Rob Roy: The Highland Rogue (1953)

[bunniefuu]

[Distant drum beating]

[Drum beating]

[Speaking gaelic]

[Yelling]

Fire!

[Screaming]

Those rangoons have done

the trick.

It's well we had them.

It takes more than foot soldiers

to stop highland men.

Prisoners, sir.

Three lads and a clan chief

among them, sir.

Halt.

The price of rebellion,

macgregor.

Take them to stirling.

Keep the rebels on the run.

- General argyll?

- Yes.

General cadogen reporting, sir.

Acting on orders from London

to reinforce your grace.

I'm in command of 4,000

mercenaries in the continent.

How will you have me use them?

You may march your men

to the top of the hill

In full view

of the highlanders

And hold them there.

You will give me the signal

to charge?

There will be no signal.

The very sight of such numbers

will win the day for us.

But me lord Duke,

my muskets can wipe

Every rebel in Scotland

off the face of the earth.

Give me a free hand.

And there will be more b*ll*ts

than heads

In half an hour.

No.

We must spare the lovely

blue bonnets.

They're the finest men

in the world.

I came to k*ll your lovely

blue bonnets.

And to sweep through the

highlands with fire and sod.

And by all the goats in...

I'm a highlander myself,

you bloody minded mercenary.

I should be fast to report

this to Mr. walpole.

Report what you will.

But whilst you're under

my command

You'll do as you're told.

[Distant bagpipes playing]

The men are coming home.

Aye, but some are not.

What has happened

to my Robbie?

They've taken him

to stirling castle.

You're his nearest kinsman

And you dare to show your faces

in the Glen without him.

We did but come to ask

for his best plaid and sporran

Then we'll give ourselves up

to be at his side.

Aye.

They'll not be

taking rob to england.

Like a "brickless Catherine"

he must go as a gentleman.

Even to his own hanging.

He is not hanged yet.

This is far enough.

You'll wait for me here.

I will not let your ladyship

go into stirling alone.

Right here, I tell you.

Argyll?

Yes, montrose.

The council

has been reviewing

Wightman's final report

of the battle.

Yes?

The figures

appear to be inconclusive.

In what way?

Our losses were greater

than those of the rebels.

My lord Duke, Victors

are not always measured

By the number slain.

I have no doubt that you can

make London see it that way.

Just a moment.

Cousin Margaret.

You know why I've come.

Aye.

You've been told.

I'm sorry, Margaret,

but I'm very...

You're busy just now?

Well, I uh...

I can wait.

Aye.

You have a list

of the prisoners?

Such as it is.

A mere 19 in all.

And only three

lairds among them.

However, we do have

the macgregor chief

To throw to the English

jurorists.

Scots should be tried

in Scotland.

Macgregor and all the rest.

My lord, would it not be

politic

In view

of so slight a victory

To deliver up our chief prize

for trial in London?

Would you be responsible

for taking him there?

I would indeed.

And you call yourself a scot.

There's literally none of the

good scots left in your speech

And none at all in your heart.

My lord.

What a child for a politician

like you, montrose.

A c*ptive tied

at your chariot wheels.

I am not secretary of state

for Scotland.

You are.

And it's your loyalty

that may be questioned.

Not mine.

Have you interest

in my loyalty

Or the office I hold?

I'll tell you this,

argyll.

If you don't deliver macgregor

to London

You'll have no office to hold.

You'll do well

to think it over.

Her ladyship of glengyll.

Putting her ear to the door

like a serving wench.

And you born a Campbell.

I'm not proud

to be called Campbell.

When the chief of my own clan

put my Robbie in jail.

His own hot blood

put him there.

If yours

had not gone cold, argyll,

You'd be in jail

beside him.

Oh, I'm fighting

for Scotland too.

- Huh!

- But in a different way.

Long ago I realized

we can never seek the exiled

King James on england's throne.

If we're to live in peace,

we must be better neighbors.

And before I let hot heads

like your rob

Destroy old Scotland,

I'll see them all in jail.

London must think

you're the great man.

Margaret, I'm trying to get

an amnesty

For all the highlands.

To do so, I must make a vow

towards London.

It may sound hard to you.

But rob must stand his trial

with the rest.

Oh, I see now.

Would it help you at all

to send my Robbie to London?

Do you know

what you're saying?

