Stone of Destiny

source: Stone of Destiny

I imagine the Scots, Welsh and Irish often feel the same about London as most of America feels about NYC and LA. Here in America, we are called "flyover country", we are insulted, we are told we don't count, are ignorant, uneducated, and shouldn't be allowed to rule ourselves. King Edward I is a lot like the modern democratic party here in America, and the modern Labour party in Britain. The desire to conquer, rule, and to gain and maintain power over all others...that's their driving force. Britain for the most part felt the same way about the EU, and Scotland feels that way about the Londonites. This movie helped highlight the growing pride many regions, cultures and nations around the world feel about their homeland, and their disdain for foreign invaders who would want to rule over us.

this was an interesting and enjoyable film to watch without it reaching any great heights. As an Englishman living overseas, I am ignorant of the original story and I was born after 1950 in which year the film is set, so the story in a sense was a refreshing change to the banter normally coming from Scots about Braveheart and Robert Burns. Of all the films I have seen recently, this one carried a very satisfactory and logical ending and the film itself moves at sufficient speed for you never to be bored or agitated. Kate Mara is perhaps a little out of place and I wasn't quite sure what Robert Carlisles job in London was. I do wonder if the same director contemplates a similar movie in time to 4th-5th November 1605 although it was not Scots motivated for that incredible event, though it was a Scottish catholic King as the cause for it. Cant fault this film, don't want to, the film works as it is, good British entertainment, see it, enjoy it, have a pint afterwards and comment to friends about it at work next morning.

Going by the title, I initially thought it would be some lame sci-fi flick about a quest for some magical rock. I am so glad I was wrong, and I am so glad I took the time to watch it. This heart-warming story about Ian Hamilton and his attempt to steal back a huge rock of historical importance to Scotland was, in my opinion, well-written, well cast, and very entertaining - you really can't help but feel for Ian and his friends. I especially loved how entertaining it was when Ian (Charlie Cox) and his oddball gang came across so many obstacles in trying to steal the Stone. I would definitely encourage you to watch it if you haven't already.

We saw this on Netflix streaming. Even though Scotland is part of the British empire, they never have fully considered themselves "British." One item particularly, called the 'Stone of Destiny", represented their national pride. But some centuries earlier this stone, which probably weighs a few hundred pounds, was confiscated and then located in a chapel in Westminster Abby, under a chair, built in as part of the chair. Charlie Cox is 1950s vintage Ian Hamilton who, after listening to a lot of idle conversation about Scotland losing its national identity, decided to do something about it. As a gesture he would take the Stone of Destiny and bring it back to Scotland. A mere college student, it was a great task. This movie is based on those events, where Ian got a group of 4 together to make the heist on Christmas Eve and into the early morning hours when he figured security would be the most lax. Kate Mara, a New Yorker, is Scot Kay Matheson who joins Ian's efforts and eventually becomes his girlfriend. Of interest was Robert Carlyle of many "bad boy" roles as John MacCormick who was some Scot official who was aware of the plan. SPOILERS: The group succeeded, in a sort of manner, and did return the Stone to Scotland, but were eventually found out and arrested, but never brought to trial. The stone was subsequently "loaned" to Scotland, subject to recall when a new Soveriegn is installed.

Scotland remains engulfed in its own history. One can see simply from the landscape that it is an ancient land, of many events and peoples that have led to its creation. One of its most ancient symbols is the Stone of Scone, which was present at every Scottish crowning ceremony until Edward the First (the arch villain in "Braveheart") stole it and brought it to England. In the 1950's a group of patriotic youths hatched a plan to steal it back for Scotland. The film is quirky and serious at the same time. Ian Hamilton is played by a youthful Charlie Cox, who reminded me of Robert Sean Leonard's character in "Dead Poet's Society". He is easygoing in life, but utterly devoted to his country. This sense of patriotism gives him the need to want to do something great for Scotland, and he is inspired by an old scrapbook article to steal back the Stone of Scone, known as the Stone of Destiny in the film. Enrolling his friend Bill (Billy Boyd from "Lord of the Rings") into this scheme, the two of them begin an intensive research into Westminster Abbey to take back the Stone. However, Bill drops out of the plan when he realizes just how much is at stake. Ian bounces back immediately by finding a group of other youths to help him. He recruits Kay for her patriotism, who brings in Gavin for his strength and boisterous personality, who brings in Alan for his extra car. These four embark on a trip to London, and in between the planning of the grand caper, they learn more about themselves in the process. Ian is so steadfast in his own plan that he finds it difficult to realize, as Gavin puts it, that someone else other than him might be right. Gavin himself has been labeled as a party animal and a carefree man that opens bottles with his teeth, and he wonders if he's more than that. Alan is insecure and shy, trying to find something to do that shows people what he's capable of. Kay brings her smarts and her spunky attitude to the group, and on the way develops feelings for Ian on the way. The way they finally acknowledge these feelings for each other is shown in a very funny scene just outside Westminster Abbey. The plan itself was real, as were the four people who underwent the plan. To say that they failed to bring the stone back is both true and false. True, the stone was taken back to England, false because bringing the stone across the border was half the success. The point of the plan was to show the average Scot that they could be proud of their heritage and be able to unshackle themselves from English domination. While this took yet more time after the break-in, it eventually came about. As a film, I enjoyed this very much. The characters were presented very well, particularly the youths and Robert Carlyle's character of an elderly professor who tries to win Scotland's freedom through a petition early in the film and provides funding for the youths to travel to England. British humour has rarely failed for me, and this film was able to show the deep motivations for taking the Stone back while at the same time show how crazy of a scheme it really was. Scotland has certainly need to go to great lengths to show its identity over the years. What other nation's heroes could go from a screaming warrior leading a horde of his countrymen in a bloody battle against the superior English forces to four rebellious youths sneaking through the back door of Westminster Abbey?

