Braveheart

[Rob Wright]

Not to mention the help he recieved from the Douglases and Murray's.

Rob

[macwilkin]

Not to mention the help he recieved from the Douglases and Murray's.

Rob

And his support of the Balliol/Comyn claim to the throne, whilst the Bruce sought aid from Edward I -- that is one thing I really credit "Braveheart" for, showing the fact that Bruce was not always the ardent Scottish patriot that some of his apologists claim.

Cheers,

Todd

[Archangel]

Just to stir things up, not too much, I hope, Braveheart is not a lot different than the mythology of the western's cowboy. It inspires some positive things but when deconstructed, cannot be supported historically. It was good nationally to have some of the "frontier philosophy" brought home to Scotland. My feeling is most Scots know that it was factually "off" but bought into the spirit of it.

The sneaky side thread whisper of Gregory's Girl reminds me that it was a great movie. So was another by the same director, Comfort and Joy, aka The ice cream wars. Those two, and Local Hero, I think, give a good overview of Scottish popular philosophy. Restless Natives is still the best.

[An t-Ileach]

Not to mention the help he recieved from the Douglases and Murray's.

Rob

My grandfather could recite Marmion from cover to cover. Alas, I can only remember snatches - but, at least, they're ones that relate to Douglas:

"...The hand of Douglas is his own,
And never shall in friendly grasp,
The hand of such as Marmion clasp...

And dar'st thou then
To beard the lion in his den,
The Douglas in his hall?
And hop'st thou thence unscathed to go?...

O what a tangled web we weave,
When first we practise to deceive!..."

That about exhausts my snatches. I know it was about Flodden Field and not about Stirling Bridge or Bannockburn, but the anniversary of that battle has only just past.

And cajunscot, is it possible that the younger Bruce was shocked into getting on the right side after the brutal murder of Wallace?