Down there they'll stretch

his neck in a minute.

If...

If you did send him there,

Would his grace

the Duke of montrose take him?

Does it matter?

It might.

It's a long road to London.

The ways are bad and full

of highway men.

I should not like montrose

to fall in

With the kind of highway men

you would put in his path.

You macgregor woman, you.

Oh, you have my word

as one Campbell to another,

No macgregor would harm

a hair of his wig.

Oh, yes.

We must mind his wig.

T'would be a thundering great

catastrophe

If his lordship's feathers

were ruffled.

Oh, aye.

You must forgive my coachman

if he seems over anxious

To get you out of the country.

- Like his master.

- True.

Once you're rid

of me in London,

You think you'll have a free

hand in the highlands?

Half our crofters pay rent

to you, now.

I see no reason to deny

the other half my patronage.

- No reason but one.

- And what is that?

When my clansmen

have their belly full

Of thieving land robbers,

They have a way

of flinging them in the loch.

Nay, killearn.

Let him talk.

His words will be choked off

all too soon.

- Whoa there...

- Come on, come on.

Come on...

[Speaking gaelic]

Come away now.

[Speaking gaelic]

Wayfarer, make way.

Aye, sir, aye.

Did you not hear him?

Make way for the gentleman.

Aye.

Come on, come on, come on.

[Speaking gaelic]

You blathering fools

drive those sheep off the road.

Wipe the dust

from his clothes, nabby.

His lordship's wig.

There that's better.

Will your grace please accept

this small reminder

To keep your nose out

of macgregor business.

Oh, Robbie.

So you got away.

Aye.

Thanks to dugal,

Hugh and nabby.

- Oh, they're bonny lads.

- New curtains?

I was making things fine

for your homecoming.

You were so sure

I'd be back?

Well, I hoped.

Mother, the trouble's

not ended yet.

What are you looking for?

My father's pistols.

- I put them away.

- Where?

In the big chest

in my room.

You've no need of them, rob.

You wouldn't say that

If you knew who was

taking me to London.

I do know.

It was I who sent the men

to stop montrose's coach.

But it was argyll himself

who winked at what was done.

You went to argyll

And got down on your knees

to the great Campbell?

Have a care at

what you're saying, Robert.

I'm a Campbell too.

It seems you have forgotten

the fact

That you married a macgregor.

I am sorry, mother.

Argyll is not the enemy

you think he is.

He quelled

the rising of the clans

Like any englishman.

Yes, and he always will.

But once the fighting's over,

He's just as good a highlander

as you are.

He's set his mind on an amnesty

for the highlands.

He wants the w*r forgotten.

Why don't you

forget it too, rob?

Why don't you try

the ways of peace?

And settle down.

I suppose you have a Lassie

all picked out for me.

I don't know

who would have you.

Has no one at the inn

been asking about me?

- Do you mean Helen Mary?

- And why not?

Oh, she's been busy I hear.

Busy?

Well, you wouldn't expect

so bonny a Lassie

To be starved for attention,

now, would you?

Oh, no.

Not if that's what

she's wanting.

And why not?

Uh, is there anyone she might

have a particular fancy for?

- How would I know?

- Is there?

Well, if I were you...

Bring me that curtain,

please.

I would find out for myself.

I'll do no such thing.

It was the horseman

I tell you.

Take away the horseman

And throw him into

the river annan.

Ahh, they don't know

what fighting is nowadays.

It would be a far different

story back in '93.

Did I ever tell you about

the fighting at killiecrankie?

You see, it was like this.

There was a red coat coming

at me from the front.

And another all crouched

and ready to spring

From the rocks above.

And that's not counting the one

at the back

Who had me surrounded.

All I had was my sword.

And what do you think

I did then?

I cut and i...

and I slashed!

'Til the first one

gave ground.

I hacked at his head

and I hacked at his knees.

And then I told him to settle at

the hat of the one behind me.

Spit at the one

in the rocks above.

Whirl towards another one.

Break down his guard.

And...

The way we clip off a Daisy.

What was all that about?

Oh, I had just been slaying

and slaughtering

A few red coats.

- Oh.

- I'll chop the haggis.

You go back to your baking.

You'll need an apron

over that pretty dress.

What day is it today?

It's Thursday, Uncle hamish.

Oh, so it is.

So it is.

And why are you wearing

your Sunday best?

