Originally released on 11th May 1927, the historical drama stars silent आइकन Lillian Gish in the titular role. लेखन credits go to oscar nominated screenwriter Josephine Lovett; the film was directed द्वारा John S. Robertson, director of Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde (1920); and the film was well edited द्वारा William Hamilton, editor of classics Suspicion (1941) and चोटी, शीर्ष Hat (1935).
The story itself was inspired द्वारा a scottish folk song which in turn was inspired द्वारा a poem द्वारा William Douglas. In typical Hollywood fashion it is a प्यार story set in the Scottish highlands; only all scenes were filmed at MGM Studios, with sets built from scratch. The crew did a great job in creating the 17th century in a studio but it is a bit of a shame that nothing was filmed on location.
The initial story is of a young woman named Annie Laurie who falls in प्यार with Ian MacDonald of Clan MacDonald, rivals of Clan Campbell whom she is affiliated with. This leads to a प्यार त्रिकोण, त्रिभुज with Annie and her two suitors, both of who are from rival clans. What makes it interesting is that it takes place in the lead up to the massacre of Glencoe, an infamous Scottish tragedy where Clan Campbell soldiers massacred many MacDonalds on the orders of King William III.
The build up to the final act is well put together, with some interesting scenes involving Annie looking to help secure Clan MacDonald's safety. But the सवाल is how much of the film is fact and how much is fiction?
The Fiction:
Although the characters are indeed fictional takes on real people there are many instances of genuine emotion. The rivalry for Annie's affections does lead to a face off between the two men; with Ian forced to walk through a crowd of Campbell men who स्लैश his flesh as he makes his way through them, his arms tied as Donald Campbell looks on jeering. It is a great scene to watch; obviously it is easy to see the fakeness of the sword against the flesh of the hero but the scene itself speaks volume of the contempt between the two clans.
And then Campbell's treachery in not telling the MacDonald's the full facts behind the oath that they are to swear to the King. The MacDonalds would have received their original lands as a token of appreciation, but Campbell's desire to be rid of his rival causes the chain of events leading to the massacre.
As a result it is up to Annie Laurie to race to Glencoe to warn her प्यार of the betrayal which leads to the chief races against a heavy snow storm to make it द्वारा the first of January to sign the oath of allegiance to the King. This is based on fact as the MacDonalds were delayed द्वारा snow storms.
And it is shown in the following scene that it doesn't matter when the oath was signed. Campbell wants blood. So the Campbell soldiers, led द्वारा their chief's son, arrive at MacDonald's घर seeking shelter. It's a scenario that is somewhat reminiscent of a storyline from current TV drama Game of Thrones involving a certain 'Red Wedding'.
It is once Annie Laurie has left the MacDonalds that the Campbells strike, with Donald Campbell shooting the chief. This leads to a full scale attack of the fortress that is held द्वारा the MacDonalds as Annie learns the truth and fights her way to the चोटी, शीर्ष of a mountain to light the beacon to signal the other clans to arms. This is intercut with battle scenes in the गढ़, महल walls as well as the brutal murder of villagers and children. The scenes are really well put together, with everything coming to a head with a faceoff between Ian and Donald, Ian killing his father's killer while proclaiming 'a Campbell for a MacDonald!'
Of course such a scene never took place as far as we know for the real leader of the Campbell party, Robert Campbell lived on for another four years. But for a sword fighting drama it is a good scene to satisfy the audience. It's not reality, but back then especially, the फिल्में were a way of escaping reality. So in the tradition of Hollywood our heroine survived and went on to marry Ian MacDonald, new chief of the MacDonald clan.
The Players:
The movie's heroine is inspired द्वारा the Scottish folk song Annie Laurie which in turn was inspired द्वारा a poem द्वारा William Douglas based on his प्यार for the real Annie Laurie who was born on 16th December 1682 so would have been almost 10 years old when the Glencoe Massacre took place. so in fact she would never have been there when the fued reached its conclusion. The real woman went on to marry an Alexander Fergusson in 1709. But the song itself features in several inter-titles in the film as Donald Campbell attempts to woo her.
As for Donald Campbell, no such man led the attack on Glencoe. The Campbell soldiers were led द्वारा Robert Campbell of Glenlyon, a soldier who looked to clear his gambling debts. A man of roughly sixty years old, he in no way resembles the antagonizing Douglas Campbell, son of the Campbell Chieftain, in the film.
The other man after Annie's affections in the film is Ian MacDonald, played द्वारा Norman Kerry, who succeeds his father as clan chief at the end of the film. The character's name is actually a shortened version of the real successor John MacIain Macdonald, 13th chief of Glencoe.
The Massacre:
The Massacre of Glencoe took place in the early hours of 13th February 1692. It was a brutal attack that shocked the whole of Scotland. The clan Campbell soldiers were guests under the roofs of the MacDonalds and their people throughout different settlements when they slaughtered 38 unarmed people. They call it Murder Under Trust and was considered a much और heinous crime than any other kind due to Scots law, where आप honour the hospitality bestowed upon आप under another's roof.
The attack resulted in risings in several settlements in Glencoe, with homes destroyed and burned. As a result many और people perished in the mountains from hunger या the cold, including many women and children. Indeed, in one scene during the film this horror is alluded to when a child is picked up द्वारा a soldier and then his lifeless body is placed on चोटी, शीर्ष of his dead father. It is a subtle but harrowing way of दिखा रहा है just how monstrous an attack this was.
The Result:
In spite of many inaccuracies the film is an entertaining romp, a historical drama with a प्यार story at its core. Although we wouldn't agree that Ian MacDonald is the epitome of a romantic hero for todays standards, the film does hold up.
And with the हाल का musical score द्वारा Shona Mooney and her band, it made the film so much और memorably entertaining, the soundtrack featuring some beautiful examples of Scottish संगीत at its best. Hopefully a DVD with this soundtrack accompanying it is in the works. A great combination.
