Kidnapped, again, this time with a foolish tragic hero
Masterpiece Theater on PBS is airing a new production of "Kidnapped," adapted from the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson.
"Kidnapped," set in the Scottish highlands around 1750, is a rousing tale. Back in the days when I read to my boys every night before bedtime, "Kidnapped" was one of our favorites.
There have been many film versions.
The 1960 Disney release starred Peter Finch and James MacArthur.
A 1979 made-for-TV miniseries featured David McCallum. I remember it as particularly well done.
Armand Assante starred in a 1995 remake. I thought he was an odd choice to play a Scot.
The appeal of "Kidnapped" is its heroic central figure, Alan Breck Stewart, a defeated rebel trying to rekindle dreams of Scottish independence.
In the new film version, based on the first half aired last night, Alan Breck is presented much more ambiguously than in the previous movies or, in my view, by Stevenson himself.
This Alan Breck, by continuing resistance to English rule, only brings more hardship to his friends and kinsmen. He cares only for his own freedom, and a thrilling fight, while dismissing the suffering of others. He'd rather die, and see others killed, than accept peace without honor. He's doomed to fail because the price of liberty is higher than his countrymen are willing to pay. They've fought and lost, and don't have any fight left in them.
I believe Stevenson crafted Alan Breck Stewart to represent the spirit of Scottish nationalism -- gallant, proud and defiant even in defeat, much in the same way that Mel Gibson more than a century later portrayed William Wallace in "Braveheart."
Unless there's a turnaround in the second half airing this coming Sunday, the new film version seems to scoff at the Alan Breck Stewarts and William Wallaces of the world, deriding them as foolish and reckless, more tragic than heroic.
Comments (19)
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Doug,
Please see Bruce's latest post on The Chalkboard. Remember when you ridiculed me for asking you to write an article requesting paper donations to the schools?
Posted on October 31, 2005 8:20 PM
Yes. It would have been rather foolish to make a public appeal for copy paper when the whole problem was the result of an administrative snafu.
Posted on October 31, 2005 8:54 PM
Our school administration is one Big Snafu!
Posted on October 31, 2005 9:21 PM
My daughter loved reading "Kidnapped when she was just a child. I do believe she cried through much of it.
Remember Doug, anything to do with pride and decency coming out of Hollyweird will be made light of these days. According to them nationalism is only for foolish people, consumed by somekind of religious spirit.
Posted on November 1, 2005 9:00 AM
Yeah, Hollywood hates family values don't they. That's why four of last year's ten biggest moneymakers in Hollywood were animated, one was based on the crucifiction, another was about a child wizard and another was based on a scheme to find treasure buried by the founding fathers.
Why are they always pushing those liberal values on us?
Sometimes I feel so helpless.
Whine whine whine.
Lets reinforce ignorant stereotypes about regions we don't live in.
Oh yeah, I forgot, I'm in North Carolina, that happens all the time here.
Posted on November 1, 2005 10:19 AM
Doug: Don't mostly Brits work on Masterpiece Theatre? I know it originated in Boston, but I believe the productions are UK (hence English) based. A nation whose royal throne sat upon the pedestal of the conquered Scottish monarch until the 1990s may still frown upon such national fervor.
Having cancelled my cable tv in April, we have been much enjoying PBS recently. Last week's Sherlock Holmes was great.
Jeff
Posted on November 1, 2005 11:03 AM
Jeff,
I'm sorry I missed the Holmes last week.
You may be right. This could be an attempt by London to discredit the Scottish National Party.
Posted on November 1, 2005 11:24 AM
&%$^@$&* historical revisionists.
Posted on November 1, 2005 12:02 PM
Doug, you have to follow the story through now. The Scots lost this round. Many of them emigrated to northern Ireland and susequently America (or their modern day correlates Davidson or Forsythe co.'s) where they proceeded to kick English butt, as the Continental Army was over 80% Scotch-Irish. It may take a long time but lovers of freedom will find a way against the Dottie Longshanks of the world!!!!!
Posted on November 1, 2005 3:05 PM
Good one, Savage.
Posted on November 1, 2005 3:30 PM
Quote from our dear beloved Winston Chrchill. I think it also applies to the Scots.
"We have always found the Irish a bit odd. They refuse to be English".
Posted on November 1, 2005 6:00 PM
Praise God!
Posted on November 1, 2005 7:05 PM
zat, you need to read better. My reference was to NATIONALISM, not family values. Of course your choice is very simular to Hollyweird, smear what you don't agree with or understand.
Posted on November 2, 2005 9:21 AM
Was anybody else bothered by the scenery in Kidnapped, it
looked way more like Lord of the Rings territory
(New Zealand???) than the real Scottish Highlands.
I swear I saw some eucalyptus trees... where the
#$%$ was the heather???
Posted on November 7, 2005 1:39 PM
Janet,
You may be right. The mountains looked higher, more jagged and definitely snowier than I've seen in Scotland (and I've been to the highlands in February). Also, the credits on the Web site (see the link I provided) note this was a South Pacific Pictures production for CBBC, so I guess your New Zealand idea is on target. Good catch.
Posted on November 12, 2005 6:32 AM
Well, Doug, you made your comments based upon the first segment of Masterpiece Theatre's Kidnapped adaptation. So, now that you've had a chance to watch the remainder of the program, you wanna let us know whether or not you feel that your initial impressions were confirmed?
Posted on November 27, 2005 12:13 AM
The following links might help some of those who were confused as to who produced this adaptation of Kidnapped:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/02_february/04/kidnapped.shtml
http://www.southpacificpictures.com/default,corporate.spp
Oh, and perhaps some of you might enjoy this fine book:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0860915468/102-3979379-8962502?v=glance&n=283155&v=glance
Posted on November 27, 2005 12:43 AM
Worth reading... how actor Iain Glen viewed and sought to portray the character Alan Breck:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/02_february/04/kidnapped_glen.shtml
Posted on November 27, 2005 12:51 AM
Thanks, Junius. Sorry for not following up.
I thought Alan Breck redeemed himself in the concluding episode, offering to sacrifice himself to save an innocent man. His rescue was a bit fantastic, but it made for a fine ending. Overall, a pretty good production but not my favorite among the film versions nor as much fun as reading the book.
Posted on November 28, 2005 8:30 AM