You're not expecting

anyone, are you?

- Oh, leave the girl alone.

- She started it.

Go on.

Get out of here.

Let's see now.

Where was I?

You were wading in red blood

right up to the knee.

Oh, yes, yes.

When I was in me prime.

I could bring down two

with every stroke.

Three!

And sometimes four.

[Laughing]

Out!

Out with you!

And you!

Good evening,

hamish MacPherson.

Rob!

Oh, rob, lad.

If you had me in the battle

The two of us could've chased

the sassanaks

All the way down to London.

Oh, there's no doubt

about it.

No doubt about it at all.

They say your cousin

dugal is a great man

With the claymore

and I don't deny it.

We're about the same tallness

and broadness

Though I may out weigh him

by a stone or two.

But oh, rob I wish you would

have seen me...

Good evening, rob.

In '93 when I was at

killiecrankie with montrose.

- Helen Mary i...

- Welcome home.

Not the montrose

that you escaped from.

No, not that markened evil

Who sold himself

to the English.

- Helen Mary...

- Excuse me.

No, no it...

It was his Uncle.

His Uncle the great montrose.

The bonny dundee.

Ahh, those were

the grand days.

Did you mind when you stalked

the sentry.

Aye...

Of all your great deeds,

That's the story

I like the best.

Aye.

And you took him by surprise

in broad daylight, aye.

That was the instinct

of the hunter.

There he was.

Standing up for all the world

to see

Like a cairn on

the Mountain top.

And there was...

Good evening.

Oh, rob.

It's grand to have you back.

- Thank you.

- Sit down.

You can help the Lassie

if you will mind.

Uh, thank you but, uh...

Helen Mary.

Could I have a straight forward

word with you?

Alone.

Alone?

What are you thinking of, rob?

I think I can be trusted.

Helen Mary.

Have I not been civil to you

in the past?

Oh, yes you have, rob.

Very civil.

Oh, you're a God-fearing lad,

rob.

But you've been away

to the wars.

And who knows

what you've picked up,

The loose ways of a soldier.

Talking from experience,

no doubt.

Pay no heed to him, rob.

Sit down.

You may speak as free

as you like.

There are no eavesdroppers

in this house.

And there'll be no bagpipes,

either.

I'm just going to soften

the Reed.

What was it you were wanting

to ask me about?

- I, uh...

- Yes, rob?

I wonder how matters

lie between us.

[Loud squawk]

You were wondering...

[High pitched squeak]

How matters lie between us.

Just what do you mean?

[Flat squeak]

I mean, you're not a bad

looking girl.

It's good of you

to say so.

And there are other lads

besides me who

Have thought so too.

Oh, I don't know.

And what about

Hector Stuart?

[Squeaking]

Well, he may have cast

his eye upon me in the kirk.

And no doubt you stared back

at that round-eyed-bullock.

I did not.

Hector was minded to speak

a straightforward word too

But he never got past

the threshold.

- Have i...

- Whoa, no.

My mother sends you her love.

You can take mine

back to her.

She loves you

like her own daughter.

You wouldn't believe

the changes she's...

You wouldn't believe the changes

she's made in the house.

Uh, with two new

leather rushy chairs.

And new curtains... curtains

for the windows.

[Continuous squawking]

And a great bed of timber.

And a looking glass

as tall as...

A looking glass

as tall as yourself.

My.

Oh, there's many a lass

that would be proud

To have the over seeing of

a house like inversnaid.

I've no doubt.

Uh, maybe you would.

- It's better now.

- Shh!

Did you come looking for

a housekeeper or...

You think he be looking

for a wife?

Well, the man must have

something to look at

After the kirk on Sundays.

You know fine why I've come.

I've been casting my eye

upon you too.

These last three years.

Have you now?

Why would you ever do that?

Helen Mary...

Will you be my...

[Bagpipe squealing]

What do you say?

Kinsmen and friends.

To Helen Mary.

My bride.

She's blythe and she's bonny.

She's my mother over again.

And I'd spill my heart's blood

in her defense.

As this will be token.

[Cheers]

Aw, she's a bonny wee lass.

* we will all sing so g*y

we will drink while we may *

* with a toast to our laddy

in a merry merry cup *

* we will set our cares aside

* if you'll kiss

the bonny bride *

* and go leaping

high and wide *

* while your legs

will hold you up *

[Laughing]

[Singing in gaelic]

[Loud cheers]

What brings you here?

