Though this isn't a great dramatisation of the famous tale of Edinburgh lore, there's no getting way from the charm of the true story it's based on. "Bobby" is a scruffy looking terrier who steadfastly refuses to leave the graveside of his late master. Despite the best efforts of the cemetery keeper "James" (James Cosmo) to evict him, the dog persists, and gradually becomes quite a useful tool for vermin control. This doesn't convince the nasty "Johnson" (Ronald Pickup) who is determined to see the back of the little yapper. Eventually, he seeks recourse to the law of the land - and with doom looming, it falls to the children of the city to appeal to the Lord Provost (Christopher Lee). He's the Queen's representative and perhaps he can help? What really put me off here was the light. It's clearly been done on a budget, but it's not been done very well and with the rain showers clearly emanating from hoses the whole thing has a sort of yellowy hue that's oddly sterile to watch. Director John Henderson has assembled a decent enough cast of British regulars, though, and there's an engaging effort from newcomer Oliver Golding as his would-be saviour "Ewan" who must undergo the strains of oakum picking and his own tragedy, but still determines to keep the wee dog safe. There's a nice score from Mark Thomas to accompany it and though not really very memorable, it's still a decent rendition to watch on the television.
2024-05-20
