Cunningham and Montrose-> Rob Roy movie

[Deasan]

Thank you for the kind welcome Jake. I currently reside in Long Beach, Calif..
Slainte,
Deasan

[McClef]

Montrose wasn't shown to be giving Archie any money which is probably why Archie compounded with the Factor for the robbery and murder.

Also Montrose shows no emotion at Archie's demise. The rest of us are clapping and cheering!

So I don't think he was the father

[Wompet]

Montrose wasn't shown to be giving Archie any money

But Montrose did give him room, board, and a quiet place where he could live down the life he had led in the south.

Also Montrose shows no emotion at Archie's demise.

Well, he would have been disappointed in Cunningham if he had been legitimate; being a bastard compounded that.

Add my vote to the father/son camp.

[Deil the Yin]

Hi Gents,
On a literary note, ... recently David Stevenson has published The Hunt For Rob Roy: The Man and the Myths, which represents the first academic biography of this character to appear in print.
Le deagh dhurachd,
Deasan

If this is the book that I think it is- just came out about 2001 or 2?- it was reviewed by one of our Council Members in the Clan Gregor Society who found it to be quite lacking: highly inaccurate in more than a few places to be precise, and generally gave it a very poor review, well written though it may be (well researched is another story all together apparently). And this review comes from one with an extensive knowledge of MacGregor history and access to many of the official documents etc.

This is not to say it's not worth reading, but you should be aware that it is not to be held necessarily as the final word on Rob Roy... For more info you could drop over to the MacGregor website/message board ( http://disc.server.com/Indices/25102.html ) and post a question to our Chairman, Professor Richard MacGregor, or practically anyone else on the board for that matter.

[cessna152towser]

Montrose shows no emotion at Archie's demise. The rest of us are clapping and cheering!

I can assure you that the smarmy sassenach Archie Cunningham in the film is absolutely NO RELATION. My Cunningham ancestry derives from the Cunninghams of North Ayshire and Renfrewshire.
Alex Cunningham

[way2fractious]

I spent a few minutes at lunchtime with my DVD player and the fast forward button on the remote.

Earlier in the movie, Archie is killing a bottle while schmoozing with Betty, a housemaid. He says that his mother had once narrowed "his paternity down to three candidates" and he listed them. None of the three listed was his uncle, Montrose. When Montrose retrieved the locket from the dead Archie, he did so wordlessly, probably angry at the embarrassment, angry at losing the bet, but also likely to be relieved of guardian duties.

I've always considered Archie as the bastard nephew, but not Montrose's own son.

[Panache]

Another Rob Roy aside. I absolutely love the duel between Cunningham and Rob Roy. As a former fencer I was very impressed with the moves and the strategies employed by both combatants. It also serves as a quick demonstration as to why the broadsword gave way to the rapier, and in turn the courtsword. Speed defeats strength, and the slim quick swordsman defeats the big brawny one (unless the slim swordsman gets cocky, which we always do when we are beating the big brawny guy )

Cheers

[Deil the Yin]

Another Rob Roy aside. I absolutely love the duel between Cunningham and Rob Roy. As a former fencer I was very impressed with the moves and the strategies employed by both combatants....Cheers

What do you think about the finale when RR grabs Cunningham's sword?

That trick came off a little weak to me in that it seemed Cunny could have simply withdrawn his sword which would have easily sliced RR's hand nearly in two... Just my perception, but I'm no fencer!

[Panache]

What do you think about the finale when RR grabs Cunningham's sword?

That trick came off a little weak to me in that it seemed Cunny could have simply withdrawn his sword which would have easily sliced RR's hand nearly in two... Just my perception, but I'm no fencer!

Here is the disadvantage of the small sword. The speed comes from having a light slim blade and using the point rather than the edge. Cunningham (foolishly) puts his blade to Rob Roy and prepare to skewer him. Rob Roy grabs the blade. Imagine instead of gripping it tightly and pulling back (OUCH! ) he instead uses the strength in his hand to try and bend the blade (by the flat sides) sideways against Cunninghams grip. This wouldn't work with a less flexible heavier blade. But with Cunningham's light one it would. Rob's hand would still get cut a bit while holding on, but his opponent wouldn't be able to pull or push the sword or back as long as he's bending it.

Cheers

[Mike1]

Interesting that Raibeart 'Rab Ruadh' MacGriogair's name would come up when it has. December 28 will mark the 272nd anniversary of his death. I was fortunate enough to have been asked to do a graveside service during a Jacobite commemoration to MacGriogair, December last.