I come to read a proclamation

from king George.

It has pleased his majesty

to signify his approval

Of an act of grace and pardon.

Granting an amnesty

to all persons who committed

Any treasonable offenses

against him.

Such pardon and amnesty

to be granted

To all the highland clans.

Save only the cursed

and traitorous clan macgregor.

Who's name shall be

forever abolished.

Here with, it is decreed

That any man

known as macgregor

Shall henceforward

call himself

And his bairns

already procreated

After any other surname

he may choose.

And it shall be unlawful

For a minister of the church

of Scotland

To baptize or christen

any male child

Called by the name

of macgregor.

Nor shall any man

of the clan macgregor

At any time bear arms,

Either weapons offensive

or weapons defensive.

Under pain of death.

You and your black cattle

Had best get out of macgregor

country while you may.

Still high and mighty.

Maybe this will cool

your pride.

I bear a warrant for the arrest

of the escaped prisoner

Rob macgregor and his return

to stirling castle.

Signed and sealed by the

secretary of state for Scotland.

Don't you believe him, rob.

The Duke of argyll

Would never put his name

to such an order.

This order is from

the new secretary.

The Duke of montrose.

Let me see it.

With pleasure, my dear lady.

If you didn't abide among

the myths and the crows,

You'd know that argyll has been

stripped of his offices

And sent to his castle

at inveraray.

Then your montrose's private

fencibles.

Aye.

Sent to humble

the MacGregors.

Aye.

- Give us the word, rob.

- Aye, give us the word.

No, put up your decks.

And go back to the punchbowl.

- Aye.

- The punch bowl.

Aye.

Go and get puggled

if you want,

But if you try any

of your games

This time we'll take more than

your names away from you.

Rob!

Go with my mother,

Helen Mary.

To inversnaid.

Come now.

You've not seen the last

of rob macgregor.

It takes more than the hook of

a sassanak

To hold a Scottish salmon.

Get after him!

[Speaking indistinctly]

I'll look down.

Behind the great stone.

Down stream near thunderhead.

A day and a night

is a long time to wait.

Are you sure he said

he'd meet us here.

Aye.

He said the punchbowl.

No, he's not coming.

Don't fret yourself, dugal.

Those fencibles will never

take Robert to the highlands.

Well, he's not here now.

Give them time, man.

He's had all the time

in the world and more.

You needn't get your beard

in a blaze.

Aye, bide wee while longer.

Sit down, man.

Sit down.

[Singing in gaelic]

Ahh, hold your voice.

And you hold yours.

I like to hear the lad sing.

This is no time for singin'.

Or for argy-bargy.

You old women can sit here

'til the stroke of day.

I'm going after rob,

even if I have to go on my own.

- You'll not go alone, dugal.

- Me too.

All right, come on then.

You're chief gave orders

to meet him here

And here you'll stay

until he comes.

- Stand aside, you.

- Stop!

What's all this

tramash about?

It was me.

It was my doing.

Aye, I don't doubt that.

Oh, he was just wanting

to go after you, rob.

There'll be no

going after me.

And there'll be

no more fighting.

Either among yourselves

or against others.

Now that montrose

is the high and mighty

Lordling of Scotland,

the clan will have to fight.

No, dugal.

If the clan shows fight,

He'll burn you out

of house and steading.

You're not the man he wants.

He's after me.

You will not be for giving

yourself up, rob.

Oh, no.

I'll lead his lordship

such a chase

He'll have no time left

for the rest of the MacGregors.

And we're to let you take all

the blows and knocks?

What kind of men

do you think we are?

I know the kind

you're going to be.

You're going back

to your own houses.

And hide your pistols

in the grain bins

And your claymores

in the thatch.

And learn

to speak as discreetly

As a Glasgow Bailey.

With our bonnets

in our hands.

Aye.

With your bonnets

in your hands.

Rob.

Rob, you did come back.

Oh, Helen Mary.

You made a bad bargain

when you took me for husband.

Don't say that, rob.

If I had known all this

was in store for me,

Aye, and ten times worse,

I'd still have married you.

No sign of him yet, sir.

You sure he didn't slip

past you in the dark?

No, sir.

I've a 20 men

on it all night long.

Hmm.

