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Rating:  - Buried in the depths of my past-I was just there.
I have three Scotish surnames in my ancestry. So I could not pass up a tour to see the British Isles this past summer with our church choir. The trip finale was to sing in the magnificent St. Giles Cathedral just a block or so down from Greyfriar's courtyard and Abbey. The impressive Scotish National Museum is just across the street. A statue errected to Bobbie is in the fork in the street just in front of two businesses named for the beloved animal. Inside the wrought iron gates is Bobbie's grave site and a walk down to the right is John Grey's grave stone paid for by "the American friends of Greyfriar's Bobbie". It is coming close to half a century ago when I saw the disney movie. I have to admit that it was the most touching experience for me there in downtown Edinburgh. What a powerful movie for such feelings to well up inside of me so many years (decades) later! I took some high definition video along the sidewalk in front of the address. I will try to post it as a video review if I can get it stepped down to a lower resolution.
Rating:  - WARNING ABOUT THE DVD VERSION OF GREYFRIARS BOBBY
Walt Disney's 1961 classic Greyfriars Bobby is one of the most heartwarming and enchanting classic ever to be brought to the screen. Therefore, you can imagine my astonishment when I purchased the DVD only to find out that the entire narration by the star, Donald Crisp, is completely missing from the print. I come from a cinema industry background and remember the film vividly on its original and subsequent re-releases, and when it became available on VHS tape I immediatey purchased it and have enjoyed it again, many times over, complete with the narration on the VHS version. The narration by Donald Crisp is meant to start about 9 minutes into the film, as he becomes both narrator and the voice of the dog. One of the most important parts of the narration, and the story, is what happens to the dog after the events, which was originally all explained in the theatrical and VHS versions, but is completely missing on the DVD version, and therefore an important part of the emotional thread is also missing. I recommend that you watch the complete VHS version and totally avoid the incomplete DVD copy. Walt Disney would be disgusted at the way they have treated one of his most cherished classics.
Rating:  - Heart
This is a sentimental animal lovers movie. Based upon a true story it delivers on all counts.
Rating: - Watch Out For The Pennies, Half-Pennies, And Farthings.
Enough has been said elsewhere about what a charming, heart-rending tale this is, so, just to be different, I would like to draw your attention to the scene where the tenement children turn up at court with seven shillings in pennies, half-pennies and farthings to pay Bobby's licence fee and thus save his life.
The scene is set in 1867, but when the coins are poured out on the table in court, you will see that several of the pennies bear the old, veiled head of Queen Victoria which did not appear until 1893. Furthermore, if you freeze that scene, and play it frame by frame, you will notice miscellaneous coins from the reigns of George V and George VI, whose reigns did not begin until 1910 and 1936 respectively.
Admittedly it is highly unlikely that these latter coins would have been noticed by anybody, but the old, veiled head of Queen Victoria on some of the pennies is glaringly obvious. In 1961, when this film was made, coins of all monarchs, from Victoria onwards, were still in general circulation in varying quantities.
Greyfriars Bobby is still a delightful film, but watching out for the coins will perhaps add a little bit of extra interest.
Rating: - A timeless classic suitable for children and adults with a heart
Having been to Edinburgh and seen the statue of Bobby, this film had some meaning for me. Film makers - including Disney - just don't make films like this anymore, probably because society has changed so much since this was filmed in 1960.
There is no violence, no swearing, the dog is real, and there is no animation - it's a sweet film that'll gently tug on your heart strings. It's innocence is so very touching and it's a classic example of the type of films my parents grew up watching and that I can now appreciate.
If you're a dog lover then it'll warm your heart, and if you want to show your children a sweet film that will show them a bit of history, won't frighten them, or teach them bad habits then Greyfriar's Bobby is just the ticket.
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