Kidnapped

"Robert Louis Stevenson's Great Adventure Story...Now a Monumental Motion Picture!"

1971 1h 40m EN

😐

6.2

MID

★6.2TMDB · 43

AdventureHistory

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Scottish orphan David Balfour is betrayed by his wicked uncle Ebeneezer, who arranges for David to be kidnapped and sold into slavery so that he cannot claim his inheritance. The boy is rescued and befriended by Alan Breck, a Scottish rebel fighting on behalf of his country's independence from the British.

“Robert Louis Stevenson's Great Adventure Story...Now a Monumental Motion Picture!”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Michael Caine
Alan Breck
Lawrence Douglas
David / David Balfour
Vivien Heilbron
Catriona / Catriona Stewart
Trevor Howard
Lord Advocate
Jack Hawkins
Captain Hoseason
Donald Pleasence
Ebenezer Balfour
Gordon Jackson
Charles Stewart
Freddie Jones
Cluny

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Delbert Mann
Writers: Jack Pulman
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

55 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Delbert Mann, shot by Paul Beeson. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Roy Budd. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Peter Boita shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Michael Caine and Lawrence Douglas and Vivien Heilbron carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Robert Louis Stevenson's Great Adventure Story...Now a Monumental Motion Picture!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0067302 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 43 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Delbert Mann directs. Paul Beeson behind the camera. Roy Budd scores. Peter Boita cuts. Produced in United Kingdom. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

155 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Directed by Delbert Mann, shot by Paul Beeson. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Roy Budd. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Peter Boita shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Michael Caine and Lawrence Douglas and Vivien Heilbron carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "Robert Louis Stevenson's Great Adventure Story...Now a Monumental Motion Picture!".
7IMDB entry: tt0067302 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 43 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Paul Beeson
Original score: Roy Budd
Editing: Peter Boita
Runtime: 100 min · 1h 40m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
IMDB: Kidnapped (1971)

Also by

Delbert Mann

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2023-05-29
★ 6/10
It is actually a bit of a testament to Michael Caine's charisma, that I didn't give this one star. As a Scot, I ought to have hated it. Oddly enough, though, it's not awful. Sure, his accent is all over the place but somehow the thrust of the story is reasonably handled. It all starts with "David Balfour" (Lawrence Douglas) trekking to his uncle "Ebenezer" (Donald Pleasance) to tell him his father has passed away. The venal old gent has no intention of sharing his meagre fortune and soon "Davie" in underway across the sea under the guidance of "Capt. Hoseason" (Jack Hawkins). That ship hits a smaller one which introduces us to the Jacobite, tartan-clad, Caine ("Alan Breck Stewart") who is on the run from King George's red coats. After literally having to fight their way off the brig they have some adventures, get caught up in an high level assassination and end up with both trying to achieve their objectives against the odds. The production is pleasing to look like, and the score sets up some lovely Scottish location photography. The cast? Well, Hawkins looks like he has had way too much port; Trevor Howard is quite effective as the duplicitous Lord Advocate and the young Douglas does fine as the naive but decent young "Balfour". It is all about Michael Caine, though - and for all it's many flaws, there is no denying that the solid underpinning adventure story serves as a strong enough bedrock for this not to end up the laughable nonsense it could have been. Not a patch on the Disney version from 1959, but I didn't hate it...

Production companies