The Flying Scot [DVD]

Product Information

a b Kemp, Stuart (8 August 2006). "Film spotlight: "The Flying Scotsman" ". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007 . Retrieved 28 June 2007.

The gang then flies to a tropical location. So far no words have been spoken. Finally the gangs talk about their six previous heists and a plan to rob the Flying Scotsman train of half a million pounds. The robberies are planned meticulously.. The Flying Scotsman is a 2006 British drama film, based on the life and career of Scottish amateur cyclist Graeme Obree. The film covers the period of Obree's life that saw him take, lose, and then retake the world one-hour distance record. The film stars Jonny Lee Miller as Obree, Laura Fraser, Billy Boyd, and Brian Cox. All the standard "B" elements are then deployed. Lots of talk and the plot line contrived so as to use the same sets over and over again; lots of filling out with extraneous plot strands that have very little to do with the main story; and all the scriptwriter's ingenuity channeled into ways to eke out the running time rather than ways to make the film more exciting. Brian Cox as Douglas Baxter: A minister who helps Obree chase his demons and concentrate on his goal. Cox, a seasoned actor, had been working in Europe before returning to Scotland to shoot the film. He commented that the story is one of "perseverance and passion". He said, since seeing the film, "[t]he end result is even better than I hoped – it's a masterpiece." [6]Billy Boyd as Malky McGovern: Obree's manager. When approached to have a role in the film, Boyd knew only the "basic elements" of Obree's story. [6] Boyd, being Scottish, felt it important to have the right script and further promote Scottish film. a b c d e " "The Flying Scotsman" production notes" (PDF). Verve Pictures . Retrieved 28 June 2007. Bradshaw, Peter (15 August 2006). "The Flying Scotsman". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 19 August 2006 . Retrieved 28 June 2007. As the film progresses the adult Obree is now married to Anne with a child. In between competing in local races, he runs a failing bicycle shop and has to supplement his income as a bicycle courier. Graeme encounters Malky McGovern (Boyd), a fellow bike courier, who recognises who Graeme is and they become fast friends. While working in his shop an older gentleman called Baxter (Cox), asks Graeme to repair his old bike. Graeme agrees after roping Baxter into being the judge over a race with a local van driver. Graeme narrowly beats the driver but the van steers into him. Baxter takes an immediate liking to Graeme but recognises a darkness in the younger man. a b Booth, Samantha (27 October 2002). "OBREE FILM HITS CRISIS AS COUNCIL SAYS NO". Daily Record (Scotland) . Retrieved 28 June 2007.

Graeme decides to try and beat the hour record. However, he has neither the funding nor the quality of bicycle required. Determined to succeed, he asks Malky to take over his management and fundraising from his wife Anne who is overwhelmed with work and raising their child. Cox turns out to be a boatyard owner and offers Graeme and Malky his yard to build a fitting bike. Graeme sets himself 8 weeks to build a bike, raise funds for the challenge and pay for access to a fitting velodrome. The driving force for such a tight deadline is because Chris Boardsman's attempt for breaking the record is the 9th week. a b Keogh, Tom (4 May 2007). " "The Flying Scotsman's" inspirational tale sends spirits soaring". Seattle Times . Retrieved 28 June 2007. The bonus features are an alternate opening sequence – merely 78 seconds revealing a title card for the American release – and a non-interactive still gallery running to 46-seconds. The main two extras are interviews. First is a near-17-minutes talk with Steve Chibnall, Professor of British Cinema, titled ‘The Flying Scot and the history of the British B-movie’. The second is around 13 minutes with writer and journalist Barry Forshaw, who, we are told, has written about British crime films. These are worth dealing with together, as they are both very standard examples of the talking head interviews seen on such legacy releases, and they cover the same ground without covering the same facts. Both contextualise the B Movie, much as summarised above, talk about the film itself, and look at the career of Compton Bennett (best known for 1950’s King Solomon’s Mines). The Flying Scot' is a justifiably good example of the genre. Well crafted and cheap to make! The story is quite simple. Ronnie, a young impetuous American crook, played by Lee Patterson, is looking for 'the big one', and proposes to rob the Mail Train by drilling through the compartment walls whilst the train travels from Glascow to London. THE FLYING SCOT is an engagingly low budget little heist movie set on board a train, where a gang of criminals are planning to steal money from the Royal Mail carriage by accessing it from an adjoining compartment. The film has a clever little set-up which sees the plan played out as the thieves would wish before it moves to the real world, where unsurprisingly things are far more unexpected and complex.The Radio Times Guide to Films gave the film 1/5 stars, writing: "The most noteworthy thing about this crime programme filler is that it was scripted by Norman Hudis, who wrote six Carry On films. As with most British B-movies of the period, a clutch of transatlantic stars were imported to raise the profile, but they couldn't do much to distract from the mediocrity of this train robbery thriller." [8] It has been painted in the traditional early 1960s British Rail green for its first official outing bearing its name plates after the restoration project. Now forgive the obvious did this little film perhaps provide some inspiration for the actual Great Train Robbery a few years later in 1963? Even the lead is called Ronnie, get it? The heroine is attractively costumed in the introductory sequence, but for most of the film, she wears much less flattering attire. COMMENT: "The Flying Scot" starts off most ingeniously with not a word spoken for the first 15 or 20 minutes. Of course, the idea was stolen from "Rififi" but it's still a suspenseful one even in this grade "B" work-out. The sequence turns out to be a neat joke on the audience, and thereafter the film follows a more predictable course.

Daly-Peoples, John. "Flying Scotsman". National Business Review. Archived from the original on 3 May 2007 . Retrieved 28 June 2007. Review of The Flying Scotsman". TotalFilm.com. Future Publishing. 29 June 2007 . Retrieved 1 March 2009.However, his victory is short-lived as his record is broken by Chris Boardman (Adrian Grove, credited as Adrian Smith) a week later. The Union Cycliste Internationale hold a meeting where they devise rules to discourage Obree from using his experimental bicycle in future. Obree is severely depressed the night following his record-making ride. This is exacerbated when Boardman breaks the record. When Obree is confronted in a pub by the four bullies who had victimised him years earlier at school, he becomes completely withdrawn and rarely leaves his house. Baxter attempts to counsel him, but Obree feels betrayed when he discovers that Baxter is the pastor of a local church and the younger Obree is agnostic towards religion. In the 1950's , all the studios were churning out 'B' movies, or as their publicity offices preferred to call them, Supporting Features. Most are now just memories or entries in catalogues, but in their day they were 65 minutes of taut thriller and proved to be the training ground for actors, writers, directors and technicians, as well as the twilight zone for former top stars. The Flying Scot is a 1957 British second feature [1] crime film produced and directed by Compton Bennett and starring Lee Patterson, Kay Callard and Alan Gifford. [2] The film was released in the U.S. as Mailbag Robbery. [3] A gang plans to steal a half-a-million pounds' worth of banknotes from an express train. a b "Capone With THE FLYING SCOTSMAN's Jonny Lee Miller!!". Ain't It Cool News. 30 April 2007 . Retrieved 28 June 2007.