- What are you going to do?

- I'll take to the Heather.

- You'll not go far away?

- No, I must look to my clan.

If I don't keep an eye on

those hotheads,

They'll have themselves hanged

within a 12-month.

But in the end,

I'm driven from these hills

into the far north.

I'll not leave without you.

I'll be waiting.

[Pounding at the door]

Open up!

Where is rob macgregor?

I don't know.

I give you my word.

My son is not here.

[g*nf*re]

Well?

The Duke of montrose

is entitled to his rent money.

But he's no right

to the double tax.

No right?

I want my receipt too.

And what do you

call yourself?

My name is dugal macgregor.

There is no such name

as macgregor.

Put him down as macalister

and be done with it.

There will be none of that

in my house.

This is the inn

of hamish MacPherson.

- Why you...

- Torcal!

So it's your inn?

Yes.

And where's the charter

for the land you built it on?

There is my charter.

And there's mine.

No, dugal!

Any more trouble from you

Or any of the rest of you

mangy tykes,

I will take you out

to stirling

And leave your crofts forfeit.

Now maybe

you'll listen to me.

This is the quarter rent you

paid to the Duke of montrose.

The same as it always is.

Aye.

But this one

grows and grows.

Next quarter

it'll be doubled.

Then doubled again.

Until it grows so great

You'll have to sell your

livestock and your farm gear

And your land itself...

To keep the bag full.

Unless you wish

to claim it now.

The whole sum will be posted

as a reward

For the man who leads us

to rob Roy macgregor.

I'll claim it.

Take their weapons.

Dugal, give it to maccallum.

Throw them in the loch.

Aye.

Give every man back

what he is due.

Aye.

As for you,

You poor cowardly

walking act of parliament,

Go and tell your master this.

My men have laid down

their arms.

They obey your laws

because I told them to.

And that command they still

must keep.

As for me, you may take me

if you can.

But leave my men alone.

For any Levy you may plague them

with hereafter,

I'll take double the amount

from montrose's own granary.

And from his cattle herds.

If you burn out our macgregor

crofts and steadings,

I'll burn yours.

If you k*ll my men,

I'll k*ll you, killearn.

Time after time you let

the red macgregor

Slip through your fingers.

And that's not all.

On the 20th day of this month

To punish dugal macgregor

for false information,

You stripped his croft

of its farm gear.

Is that not so?

True, your grace.

And on the 21st,

Ten of my finest cattle

disappeared.

You further report

That fencibles courted

at macgregor houses

Are way laid and beaten

by an unknown hand.

An unknown hand,

you witless goat?

Already you've made me

the laughing stock

Of Edinburgh and stirling.

Now London

is asking questions.

Mr. walpole himself.

We've done our best, my lord.

But I need more men.

You have all my fencible

troops now,

Save only my personal guards.

How many do you need

to capture one man?

He's more than one man,

your grace.

The plowman on the hill

is rob macgregor.

The man who carries the water

from the spring

Is rob macgregor.

The boatman on the loch

is rob macgregor.

And even the wee lad who fetches

in the cows.

As for the women.

Not a soul of honor.

Her ladyship of glengyll

Has swore herself

with such conviction

That the devil himself

would've believed her.

And all that time she was

hiding her son in the house.

Then bring her in.

We'll show them

what our courts can do

To those who harbor

prescribed outlaw.

A desperate measure,

your grace.

It may make the outlaw

desperate too.

Aye, and it may bring

the whole clan of macgregor.

We'll sorely need the packing

of the red coats.

Very well.

If colonel carpenter

can spare us the soldiers,

We rig ourselves a fort

at inversnaid.

You have no right

to strip my house.

For harboring an outlaw,

Your cattle's a forfeit

to the crown.

As for you, my fine lady,

we're taking you to stirling.

She did not rig,

you're lord.

She did not know her son

was in the house.

Torcal!

Get rid of the girl.

Slinking coward,

leave the girl alone.

Helen Mary...

Muskets!

Rob!

- Are you all right, mother?

- Yes, here, rob.

Get down.

Dugal!

[Shouting]

[Coughing]

She can't endure the smoke

much longer.

[Coughing]

Macgregor!

Come out, macgregor!

We'll spare your women

if you give yourself up.

Macgregor!

Bring her out, Helen Mary.

[Coughing and choking]

Willy, fetch rob.