Went to the World Premiere of this film in Edinburgh. The event was quite exciting with a little speech by the director before the film began and Kate Mara, Billie Boyd, Robert Carlyle and Charlie Cox also at the event (and at the Gala Dinner afterwards). The film was a pleasant way to spend 90 minutes and it was quite an enjoyable romp. But I felt unsure about what the film was aiming to be. It wasn't funny enough to call itself a comedy and some of the humour was verging on farce (especially the scenes where the characters are running around the streets of London narrowly missing each other). It wasn't dramatic enough because the characters were on the whole cartoons and I didn't really feel involved or concerned about them - it seemed very "american formula road trip" but set in 1950s UK - nice handsome lead character, funny fat guy with a heart, pretty girl who starts off strong but ends up simply being the love interest for the lead character, and then the geeky skinny non-entity who makes good before the end. There was some tension in the scenes set in Westminster Abbey when they were trying to steel the stone - but you never really believed that they were ever going to be caught (but of course the 50s were years before mobile phones, laser burglar alarms, and burglars abseiling down from ceilings on micro wires. From a political point of view it was pretty full on in its portrayal of the Nationalist movement - but even this didn't feel fully developed and was perhaps more of an attempt to impress Sean Connery who is a staunch advocate of Scottish Independence and was at the Premiere as well as he is Patron of the Edinburgh Film Festival. Despite these comments I did enjoy the film. I probably won't buy the DVD but I may well rent it wen it comes out.

Stone of Destiny is comfortable, it does not ask why the people of Scotland would want independence. It presents the theft as a student prank, which is supported by society. There is rarely harm in student pranks and the students do learn things, but as in this case they rarely change the world. So, it looks nice, but it would have been good to see more Scottish talent on display. I am very happy looking at Kate Mara on screen, having seen her in 'Shooter' she was one of the reasons that I went to see the film, she was a different character. They all handled their accents well enough for me not to notice, and the group worked well together. The production is well done, and looked right to my eyes for the time of the film. I think that the script could have been developed more. There is a repeated scene with characters running past each other. I did not walk out really understanding the basic desire that drove the theft of the stone.

This movie had a great premise, and it could have been a great movie if executed properly. But nothing clicks here. It is part drama and part heist movie. The heist part was really really boring. I have seen a lot of heist movies and it takes something clever to hold my interest. Sadly this was not it. Then there is the drama part. It is let down by an average acting. If Stone of Destiny had better actors, we could have been interested in their fates, but not here. The script is also pretty weak. Instead of feeling like a nationalist act, it actually feels like a high school prank. Most of all there is no energy in the film. With a topic like nationalism, a movie can easily rouse the audience and make them identify with the actors. Not here, we are just watching and waiting for the whole thing to end.

Some nice photography but the film is let down by aggravating inaccuracies. Hair is too modern for 1950. Car registration CLS and NLS were never used. Used blatant Glasgow and Edinburgh style streets as Westminster. Women were not frequenters of pubs in the fifties. Westminster bridge with bus lanes and road markings are obviously 21st century. Surely some archive could have been used as no actors were involved. Country roads had no white lines until late fifties. And lastly, police vehicles did not have sirens until the sixties. Police men had whistles and cars had bells. Acting pretty good on the whole and I didn't spot the leading actress' accent as non Scottish (I'm Scot) or any Canadian locations. I'm surprised that the writer didn't notice some of these.