobby’s life, John Traill.

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© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1448

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