GREYFRIARS BOBBY
UK, 2005, 104 minutes, Colour.
Oliver Golding, Gina Mc Kee, James Cosmo, Christopher Lee, Greg Wise, Sean Pertwee, Ronald Pickup, Thomas Lockyer, Ardal O’ Hanlon, Ian Richardson.
Directed by John Henderson.
Greyfriars Bobby is based on a very popular legend in Edinburgh from the 19th century, the focus on a terrier who remained faithful to his police master and stood vigil at his grave in the Edinburgh cemetery. The legend has been taken up and embellished. There was a previous Disney version of Greyfriars Bobby in the early 1960s.
The film has strong sense of location, the old city of Edinburgh, the contrast between its slums and its factories with the wealthier part of the city.
The film has Thomas Lockyer as John Gray, the policeman who cared for Bobby and who was helped in his police work by Bobby. Gina Mc Kee is his wife. Oliver Golding portrays Ewan, the young boy who loves the dog and is entrusted with the care of the dog after his master’s death.
In the meantime, Greg Wise is the local minister who gives sermons on social change and the need for reform. Ronald Pickup and Sean Pertwee are the factory owners who are impervious to this kind of appeal for social justice. James Cosmo is the caretaker at the cemetery.
There is a strong appearance by Christopher Lee as Webster (the writer of the dictionary) who is the Lord Provost of Edinburgh and who saves the day – with Ian Richardson in one of his final roles as the judge.
The film was co-written and directed by John Henderson, whose films include a number of Scottish stories including Loch Ness and Mee- Shee: The Water Giant.
1.The legends of Greyfriars Bobby? Edinburgh and Scotland? The 19th century? The memorial statue to the dog in the streets of Edinburgh?
2.The re-creation of the period, the city, the poor areas, the church, the world of the factories, markets? The poorhouses? The courts? A sense of realism for a fantasy and legend story? The atmospheric score?
3.The title, the story, John Gray and his dog, the dog’s skills, devotion, finally being given the freedom of the city and licence to be where it wished?
4.The dog, the terrier, the opening credits, the bull and the mayhem in the market, Bobby confronting the bull, steering it back into its stall, John Gray and the people’s devotion, feeding the dog, giving it gifts? Heroism? The scene of the criminal drawing his knife, Bobby to the rescue, Gray and his injury, collapse, his death? The grave, Bobby going to the cemetery? The caretaker and his antagonism? The Reverend Lee and the grave? Mr Smithie and Mr Johnson, their opposition to the dog? The dog following Ewan to the poorhouse? His intelligence, indicating to Ewan how to escape, the snatcher? The catalogue of dogs to be destroyed, Bobby as number 44, the tension in the court, Ewan and his appeal to the provost, the provost’s arrival, the confrontation in the court, Bobby and the gift of his freedom – and doing his business on Mr Johnson’s shoe?
5.John Gray as a good man, his work for the police, love for his wife? Going to church, agreeing with the Reverend Lee’s sermons? At home, his illness and weariness? Friendship with Ewan, taking him onto the mountains? Listening to the ghosts? The encounter with the criminal and the knife, his death? His gift of Robbie Burns’s book to Ewan? His wife having to move away? Her taking Bobby, Bobby’s return – and the river and the salmon?
6.Ewan, the young boy, his mother, her work in the factory, his love for Bobby, running with Bobby on the mountain with John Gray? The cemetery? The encounter with the caretaker, the rats in the cemetery, Bobby and his finding the rats and stalking them? The encounters with Smithie and Johnson? His mother asking for a job in the factory? His going to work, the hard work with the roots and the thread? The accident? Going to the poorhouse? His crying, the hostility of the wardens? Mr Johnson not allowing him to have a holiday? The flax, looking after the books in Mr Johnson’s office, taking them and reading them, Bobby indicating the escape? His friendship with Mary, going to her house, Mary’s mother, employing him as an apprentice butcher?
7.Reverend Lee, strong sermons, the clash with Mr Smithie, earnest about reform, friendship with the caretaker, the issue of the rats, employing Bobby as the rat-catcher? His presence in the court?
8.Smithie, listening to the sermon, his arrogant response, the family tradition of his factories? The workers and their hard lives, long hours, conditions? Mr Johnson and his support? The workhouse? Their antagonism towards the dog, towards the church? The visits to the minister, discussions with the caretaker? Offering Ewan the job, the fire and Ewan’s mother’s death? The poorhouse?
9.Ewan and the dog-catchers, the cases in court, going to see the provost, his secretary keeping him out, the provost listening to him, the background of his being Webster of dictionary fame? His going to the chambers, with the judge, in the court, Mr Johnson’s speech and the judge’s reaction? The judgment in favour of Bobby?
10.The judge, the cases, Mr Johnson, the provost? And the promise of better conditions for the poor, for education?
11.The supporting characters, Ewan’s mother, work in the factory, her death in the fire? John Gray’s wife, having to leave the town, coming back? The importance of Coconut Tam, the comic relief, helping Ewan and Bobby after the attack with the knife? In the court, his appeal? The cemetery caretaker, his initial hostility, Bobby and the rats, the affection for Ewan, for the dog? Working with the Reverend Lee – and against Mr Johnson and Mr Smithie?
12. The cute aspects of the storytelling? The legend?
