One of Disney's better historical pictures with excitement and plenty of action to satisfy moviegoers of all ages. Richard Tod stars in the title role as the rogue clan leader and is primarily a British production, as it was filmed mainly in Scotland and the film contains mostly British actors. Our hero leads raids and uprisings against British troops and the main thrust of the film is his efforts to get amnesty for his MacGregor clan in return for a truce. The main nut is that the English might be so inclined, but not for Rob Roy himself. Lots of battle and chase scenes throughout the picture keep the action moving.This film is much better than the write-up given it in Maltin's. For some reason the reviewer thought very little of it and gave the film a bad review. As is often the case, you must judge for yourself, because in my opinion it is one of the better family-oriented action films from the Disney studio.7/10 - The website no longer prints my star ratings.

If you're looking for a perfect swashbuckler in which people sound like stage Scots, ye can nae do better than this movie about the Scottish cattle thief and protection racketeer whom the early 18th-Century press, along with highwaymen, romanticized into heroes; the magnificently idiotic image was perfected by Sir Walter Scott and so we have this flick.Disney went full English with this, shooting at Elstree and the Highlands with a British cast, and the care shows, particularly with Guy Green's beautiful oil-painting Technicolor lighting. Richard Todd gives a fine performance in the traditional, anachronistic costume; Glynis Johns (who is still with us as I write this) has never been cuter; Finlay Currie was never more Scottish; and John Robertson Justice, as the Duke of Argyll, plays his role as befitting a man whose name is John Robertson Justice, even though his real middle name was Norval.

I am surprised this has a 6.6 rating.This was a classic I watched again and again as a kid.Plenty of action, rousing patriotism, singing, dancing, light romance, and manly speeches/battles to go around.This is from the era when Disney knew the basic formula for success, family values, and how to deliver a good story with a historical background, even if liberties were taken.Richard Todd is believable; tough and cunning, he also provides some humor as well. He often reminds me of Odysseus, in his protracted journey abroad and home again, using his wiles and determination to defeat his enemies and survive.Todd's version is WAY BETTER than that Liam Neeson reboot that came later. I was excited to see a modern adaptation of Rob Roy, but the Neeson thing just didn't cut it for me. Way too many boring scenes that grew tedious, with no payoff. Neeson himself didn't bring the mischief and energy of the role that Todd was brimming with. A couple of scenes are good from the later one, and I still watch it occasionally, but it really wasn't the amazing remake I hoped for. I felt they wasted a good opportunity to bring this to a new audience, and it fell flat, with little excitement or battles to showcase, nor the intrigue back in England.This was sort of the first version of a Braveheart film, noting the fiery Scottish rebellions against English rule that had gone on for years.The only thing I can really detract from the earlier film, is the fact that it is a little cheesy, and takes liberties, as most movies do. It puts more of a light-hearted spin on certain things(though much of it is nicely dark and tense), and runs wild with history at times.

The third and last of his British made films with Richard Todd is Rob Roy: The Highland Rogue. As per a Disney family audience it's a lot more upbeat than the Nineties version of this same tale that starred Liam Neeson.It's after the 1715 uprising and James Robertson Justice as the Duke of Argyll wants to bring peace to Scotland as he's figured out the Stuarts ain't coming back. But his aide Lord Montrose has a wholly different agenda going and it involves a special if unspecified grudge he has against the MacGregor Clan as headed by Richard Todd.Anyway in many attempts they just can't seem to capture Todd or intimidate the MacGregors. The Earl of Montrose is played by Michael Gough and his bloodthirsty aide is played with special relish by Geoffrey Keen.Rob Roy is not quite up to the excellence of Robin Hood and The Sword and the Rose, but Richard Todd is earnest and athletic and every inch a Scottish hero. There was definitely a special eye for the customs and mores of Eighteenth Century Scotland in the making of Rob Roy. And it holds up well after over half a century.