ROB ROY Movie Review
1995 Michael Caton-Jones
Michael Caton-Jones's Scottish period piece will probably always be known as the other Men in Kilts movie of 1995. That may be unfair, but it does bear many similarities to Mel Gibson's oversized Braveheart, telling essentially the same story of provincial resentment of overbearing English landlords. Director Caton-Jones and writer Alan Sharp pare Sir Walter Scott's massive novel down to a more recognizably human story that seldom strays from the formula for a contemporary action melodrama.
Robert Roy MacGregor (Liam Neeson) is a sort of overseer for the effete Marquis of Montrose (John Hurt) in 1713. The opening scene establishes the spectacular Scottish highland setting as Rob and his men hunt down a group of Tinkers (i.e. gypsies) who have stolen several head of His Lordship's cattle. Alan MacDonald (Eric Stoltz) sagely sniffs, and then nibbles a cow patty to deduce that the thieves are about two hours ahead of them. Soon enough, Montrose shows up with his villainous associate Cunningham (Tim Roth).
As that introduction suggests, the filmmakers are anything but subtle. Rob is a lusty husband to his equally lusty wife Mary (Jessica Lange), and a devoted dad to their kids. When he enters an ill-advised business arrangement with Montrose, he innocently leaves himself open to the schemes of Montrose's man Killearn (Brian Cox) and Cunningham. The unfolding of their treachery is the most original and enjoyable part of the film, though it takes a nasty turn with a violent rape. When Rob is finally forced to rebel against the redcoats, the action becomes more conventional, ending with the predictable duel between him and Cunningham. William Hobbs (see sidebar) is responsible for the fights. If Neeson and Roth don't have the graceful athleticism of Tyrone Power and Basil Rathbone in Mark of Zorro, they make the swordplay exciting in a more measured and calculated fashion.
Within the wildly baroque and improbable plot, the filmmakers try to achieve a degree of historical realism. Details of weapons, tactics, and clothing have rough edges that appear to be authentic whether they are or not. The crooked yellow teeth sported by most of the characters are probably true to the times, too, though they are a distraction. The film works best, though, through the male leads.
Neeson brings an oversized Gary Cooper presence and gravity to Rob. He gives the character heroism without the swagger. Roth's Cunningham dismisses himself as “but a bastard abroad” and dryly underplays the more outrageous characteristics. He really does steal the film from the good guys with a performance that earned him a Best Supporting Actor nomination. Hurt brings his usual deft touch with character roles to make Montrose something more than a bewigged pouf. All of them, and the supporting cast, boast such mush-mouthed accents that much of the dialogue in incomprehensible, though the simple plot doesn't suffer irreparably. Its conflicts pit the stereotyped inconsiderate British imperialist against the stereotyped sensitive native, and, of course, those conflicts arrive at a stereotyped Hollywood conclusion.
Cast: Liam Neeson (Rob Roy MacGregor), Jessica Lange (Mary MacGregor), Tim Roth (Cunningham), John Hurt (Marquis of Montrose), Eric Stoltz (Alan MacDonald), Andrew Keir (Duke of Argyll), Brian Cox (Killearn), Brian McCardie (Alasdair), Gilbert Martin (Guthrie), Vicki Masson (Betty), David Hayman (Sibbald), Jason Flemyng (Gregor), Shirley Henderson (Morag), Gilly Gilchrist (Iain), John Murtagh (Referee), Ewan Stewart (Coll); Written by: Alan Sharp; Cinematography by: Karl Walter Lindenlaub, Roger Deakins; Music by: Carter Burwell. Producer: Richard Jackson, Peter Broughan, Larry DeWaay, Michael Caton-Jones, Talisman Films; released by United Artists. Awards: British Academy Awards '95: Best Supporting Actor (Roth); Nominations: Academy Awards '95: Best Supporting Actor (Roth); Golden Globe Awards '96: Best Supporting Actor (Roth). Budget: 28M. Boxoffice: 31.6M. MPAA Rating: R. Running Time: 144 minutes. Format: VHS, LV, Closed Caption, DVD.