Kidnapped (1995 film)

Kidnapped
Film Poster
Directed by	Ivan Passer
Produced by	John Davis
Screenplay by	John Goldsmith Michael Barlow
Story by	Robert Louis Stevenson Rob Hedden
Starring	Armand Assante Brian McCardie Michael Kitchen Brian Blessed Patrick Malahide Brendan Gleeson
Music by	Stanislaw Syrewicz
Cinematography	Dennis C. Lewiston Floyd Crosby, ASC, was previously credited, but he died in 1985
Edited by	Bernard Gribble
Production company	Ardmore Studios Dublin
Release date	November 5, 1995
Running time	175 minutes
Language	English

Kidnapped ("A timeless tale of honor, bravery and adventure") is a 1995 TV adventure drama film directed by Ivan Passer and starring Armand Assante as Highlander Alan Breck and Brian McCardie as Lowlander David Balfour. Among the supporting actors are Michael Kitchen and Brian Blessed. The film was based on the book titled Kidnapped by author Robert Louis Stevenson. Christopher Reeve had originally been cast as Breck prior to his spinal cord injury in a horse race which left him a quadriplegic on May 27, 1995.

The adaptation starts by describing a divided Scotland which is populated by Highlanders and Lowlanders who are loyal to different kings. Allan Breck Stuart is characterised as a leading figure of Jacobitism who tried "to keep the flame alive". It ends when Alan Breck Stuart leaves Scotland forever "to have a distinguished career in the French Army", while David Balfour stays and marries a lady from the Highlands. Another voice-over tells they had sons who "were neither Highlanders nor Lowlanders. They were Scots."

The film was shot on location in Ireland.

Allan Breck Stewart (Armand Assante) returns to his home village, which is already menaced by the highland clearances. His foster father James Stewart of the Glen (Brian McGrath) issues the taxpayers' money for the exiled House of Stuart to him and beseeches him to meet King George's factor, the "Red Fox" Colin Roy Campbell of Glenure (Brendan Gleeson). Allan Stewart only grudgingly complies, because he regards the “Red Fox” as a traitor, for at the Battle of Culloden he had to fight against Loudon's Highlanders, a regiment of Highlanders led by Campbells.
At about the same time David Balfour (Brian McCardie) leaves the fictitious small village Essendean in the Scottish Lowlands. Reverend Campbell tells him he was given a letter in charge by David's late father. It is a letter of introduction addressing a Laird. The reverend informs him that his late mother never wanted him to go to the “House of Shaws” and asks him to stay in Essendean. But David is driven by wanderlust, and therefore resolves to go.
The "Red Fox" receives Allan Stuart with an abettor who holds the guest at gun point. An English officer named William Reid (Michael Kitchen) and his soldiers are in waiting when the "Red Fox" offers to protect James Stewart of The Glen. Allan Stuart asks him twice to swear his kin will be protected indeed but even so he merely receives a mute grin. Allan decides the man cannot be trusted and eludes in order to continue his mission.
David has meanwhile reached the “House of Shaws”. He also finds all of a sudden a gun directed at him. The man who threatens to shoot him turns out to be his uncle Ebenezer (Patrick Malahide). Ebenezer reluctantly invites him in, but later on tries to kill him by an arranged accident. David survives, yet the next day Ebenezer has him kidnapped by a criminal sea captain. David wakes up on a ship going to America, where he shall be sold as a slave.
When David is trapped, William Reid and “the Red Fox” try to assassinate Allan Breck in the woods. They fail because William Reid smokes a pipe with strong tobacco. Allan Breck, who therefore can literally smell the trap, steals a horse and escapes. He leaves a paper with a quote from A Counterblaste to Tobacco written by James I of England. The “Red Fox” relishes this humiliation of Englishman William Reid.
David becomes Captain Forbes' new cabin boy, for the previous cabin boy has been murdered by the sailor Mr. Shuan. Allan Breck, who needs to leave for France in a foggy night, accidentally happens to end up on the same ship. David is supposed to wait on Allan. The criminal sea captain attempts to ambush Allan for his gold but David confounds these plans and helps Allan Breck to stand his ground. A severe storm then causes a wreckage.
Allan and David return as castaways to the Scottish onshore. Allan runs into his friend Ewan of Appin, who was just exposed as a Jacobite spy. As his dying friend informs him, William Reid plans to frame James Stewart of The Glen for a murder he is about to carry out. Allan tries to prevent this but he can only witness how the "Red Fox” is shot dead by a sniper. David gets the impression Allan was the assassin and breaks up with him.