The Master of Ballantrae (1984 film)
| The Master of Ballantrae | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Adventure |
| Based on |
The Master of Ballantrae 1889 novel by Robert Louis Stevenson |
| Directed by | Douglas Hickox |
| Starring |
Michael York Richard Thomas |
| Music by | Bruce Broughton |
| Country of origin | United States United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Larry White Patrick Dromgoole |
| Producer(s) |
Hugh Benson Peter Graham Scott |
| Location(s) |
England Scotland Wales |
| Cinematography | Bob Edwards |
| Editor(s) | Geoff Shepherd |
| Running time | 180 mins |
| Production company(s) |
Columbia Pictures Television HTV Hallmark Hall of Fame |
| Distributor | CBS |
| Budget | $5 million |
| Release | |
| Original network | CBS |
| Original release | January 31, 1984 |
The Master of Ballantrae is a 1984 TV movie based on the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson. It was a co production between the US and England for the Hallmark Hall of Fame.
Based on a novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, this film (two and a half hours long) is pure entertainment. It is sad that it has not been re-issued in DVD form and that the few VHS copies in the market are so expensive.
Michael York plays James Durie, the Master of Ballantrae (i.e. the eldest son who will inherit the state and also the title of Lord Durrisdeer). His younger brother, Henry Durie, is played by Richard Thomas, remembered largely because of his role as John Boy on "The Waltons". Their father, Lord Durrisdeer, is played by veteran action Sir John Gielgud, who earned an Emmy as Best Supporting Actor for the role. Ian Richardson (who starred as the evil Francis Urquhart in the excellent TV series House of Cards) plays the faithful Mr MacKellar, who manages the estate and becomes Henry Durie's friend and confident; Finola Hughes plays Alison Graeme; and a youthful Timothy Dalton, later James Bond, stars as Colonel (or Captain) Francis Burke, an Irish adventurer who befriends the Master.
The action starts in 1745, when Bonnie Prince Charlie lands in Scotland and the last Jacobite rebellion breaks out. James, the Master of Ballantrae, is a brave but foolish and hot-headed young man. He decides to join the uprising, against the advice of his father and younger brother. Eventually it is decided that one brother must join the Jacobites, but the other must remain loyal to the government so that, no matters who wins, the family's future will be safe. There is historical truth here, as many Irish and Scottish families did exactly this during the Jacobite years. In fact, exiled Jacobites living in France often received money from their relatives and friends in the United Kingdom.
For the sake of the family, it would be best that James, the Master of Ballantrae, as the eldest son, stays loyal to the government; and his younger brother joins the rebels. But The Master will not have it, as he craves adventure. He insists in tossing and coin and he wins ... that is, he wins the right to join the losing side. The Jacobites, as we know, are defeated in the Battle of Culloden, and James is reported dead. In fact, he survives the battle and flees to England, where he teams up with another survivor, Irishman Francis Burke. They make it to the coast, where they are captured by pirates ... but James' charm and cunning soon allow him to get the upper hand and he becomes their co-leader, alongside their skipper, Captain Teach (not to be confused with the real Blackbeard of that name).
Back home, brother Henry is held in contempt by his tenants and by James' sweetheart, their cousin Alison Graeme, who feel he should have joined the Jacobites. The family is covered in debt, but Alison would bring a dowry, and it is agreed that she should now marry Henry. She still loves James, but he has been reported dead, but Henry has always hopelessly loved her. She marries out of love for the family; he out of love for her. It is a "marriage of convenience" and Alison is distressed when she learns that James is alive.
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Wikipedia