Bill Travers revives his "Geordie" character from that film four years earlier but now gets the accent just about right, this time as Ewan MacEwan the Hebridian country-boy Islander who makes a last effort to find and marry a mainland girl to avoid the dreaded consanguinity (the marrying of blood relations) on his island community . A series of misunderstandings and various escapades,lead to him constantly missing breakfast, dinner and tea. Pursued by the police he is finally arrested in mistake for "Mike Flanagan" leader of the "Dynamite Mob" of Glasgow salmon poachers (just as he is about to sit down for ANOTHER meal , appropriately, poached salmon!). Finally escaping the police and a pair of harpy man-eating sisters he decides there's no place like home, where, the girl of his dreams has been waiting all the time! This is a splendid heart-warming film. There are some lovely glimpses of Oban and the surrounding countryside in the 50s indeed one can visit most of the film's locations in a day out from that town. The island of Beigg (Eorsa in the book)is filmed at Easdale with the nearby Clachan bridge the site of the New Inn. Castle Stalker near Appin North of Oban sits on its islet in a blue loch north of Oban, exactly as it does today, whilst the King's House Hotel in Glencoe is where Ewan is finally nabbed by the long arm of the law. The cast include the "usual suspects" many of whom appear in many of the Scottish comedies of the time including the excellent Jameson Clark the perennial policeman. However the best line in the film goes to another copper, the splendidly dour George Cole addressing his subordinate Gordon Jackson on hearing that the notorious Flanagan Gang have been cornered at the King's House Hotel "This looks like the biggest thing we've had in this district for years Alec - get the bicycles out". Heartily recommended.
Review of The Bridal Path
