Reviews (2)

Bonnie Dull Movie
Despite the subject matter I found this movie to be quite dull. This is unfortunate as the story of the '45 Rebellion is anything but that! I think the casting of David Niven as the Prince was a bad choice. While he tries to put energy into the role, Niven is just too English! Also, from what we know of the Prince he was not such an inspiring figure. Like most of the Stewarts he tended to be moody, headstrong and could come across as detached and arrogant. He was also quite foriegn in his outlook and knew little about Scotland other than what members of the exiled Stewart Court in France and Italy divulged to him.

The film itself is impressive visually. But the story progresses slowly and is more atmosphereic. Jack Hawkins plays well as Lord Murrary, the leading Jacobite general. The clashes between him and the Prince over strategy are well portrayed in the movie. The battle of Prestonppans is well done. I wish they could have done the same for rest of the battles. Culloden is not even shown! The movie then drags considerable as we trace the progress of the Young Pretenders flight from Scotland. This part of the movie seems too long drawn out. Throughout the Prince is given almost saintly treatment. His relationship with Flora Macdonald is also too good to be true. For an English movie its surprising how the Bonnie prince is so favorably portrayed. The film willingly enters into all the Scottish fantasy and lore about him. Again, a pretty film, but too slow and stately.

Niven and the Bonnie Prince
This English version of Charles Stuart's attempt to seize the British crown from the House of Hannover, is disjointed and relatively unexciting. The crucial Battle of Culloden Moor is talked about, but not depicted. David Niven, as the Young Pretender, is very sincere, and does a good job, but he is betrayed by the script and the editing. The highlight of the film are the Scottish Highlands themselves. The color photography is breath taking. A word of caution on the VHS tape. The edition available is issued by Republic Pictures of Canada. It is in the EP mode, and the audio is TERRIBLE. One literally has to turn the volume to Max to hear anything. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Psychotherapist's Point of View
As a psychotherapist I find almost no films that show what that process is about. Mine Own Executioner with Burgess Meredith is my favorite of the few.

Meredith plays a lay-analyst (no medical qualifications) treating a WWII British soldier traumatized by his P.O.W. experiences at the hands of the Japanese in Burma. There is drama here (and melodrama) -- will he mistakenly kill his wife before Meredith can help him resolve his still simmering rage? Stay tuned or viewed.

But the heart of this film is about the humaness of the analyst. He mistreats the wife he takes for granted; while playing with fire with the attractive wife of a colleague. Eventually he runs head-long into his own less-than heroic character and makes peace with himself. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Psychotherapist's Point of View
As a psychotherapist I find almost no films that show what that process is about. Mine Own Executioner with Burgess Meredith is my favorite of the few.

Meredith plays a lay-analyst (no medical qualifications) treating a WWII British soldier traumatized by his P.O.W. experiences at the hands of the Japanese in Burma. There is drama here (and melodrama) -- will he mistakenly kill his wife before Meredith can help him resolve his still simmering rage? Stay tuned or viewed.

But the heart of this film is about the humaness of the analyst. He mistreats the wife he takes for granted; while playing with fire with the attractive wife of a colleague. Eventually he runs head-long into his own less-than heroic character and makes peace with himself. ... Read more