Run!

[Yelling indistinctly]

[Speaking indistinctly]

What is it, rob?

I must look to my mother.

Dugal, see that the fort

is surrounded.

Don't let one of them

show his head outside.

We'll keep them in siege until

they starve or surrender.

Aye.

Robbie...

He's coming, mother.

He mustn't fight

with the soldiers.

You must stop him,

Helen Mary.

Yes, mother.

There must be

no more k*lling.

It's so easy

to set the Heather on fire.

It's so hard to put it out.

[Bagpipe playing

in the distance]

I have come to honor

my kinswoman.

You honor us all,

my lord.

Your mother was

a great lady.

God blessed and bless her.

Macgregor,

This time there'll be

no escape.

You barbarian.

You crude unfeeling fool.

Get you gone!

Take them both.

[Speaking gaelic]

So your Campbells

have joined the MacGregors.

Mr. walpole

shall hear of this.

Still threatening me

with London?

Then I'll tell you something

about our king's minister

You may not know.

Mr. walpole buys many men

like you, aye,

And sells them too

if they no longer please him.

So get back South

and lick his boots

While yet you may.

"I am the resurrection

and the life," says the lord.

"He that believeth in me

though he were dead,"

" yet, shall he live."

Fare yee well, my lord.

We MacGregors stand

in debt to you.

The highlands would be

in your debt

Were you to lift the siege

from inversnaid fort.

And let my mother's murders

go free?

No.

We tried to have peace,

my lord.

And when

they denied us amnesty,

We still tried

to keep their laws.

But now we know they'd ravage

and burn and butcher us all

If we laid down our arms again.

Not if I could have you

included

In the general amnesty.

I have lost office.

I have lost the ear

of Mr. walpole.

But as a knight of the guard

That I still may go

to the king.

You have concerned yourself

too much

With our quarrel already.

The peace of the highlands

concerns us all.

Will you not try once more

to let reason prevail?

I will not give a promise

I may not be able to keep.

But again, my thanks.

Helen Mary, I beg you

to restrain him.

He may listen to you.

I'll do all I can.

You must

let the soldiers go, rob.

And give our guile

a chance to make peace.

And be m*rder*d for it?

I'd rather be shot for a wolf

than a sheep.

Maybe you must humble

your pride

For the sake of the rest.

It's so easy to set

the Heather on fire.

So hard to put it out.

Empty words, Helen Mary.

They're not mine, rob.

Those were the last words

spoken by your mother.

Sir, rob macgregor himself

has come

Under a flag of truce.

He is offering us terms.

Offering us terms?

You go back and tell him...

i pray you, sir.

Let me give him his answer.

Macgregor!

Well, is it peace or w*r?

- Is it bad, rob?

- No.

Now rob, do we beg for mercy

without b*ll*ts in our hands?

No.

It's w*r.

Here.

Here you are, lady.

A new ballad about rob Roy.

All for one penny.

The Duke's mayor

rode from stirling

And up to inversnaid

To put 100 pound

on rob macgregor's head.

The girl did went a beggin',

so did the Duke, as well.

For in walked bold macgregor

and claimed it for himself.

Here it is.

It's true history.

Thank you, lady.

True history

as I'm a Christian woman.

Sir, you're a quick little

fellow.

Your manners

are in your elbows.

Mr. billingsley?

The highland rogue,

if you please.

Certainly, countess.

I am deeply honored

by his majesty's patronage.

This cabinet meeting

has been called, gentlemen,

To consider the very dangerous

state of affairs

Existing in

the Scottish highlands.

Our secretary of state

for Scotland

Brings with him the disturbing

intelligence

That the clan macgregor

Led by their outlaw chieftain,

rob Roy,

Has openly revolted.

And besieged the king's

fort at inversnaid.

We have

every reason to believe

That the other clans

will join them

In a full scale uprising.

The other clans appear

to be quite content

With the king's amnesty.

My lord marlborough,

the amnesty saved their hides.

But their loyalty to the king

is only skin deep.

Scratch a highlander

And you'll find a rebel

underneath.

Why doesn't

colonel carpenter

March a force up

to relieve the fort?

Because, sir, it might

seriously weaken

His Garrison at stirling

And in the face

of a general revolt.

What general revolt?

The clans rose in '48

and in '78 and in '93.

