Rob Roy

1995 Action/Adventure

The 18th century Scottish legend of Robert Roy MacGregor comes to life in this stylish adaptation of the swashbuckling novel by Sir Walter Scott. Liam Neeson stars as the title character, a cattle drover and proud head of a Highlands clan who takes a one thousand pound loan from the royal Marquis of Montrose (John Hurt) in order to make a profit on some livestock that will keep his struggling people alive through the coming winter. One of the Marquis' henchmen, wily expert swordsman Archibald Cunningham (Tim Roth) learns of the loan from the nobleman's factor, Killearn (Brian Cox), and steals the money by murdering Rob Roy's best friend MacDonald (Eric Stoltz). Unable to repay the loan and unwilling to give up his land, Rob Roy becomes a fugitive, hunted by none other than Cunningham, who rapes Rob Roy's wife Mary (Jessica Lange). Scotch-British politics come to a boil over the Rob Roy affair, leading to an officially sanctioned showdown between the stoic farmer and Cunningham. more..

Director: Michael Caton-Jones

Starring: Liam Neeson, Jessica Lange, John Hurt,Tim Roth, Eric Stoltz

Reviews

  • This is a splendid, rousing historical adventure, an example of what can happen when the best direction, acting, writing and technical credits are brought to bear on what might look like shopworn material.

    Roger Ebert - The Chicago Sun-Times

    27 April 2013

  • A rousingly square romantic epic spiced with dashes of sex and bloodlust; it's "Robin Hood" meets "The Last of the Mohicans" meets "Death Wish".

    Owen Gleiberman - Entertainment Weekly

    27 April 2013

  • Rob Roy succeeds more as an old-fashioned romance (nice to see Jessica Lange, instead of some babe du jour, as Rob's fiercely proud wife), than as an action epic.

    - TV Guide

    27 April 2013

  • Braveheart in a new kilt. Not exactly original, then, but worth a look.

    - Empire

    27 April 2013

  • You always know where it's going even as it meanders for two and a half hours getting there.

    Peter Travers - Rolling Stone

    27 April 2013

Awards

  • Best Actor in a Supporting Role

    Academy Awards (1996)

     
  • Best Supporting Actor

    Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films (1996)

     
  • Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

    BAFTA Awards (1996)

  • Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

    Golden Globes (1996)

     
  • Best Supporting Actor

    Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards (1996)