CASTING NON-SCOTS AS SCOTS IS NEITHER A CRIME NOR A NOVELTY
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Scotland the what?
Stone of Destiny is the first feature to deal directly with the SNP, but Eddie Harrison wonders why Scots haven't grabbed the cinematic thistle
he pedigree highlight of Charles Martin Smith‘s
career so far was directing Air Burl. the story of
a basketball playing golden retriever. So how did he come to be directing a film about the Scottish National Party?
Stone of Destiny is a feature film from Canada. the first country to address the subject of modern Scottish nationalism. There's some history here: Brai'elzeart and Rob Roy both positioned Scots as rugged heroes and the linglish as sniveliing villains. and audiences worldwide took this vision to their hearts. Smith’s film comes closer to the present day. depicting the SNP supporters who removed the stone of destiny from Westminster Abbey in I950. and brought it back to Scotland. as heroes of reclaimed nationhood.
Stone o/‘l)estiny‘s central character is closely based on SNP activist lan Hamilton. who also acted as advisor on the film. The on-screen Hamilton is played by a dapper linglishman called Charlie Cox. his girlfriend by New York's Kate Mara. With Canadian Smith writing and directing. a few Scots loiter on the sidelines. Steven McCoIe as a strongman. Robert Carler as Hamilton‘s mentor. and Billy Boyd and Peter Mullah as his best pal and dad respectively. But shouldn‘t a film about Scottish nationalism star a Scotsman?
Casting non—Scots as Scots is neither a crime nor a
* novelty. Bonnie Prince Charlie was played as a
perfect English gentleman by David Niven. The Highlander aka Connor MacLeod didn‘t come from the little town on Glenfinnan: Christophe Lambert was born in Long island. Just because Stone of
Destiny‘s hero isn‘t played by a Scot. it doesn't mean
the film's crap but it gives a clue as to the blandness. Featuring yet another small community rallying around an individual with an unusual dream. The
Stone of Destiny takes its place amongst a run of
government-funded identikit features including Born
Romantic. Blow Dry. Grow Your Own, and Lucky
Break. with Scotland‘s entries in an overcrowded
field including The Roeket Post. On A Clear Day. and The Flying Scotsman. Despite the success of full-
blooded Hollywood visions of Scottish history in
Brai'elzeart and Rob Roy. historical. political or socially relevant subjects have not been tackled.
Which is how Smith‘s film got made, an old-
fashioned caper film portraying Scots as bumbling oafs and ruddy faced idiots. dancing like loons in ‘
George Square on Christmas Day to celebrate the return of a chunk of rock. Earlier this year Scots saw the boozed—up swilling cannibals of zombified Glasgow portrayed in Neil Marshall’s Doomsday. Not since Ardal O’Hanlon adopted a ‘See You .limmy‘ hat as Coconut Tam in 2005’s Grey/riars Bobby have such crude. backward images of Scots been seen.
With the cost of low-to-medium budget filmmaking ; cheaper than ever. and with the commercial mindset g of the new Creative Scotland body currently under ;
discussion. the very existence of Stone of Destiny begs the question; why can’t Scots tell their own stories onscreen?
The Stone of Destiny is out on Fri 10 Oct
www.list.co.uk/fiim
UST >l<
THE BEST FILM & DVD RELEASES
il‘ Tlmes and Winds Stunning and timeless Turkish film which follows the experiences of a trio of pre- pubescent adolescents. See review, page 46. Filmhouse, Edinburgh from Mon 70- Thu 16 Oct.
3|: Import Export The real and the fictional go head to head in Ulrich Dog Days Seidl's new film which utilises improvising unprofessional actors in authentic locations to tell two seemingly unrelated stories. Bold and political. See profile. page 45 and review, page 46. Filmhouse, Edinburgh from Fri 3- Thu 9 Oct.
=l= Gomorrah impressively unsentimental Italian mafia film. This understated, violent and powerful film is something new in the pantheon of this tired genre. See review, page 47. GFIZ Glasgow and Cameo, Edinburgh from Fri 70 Oct.
* Good Dick Funny and moving US indie about the relationship between an i introverted girl and a young video store clerk. See review, page 44. GFI', Glasgow; Cameo, Edinburgh and selected release from Fri 3 Oct.
* Unrelated Compelling portrait of a cougar (older wealthy women who date young men) in Tuscany. See profile and review. GFI', Glasgow from Fri 70-Sun 12 Oct; Filmhouse, Edinburgh from Fri 17-7hu 23 Oct.
Ill Never Apologize Fascinating concert film of Malcolm McDowell's one-man tribute to filmmaker Lindsay Anderson. GFT, Glasgow on Sat 4& Sun 5 Oct. Filmhouse, Edinburgh on Thu 9 8 Fri 70 Oct.
all Babylon Long overdue DVD release of Franco Rosso's incendiary 1980 drama about the lives of working class black youths in South London. See review. Out Mon 73 Oct (Icon).
2—16 Oct 2008 THE LIST 43