In Scotland 1865, An old shepherd and his little Skye terrier go to Edinburgh. But when the shepherd dies of pneumonia, the dog remains faithful to his master, refuses to be adopted by anyone, and takes to sleeping on his master's grave in the Greyfriars kirkyard, despite a caretaker with a "no dogs" rule. And when Bobby is taken up for being unlicensed, it's up to the children of Edinburgh and the Lord Provost to decide what's to be done.

Greyfriars Bobby poster

Greyfriars Bobby (1961)

The True Story of a Dog

★ 6.9/10 July 17, 1961 87 min

DramaFamily

Director: Don Chaffey  ·  Writers: Robert Westerby, Eleanor Atkinson

In Scotland 1865, An old shepherd and his little Skye terrier go to Edinburgh. But when the shepherd dies of pneumonia, the dog remains faithful to his master, refuses to be adopted by anyone, and takes to sleeping on his master's grave in the Greyfriars kirkyard, despite a caretaker with a "no dogs" rule. And when Bobby is taken up for being unlicensed, it's up to the children of Edinburgh and the Lord Provost to decide what's to be done.

Where to watch

Disney Plus Disney Plus Amazon Video Amazon Video Apple TV Store Apple TV Store Google Play Movies Google Play Movies YouTube YouTube Fandango At Home Fandango At Home Amazon Video Amazon Video Apple TV Store Apple TV Store Google Play Movies Google Play Movies YouTube YouTube Fandango At Home Fandango At Home

Director

Don Chaffey Don Chaffey

Cast

Donald Crisp Donald Crisp James Brown Laurence Naismith Laurence Naismith Mr. Traill Alex Mackenzie Alex Mackenzie Old Jock Duncan Macrae Duncan Macrae Sgt. Davie Maclean Andrew Cruickshank Andrew Cruickshank Lord Provost Gordon Jackson Gordon Jackson Farmer Joan Juliet Buck Joan Juliet Buck Ailie Rosalie Crutchley Rosalie Crutchley Farmer's Wife Freda Jackson Freda Jackson Caretaker Moultrie Kelsall Moultrie Kelsall Magistrate Joyce Carey Joyce Carey First Lady Vincent Winter Vincent Winter Tammy

User Reviews (2)

r96sk
r96sk July 3, 2020
★ 7/10

Cute film. 'Greyfriars Bobby: The True Story of a Dog' makes for a good little watch. The eponymous Skye Terrier is impossible not to adore, it's actually a very well trained dog too; I felt its supposed feelings more than a few times. The run time is just 87 minutes, which is paced suitably. I wouldn't note any of the cast members as incredible, but all of the key people give appropriate performances that I appreciate. Laurence Naismith is the standout, as he portrays Mr. Traill. Donald Crisp is also solid as James Brown. It does feel repetitive in the middle parts, as the film repeats a few scenes and behaviours of the dog. The characters are also a little one-dimensional, not to the point of becoming an annoyance but certainly noticeable - at least to me. No doubt it's all hearty, even though the vibe is more adult-ish than what is usual for a Disney dog story - which is a…

CinemaSerf
CinemaSerf May 20, 2024
★ 7/10

There's a statue of this wee Skye terrier in Edinburgh as testament to the loyalty and tenaciousness of this dog that couldn't care less about the civic rules that banned him from the graveyards of the city. It's the shepherd "Old Jock" (Alex Mackenzie) who has passed away and it's his grave that "Bobby" sleeps on each evening, doing a bit of useful ratting at the same time! Quickly he befriends the local tea-room owning "Traill" (Laurence Naismith) who knew his late master, but he has a harder task convincing the caretaker of the cemetery. "Brown" (Donald Crisp) is a bit of a stickler for (his own) rules, but the intervention of the police (Duncan Macrae) over who owns the dog soon sees a court hearing in front of none other than the Lord Provost (Andrew Cruickshank). It is he who must decide the fate of "Bobby" in the face of these two bickering old men whose initial stubbornness about…