And they tried it again

only a few short months ago.

All they've ever needed

to touch them off

Is one troublemaker.

Now they have macgregor.

Tempest in a teapot.

Can be more serious

than you think, marlborough.

We haven't the time

for bickering.

Has his majesty been

made aware of the situation?

It was the king himself

who requested us

To sift the facts and present

our recommendations.

His majesty is even now

in the throne room

Conducting his own unique study

of the highland situation.

"And then the coachmen

had been let go.

"And montrose himself

"Was sitting

in the dust of the road.

"Rob Roy lifted the wig

of the Duke of montrose

Und"... and, and...

Tweaked.

What is this... tweak?

Tweaked his nose.

- Tweaked?

- Yeah.

Tweaked his nose?

- [Speaking german]

- Yes.

Your majesty?

The Duke of argyll

earnestly requests an audience

With his majesty.

[Speaking German]

Argyll.

[Speaking German]

His majesty

will receive him.

Your grace.

His grace,

the Duke of argyll.

Does the Duke not realize

That he's no longer

an accepted person at court?

I do indeed.

Know that I am true

to that great cause.

But I beg of you to explain

to his majesty

That when the safety

of the realm is in danger,

An honest man will go

straight to his king.

Then how many troops

do you propose

To send to the highlands?

I believe 6,000

would be adequate.

6,000?

To relieve one small fort?

My lord marlborough,

It is not for me to expound

the philosophy of w*r

To the hero of blenheim and

the first soldier of Europe.

But I must humbly propose

That we follow

your military examples.

And strike a ruthless

and crushing blow

At the head and front

of the trouble.

Oh, well...

I suppose

if the secretary's

Going to cite

my own campaigns against me.

He's right, marlborough.

It's reason and good sense.

Perfectly sound.

I agree, my lord.

I have never questioned

the secretary's wisdom.

My only concern is where I'll

find the money for the troops.

All you can think about,

walpole,

Is money, money, money.

I'll never mention

the word again, sir...

If you will show me a way

to get along without it.

[Laughing]

How, walpole, how montrose,

killearn.

Majesty, I am astounded

to find his grace of argyll

Admitted to the royal presence.

He more than any other

has been responsible

For thwarting

our secretary's attempt

To capture

the outlaw macgregor.

That I am proud to admit.

Will the countess please

explain to his majesty

That this brave gentleman

Tried to surprise

rob Roy macgregor

At his mother's funeral.

We in the highlands

respect our dead.

My liege, lord.

Mr. walpole will tell you

that the cabinet

Has this day recommended

the immediate dispatch

Of 6,000 soldiers to bring

the highlands under control.

Not one would be needed

were it not for this man.

They'll not need it now.

Send bandits

into our mountains

And they'll be matched

with murdering knives.

But if you will send me

alone and unarmed

To speak the words

a highlander can understand,

I will bring rob Roy macgregor

back with me to London.

Preposterous.

The only thing a highlander

can understand is...

Genug!

[Speaking German]

Macgregor?

Here in London?

[Speaking German]

Zehr gut...

[Speaking German]

Rob.

Get you back to the inn.

Oh, rob.

You cannot do it.

You keep out of this.

I tried to make peace.

I did as you asked, Helen Mary.

As your mother asked.

Aye, and both of you wrong.

I'll trust no man again

unless he be kinsmen to me.

Nor listen to any woman.

And no one will stop me

Blowing those cutthroats

out of the highlands.

[Whistling]

MacGregors!

[Speaking indistinctly]

Give a hand.

What's in it, lad?

She's loaded with g*n powder.

Good, we'll rake them

with it.

Light your head start.

Stand back, macgregor.

Order your men

out of the fort.

If you don't...

Rob.

You've made a desperate fool

of yourself, macgregor.

And you've made

a fool of me.

I went to the king

to plead your cause.

He heard me out and bade me

bring you to London

To make your peace.

And now, you've committed

an overt act of w*r,

Which may well be more

than the king can forgive.

Do you think we MacGregors

will bow the knee

To German geordie?

No.

We took this fort.

And we'll hold it against

all your kings.

[All agreeing]

If you do, I'll come back

with an army

And take it from you

myself.

Ahh, let him go.

- We need no fear of them.

- We're with you, rob.

- Aye, to the last man.

All: Aye.

You're brave men.

