Story
Set in 1865, this is a Disney version of Greyfriars Bobby, the story of a faithful Skye terrier who sat on his master's grave for 14 years until he died himself.
When Auld Jock (Alex Mackenzie) returns to Edinburgh from Gauldbrae Farm, he leaves Bobby – not officially his dog – with a local family. But Bobby believes he belongs to Jock and walks over 8 miles after his master. He eventually finds Jock collapsed on the street. Jock wakes up and takes Bobby to an old lodging house where, unfortunately, he dies of pneumonia.
Bobby follows the coffin to Greyfriars kirkyard, the graveyard surrounding Greyfriars Church, and there he stays. He's looked after and fed by the kind local publican, John Trail (Laurence Naismith), and the local children. Bobby gets into trouble, however, with the nightwatchman, James Brown (Donald Crisp), who repeatedly tries to get Bobby to leave because dogs are not permitted in the churchyard. However, Mrs Brown (Freda Jackson) takes pity on Bobby and finally persuades her husband to allow him to stay. John Trail and James Brown end up getting into an argument about who owns Bobby and who should pay for his licence. Eventually, the Lord Provost of Edinburgh (Andrew Cruickshank) gives Bobby a collar and keys to the city allowing him to roam freely. A statue to Bobby remains to this day.
Themes
Abandonment of a pet; loyalty of animals
Violence
Greyfriars Bobby has some violence. For example:
- Bobby jumps up on a man seated in a cafe, making him spill his soup. The man gets angry and throws Bobby down.
- A man yells at Bobby and shakes his stick. A cat hisses at Bobby.
- Jock is jostled by drunkards on the street.
Sexual references
There are no sexual references in Greyfriars Bobby.
Alcohol, drugs and other substances
Greyfriars Bobby has some substance use – for example, some drunkards are seen wandering on the streets.
Nudity and sexual activity
There’s no nudity and sexual activity in Greyfriars Bobby.
Product placement
There’s no product placement in Greyfriars Bobby.
Coarse language
Greyfriars Bobby has some coarse language – for example, a policeman calls the children ‘young savages’.
Ideas to discuss with your children
Greyfriars Bobby is a charming family Disney classic, loosely based on the story of Greyfriars Bobby. Filmed in 1961, it’s now quite dated and the dialect may be difficult for young children to understand. Young children may also lose interest in the story. For these reasons, the movie is not recommended for children under 6 years. However, the movie does hold some charm, and has good messages for older children who are able to watch it through.
The main message from Greyfriars Bobby is that dogs are extremely loyal and faithful pets.
Values in Greyfriars Bobby that you could reinforce with your children are kindness and compassion, and charity and helping those less fortunate.
Greyfriars Bobby could also give you the chance to talk with your children about what life was like in the 19th century for children.