Rob Roy
Year: 1995
Director: Michael Caton-Jones
Cast: Liam Neeson , Jessica Lange, John Hurt , Tim Roth , Eric Stoltz, Andrew Keir, Brian Cox , Brian McCardie, Gilbert Martin, Vicki Masson.
Set Locations:
Scotland: Shot around Glen Nevis on the west coast (Argyll) and in Perthshire
Liam Neeson stars in the title role as Rob Roy MacGregor in this historical drama directed by Michael Caton-Jones. It was released within a year of the film ' Braveheart ' and unfortunately was somewhat overshadowed by the latter.
The film featured an impressive supporting cast, including Jessica Lange, John Hurt and Tim Roth. Playing the villain of the piece Archibald Cunningham, Roth received an Oscar nomination in the category of Best Supporting Actor.
It is the early part of the 18th century and the once powerful MacGregor clan has fallen on hard times, like many of the great Highland Clans at the time. The formerly great families are largely now at the mercy of aristocratic Lowlanders.
Rob Roy borrows £1000 from the Marquess of Montrose (John Hurt) in order to set up a cattle business to help his starving clan. Unfortunately, he is double crossed by two members of his own clan who steal the money for themselves after killing Rob Roy's friend.
The Marquess offers to waive the debt if Rob Roy testifies falsely against one of his enemies, The Duke of Argylle. Rob Roy is an honourable man and refuses, thus consigning himself to life as an outlaw. Eventually, he needs the help of the Duke of Argylle to help him settle the matters. Montrose and Argylle agree to the matter being settled by a duel between Cunningham, who stole the money in the first place and is now ironically fighting for Montrose, and Rob Roy. In a desperate struggle, Rob Roy manages to overturn Cunningham's early advantage and seize the chance to avenge the death of his friend and regain his honour.
The Scottish Highlands offer some of the most breathtaking scenery in the British Isles and are always a popular tourist destination for hikers and history seekers alike.
There are a number of places to visit in order to get a taste of what Scottish and Highland life was like in the days of historic figures such as Rob Roy and William Wallace , the semi-mythical character from 'Braveheart'. You can visit Stirling Old Town Jail to get a taste of what awaited an outlaw 150 years should they be unfortunate enough to be captured. In contrast, the Jail also offers a rooftop viewpoint, giving a superb view of the surrounding area. Stirling is the location of the famous Wallace Monument, set upon a hill and offering breathtaking panoramic views of the beautiful surrounding countryside. Alternatively, you can discover the real heart of Highland life from days gone by at the Breadalbane Folklore Centre , overlooking the Falls of Dochart. Here you can trace the history of the Scottish Clans and see the beautifully restored mill with its working watermill.
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