Greyfriars Bobby: The True Story of a Dog (1961)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

Thanks to The Wonderful World Of Disney TV programmes that ran seemingly endlessly in the 60's I've always been fond of their auld live action family melodramas, this supposedly true tale being one of the best. In less than 90 minutes it plays with you, effortlessly running through the full range of your emotions from heart breaking to heart warming. And yet clever people wouldn't call this Art!Shaggy Skye terrier Bobby is faithful to his master Auld Jock even after his death, sleeping on Jock's grave in Greyfriars kirkyard, eating at the local café owned by Laurence Naismith, playing with the local urchins and catching rats for the kirkyard keeper Donald Crisp. Uniting everyone in respect for his respect for a dead pauper. I wonder if Gordon Jackson was happy with his totally unsympathetic portrayal of Jock's former employer, hard heartedly kicking him out of work to die in the first place which set off the train of events. Helping get you into a Scottish mood there's the usual warm grainy Disney colour of the period complemented with some generally bright music and believable acting, even by the dog. Favourite bits: Bobby continually dodging round Crisp to get to the grave; fine background sets full of uneven wooden furniture and uneven paving; the key scenes with the Lord Provost.It's recently been suggested that the whole story was made up for tourism purposes, apparently (hem) grave doubts were being cast on Bobby's authenticity even while he - or his look-alike successor - was still alive. Well, what a surprise! But if so it doesn't bother me, it's still an incontrovertible fact that with this Disney had made a wonderful film.

As a USA transplant to Scotland, I loved the way this movie portrayed 19th century Scots. It actually managed to present a genuine Scottish feeling without horrible stereotyping and corny dialog. My local friends own the movie and love it— a real statement for what a good job was done.The scenes of Edinburgh are great (with the Edinburgh Castle backdrop). The story-line is so lovely and engaging that, even though at times I knew that I was being manipulated, I cried, laughed and loved every minute of it! The movie was obviously made in a different time in the history of film making; while at the same time the story is about a different time in humanity. I felt that the datedness of the filming techniques made the story even more beautiful and evocative.The dog is a show stealer, the kids are adorable and the adults are absolutely believable...Although I pretty much cried from beginning to end, I felt hopeful and more compassionate towards my fellow human beings after watching 'Greyfriars Bobby' than I felt beforehand. This is truly a classic and I loved it!

The story of Greyfriars Bobby is one familiar to most Scottish schoolchildren and this film is a worthy adaptation of a very endearing tale. 'Greyfriars Bobby: The True Story of a Dog' is set in 1865 where an ageing shepherd from the Highlands and his faithful Skye terrier Bobby visit Edinburgh. But when the shepherd succumbs to pneumonia and is buried in a local cemetery of Greyfriars Kirk, Bobby remains loyal to his master, sleeping on his grave and only leaving to search for food. In those days, dogs had to be licensed but, when the local police try to take him to the pound to be put down, the children of Edinburgh and the city's Lord Provost (who incidentally was director of the Scottish SPCA) rally to save him.Although the film is not exact on all the details of the story, nevertheless, it is a very warm and touching film about why dogs are possibly the most loyal and devoted creatures on this planet (we humans could probably learn a thing or two from them, in that respect). The Scottish setting is well-depicted and there were few wobbly accents to be heard since most of the cast were actually Scottish.'Greyfriars Bobby: The True Story of a Dog' remains one of Disney's best films and hasn't dated much despite being more than thirty years old.

I love movies, I also love Dogs so I had a head start with this one. However I have always been a fan of this little dog. Although not exactly a documentary ( Jock was in real life a policeman not a shepeard). But the basic tale is true as far as I know, and is a true adaptation of the book. The acting is superb, the sets are wonderful and have captured Victorian Scotland superbly. If like me you cry at animal tales then get the tissues out, sit back and have your faith restored as to why the Dog is the greatest creature on Earth. And truly Man's best pal. If you feel moved enough you could even visit Scotland and see the gravestone that bobby sheltered from the rain under and his collar is still in one of the museums.