Kidnapped

Kidnapped

22/12/1971 1h 40m 6.3/10

Overview

Scottish orphan David Balfour is betrayed by his wicked uncle Ebeneezer, who arranges for David to be kidnapped and sold into slavery so that he cannot claim his inheritance. The boy is rescued and befriended by Alan Breck, a Scottish rebel fighting on behalf of his country's independence from the British.

Director

Delbert Mann

Top Billed Cast

Michael Caine

Michael Caine

Alan Breck

Donald Pleasence

Donald Pleasence

Ebenezer Balfour

Trevor Howard

Trevor Howard

Lord Advocate

Jack Hawkins

Jack Hawkins

Captain Hoseason

Vivien Heilbron

Vivien Heilbron

Catriona / Catriona Stewart

Lawrence Douglas

Lawrence Douglas

David / David Balfour

Reviews

CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

5/29/2023

6/10

It is actually a bit of a testament to Michael Caine's charisma, that I didn't give this one star. As a Scot, I ought to have hated it. Oddly enough, though, it's not awful. Sure, his accent is all over the place but somehow the thrust of the story is reasonably handled. It all starts with "David Balfour" (Lawrence Douglas) trekking to his uncle "Ebenezer" (Donald Pleasance) to tell him his father has passed away. The venal old gent has no intention of sharing his meagre fortune and soon "Davie" in underway across the sea under the guidance of "Capt. Hoseason" (Jack Hawkins). That ship hits a smaller one which introduces us to the Jacobite, tartan-clad, Caine ("Alan Breck Stewart") who is on the run from King George's red coats. After literally having to fight their way off the brig they have some adventures, get caught up in an high level assassination and end up with both trying to achieve their objectives against the odds. The production is pleasing to look like, and the score sets up some lovely Scottish location photography. The cast? Well, Hawkins looks like he has had way too much port; Trevor Howard is quite effective as the duplicitous Lord Advocate and the young Douglas does fine as the naive but decent young "Balfour". It is all about Michael Caine, though - and for all it's many flaws, there is no denying that the solid underpinning adventure story serves as a strong enough bedrock for this not to end up the laughable nonsense it could have been. Not a patch on the Disney version from 1959, but I didn't hate it...

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