Stone of Destiny (2008)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Charles Martin Smith

Writers:

Ian Hamilton (book)
Charles Martin Smith (writer)

Release Date:

19 December 2008 (UK)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

A heist 600 years in the making

Plot:

The story of Ian Hamilton, a dedicated nationalist who reignited Scottish national pride in the 1950s with his daring raid on the heart of England to bring the Stone of Scone back to Scotland.

Plot Keywords:

Stone | Student | 1950s | Scotland | Montage

Awards:

3 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Charlie Cox	...	Ian Hamilton
Kate Mara	...	Kay Matheson
Billy Boyd	...	Bill Craig
Robert Carlyle	...	John MacCormick
Ciaron Kelly	...	Alan Stuart
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rab Affleck	...	Old Gypsy
Gillian Aitken	...	1950's Student
Janine Ballantyne	...	1950's Student
Ross Bennie	...	1950's Student
Juliet Cadzow	...	Ian's mother
Alan Cuthbertson	...	Police Officer CID
Ron Donachie	...	Nightwatchman Murphy
Adrienne Fraser	...	1950's Student
Brenda Fricker	...	Mrs. McQuarry
Mark Harvey	...	Cheering Student
Pauline King	...	Jen
Bryan Lowe	...	Brian / Obnoxious Student
Stephen McCole	...	Gavin Vernon
Ashley McFarlane	...	Gavin's Girl 1
Iain McGregor	...	Abbey Worker
Johnny Meres	...	Detective Simpkins
Peter Mullan	...	Ian's dad
Rod Scott	...	Policeman
Adam Smith	...	Tourist

MPAA:

Rated PG for language and some incidental smoking.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

Canada | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:PG | UK:PG | Argentina:Atp | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Arbroath, Angus, Scotland, UK

Company:

Infinity Features Entertainment

Trivia:

Robert Carlyle, who played John McCormick in this film, also starred in "Hamish Macbeth" (1995), a show whose final episode also dealt with a theft of the Stone of Destiny.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The statues in the niches above the door are modern - the niches having been empty since the middle ages - and among the martyrs is Martin Luther King, who was very much alive in 1950. There is a sign next to the entrance to the West gate which explains the statues were unveiled by the Queen in 1998 so they certainly weren't there when the heist took place.

Quotes:

Ian Hamilton: On that day I heard the voice of Scotland speak as loudly as it did in 1320. As long as a hundred of us remain alive, we shall never give in to the domination of the English. We fight not for glory, not for wealth, nor honors, but only and alone for freedom, which no good man surrenders but with his life.

Soundtrack:

Wild Mountain Thyme

Great little film

I recently saw this at the 2009 Palm Springs International Film Festival. This is an adventure-comedy based on the real-life story of Ian Hamilton (Charlie Cox) who as a college student in Edinbourough, Scotland hatches an unlikely plot with the aid of a handful of fellow student to break into Wesminster Abbey in London and return to it's native land of Scotland the Stone of Destiny that for centuries has served as the coronation stone for the kings and queens of England. It's a feel-good enjoyable story based on Hamiltons book with the screenplay by director Charles Martin Smith. Smith as an American actor is known for his roles in such films as American Graffiti, The Untouchables, The Buddy Holly Story and Starman turns out a great product here in this little film as it's director. I would give it an 8.0 out of 10 and recommend it.