I must confess that I have no liking for Scotland's Western Isles, too windswept and dreary for me, but I watched this film as it was directed by Michael Powell, and a number of well known Scots actors were in it. Sorry, but I was totally turned off by the artificial, mannered, 1930's style of acting - lines shouted out as if to be heard at the back of the gallery, and did the heroine HAVE to be constantly filmed in profile with her hair blowing in the wind? The acting was remarkably stilted, but it may have been due to the actors' theatrical background more than anything else.
I understand that the budget was constrained, but I found the number of shots against a studio backdrop, or what appeared to be a backdrop, jarring when so much of the film showed the majestic island scenery.
Although the folk of the Western Isles do not speak with a Scottish or Gaelic accent, the actors would not have been understood by the audience if they had used the real island speech, and subtitles would have been necessary. Only those of us with an ear for dialects and accents could tell the difference, and Mel Gibson's conceit of filming in what he thinks is the language of the period was thankfully not done back then.
This film is of interest solely as an early work of Mr. Powell, who later went on to direct The Red Shoes. Now THAT was a picture!
I understand that the budget was constrained, but I found the number of shots against a studio backdrop, or what appeared to be a backdrop, jarring when so much of the film showed the majestic island scenery.
Although the folk of the Western Isles do not speak with a Scottish or Gaelic accent, the actors would not have been understood by the audience if they had used the real island speech, and subtitles would have been necessary. Only those of us with an ear for dialects and accents could tell the difference, and Mel Gibson's conceit of filming in what he thinks is the language of the period was thankfully not done back then.
This film is of interest solely as an early work of Mr. Powell, who later went on to direct The Red Shoes. Now THAT was a picture!