And when

the English armies come

And set

the whole highlands aflame,

Bravely you will die

to the last man.

And then nothing will be left

of the clan macgregor.

Nothing but the women

and the burned houses

And the fatherless bairns,

to tell of your glorious deeds.

Do you think I'll sing

your praises then,

Robert macgregor?

No, I'll say that once

you were a man

Who wanted to save

your people.

You even denied yourself

a wife

That none might suffer

because of you.

I honored you then.

But I do not honor you now.

Oh, now,

the Lassie means well,

But you know how women are.

They'll have you dead

and buried

Before you've done

any fighting at all.

There'll be some fighting

by the time we gather the clans.

We'll gather

all the clans, rob.

Aye, the robertsons

of stranraer

Will join the drummonds of

perth...

And the banffshire Gordons

and the good man of the board.

We'll surely meet and go

quicker.

Then the Stuarts of oban

will come in.

And the mackenzies of kinkill

And the canoms of Murray

on the hill.

And the macclains of mull or...

[Speaking indistinctly]

They'll find a whole swarm

of blue bonnets

A buzzin' about their ears.

Where is rob Roy?

Sire, macgregor

has refused to come.

Worse than that,

He has taken your fort

at inversnaid

And is determined to hold it.

If the other clans join him,

The army these gentlemen

have vantaged upon you

Will be most solemnly needed

In a such a pass,

your majesty.

The only reparation

I can make

Is humbly to offer my sword

against the rebels,

To redeem my failure.

[Speaking German]

[Bagpipes playing]

[Speaking German]

Is this rob Roy?

His majesty awaits you.

Alone.

I have come to your majesty

Because you sent the Duke

of argyll to me.

I trust him.

And ask his pardon.

From your majesty,

I ask no favor but one.

I beg of you.

Grant amnesty to my clan.

As for me,

you may do what you will.

[Speaking German]

I have heard...

I hear many things.

I hear you've captured

my soldiers and take my fort.

You bring disgrace

upon my clan.

And take my name away from me.

I pray, your majesty.

Let me remove this insolence.

The king does not fear

the bold enemy.

The king fears only

the self seeking friend.

I give you back your sword...

And your name.

Rob Roy macgregor.

You are the great rogue.

And you, sire,

Are a great king.

Oh, it must have been

a wonderful sight, you.

And what happened then?

Right into the palace

we went.

And there in the great hall,

Sitting all alone with his hat

on his head,

Was king geordie.

Glowering out of a great wig.

Oh, I wish I could

have seen him.

And what was he like?

He was like her ladyship's

Galloway nag.

When he's just going

to take a bite out of you.

And you should have seen

the lords and Dukes

With their clipped up breeches.

And wee buttons hanging

about the knees

To clip them up.

And not a man's sword

among them.

And right through

all the courtiers

Bending and bowing like

barley in the wind,

Marches rob.

As proud and as straight

as an evergreen pine.

And he says to the king,

he says, geordie,

I've come to get my name back

and I'll take my pardon now.

Aye, the king liked the look

of rob.

And the king said,

"macgregor," he said

"How would you like to be

My secretary of state

for Scotland?"

And rob said, "I'd do it,

geordie",

"But I have got to go home now

"And look after my great herds

of cattle.

Give the post back to argyll."

Do you hear that, Helen Mary?

I heard.

When do you think

he'll be back?

Oh, you needn't be looking

for him yet, Lassie.

The way they were wining

and dining,

He won't be back for a week.

And what were

the fine ladies like?

They were covered with jewels

all over.

Great red heathen

carbuncle stones

On their fingers.

And diamonds as big

as duck's eggs

Hanging from their ears.

Were the ladies very...

Were they clothed

very beautiful?

Well, uh, they had

Crocker nonnies

And barbs of ribbon

piled up on their heads.

Oh, and quilt and combs.

And they walked

on wee cloppers

With heels so high

That a man had to carry them

in his arm

For fear they would fall over.

Oh, that must have been

a lovely sight.

The painted hussies.

They better not make

sheep's eyes at our Robbie.

Oh, it's only natural

When a man marches into a town

after a battle,

Swinging along to the skattle

of the pipes.

That the ladies

would look down

From their balconies

and windows

It's perpetually a...

If he's a fine figure of a man

with an eagle feather

Shining in his bonnet

and his tartans flying.