Kidnapped | |
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Original British quad film poster
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Directed by | Delbert Mann |
Produced by | Frederick H. Brogger |
Screenplay by | Jack Pulman |
Based on |
Kidnapped and Catriona by Robert Louis Stevenson |
Starring |
Michael Caine Trevor Howard Jack Hawkins Donald Pleasence |
Music by | Roy Budd |
Cinematography | Paul Beeson |
Edited by | Peter Boita |
Production
company |
Omnibus Productions Ltd
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Distributed by |
British Lion Films (UK) AIP (US) |
Release date
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Running time
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107 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Kidnapped is a 1971 British adventure film, directed by Delbert Mann and starring Michael Caine, Trevor Howard, Jack Hawkins and Donald Pleasence, as well as a number of well-known British character actors. The film is based on the novel Kidnapped and the first half of the sequel Catriona by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Young David Balfour arrives at a bleak Scottish house, the House of Shaws, to claim his inheritance after his father. The house and land have been under the custodianship of his father's brother, Ebeneezer Balfour, but on reaching adulthood, the land and property become David's. Ebeneezer is having none of it, however, so he first tries to murder him, then has him kidnapped by sea captain Hoseason, with whom he has, "a venture for trade in the West Indies". David is shipped off to be sold as a slave in the Carolinas. Fortunately for the lad, he strikes up a friendship with Alan Breck, escaping from Prince Charles Edward Stuart's defeat at Culloden. Breck is in a cobble which is run down in the fog by Hoseason's ship and once aboard, asks Hoseason to take him to France. When Hoseason refuses, Breck offers him 60 guineas to put him down on Loch Linnhe.
On discovering that Breck has a money belt full of Jacobite gold, Hoseason and his crew try to kill Breck, but he is forewarned by David and the two kill half a dozen of the crew before the others retreat. Hoseason offers terms to end the fighting, but the ship runs aground. Only Breck and Balfour appear to survive and they manage to get to land. They set out for Edinburgh, dodging the ruthless Redcoats. Numerous adventures follow as they meet up with Breck's family, friends and foes alike. These include Breck's cousin, James Stewart, and his daughter Catriona, with whom David falls in love.