Greyfriars Bobby

Release Date: July 17, 1961

Watch Date: February 9 – February 11, 2024

“Here’s the remarkable true story of one of Scotland’s most beloved and celebrated heroes, a terrier named Bobby. The enduring friendship forged between a tenderhearted shepherd known simply as Old Jock and his devoted Bobby cannot be broken, even by the kindly old man’s death. Set in bustling Victorian Edinburgh and the breathtaking Scottish countryside, this is a sensitive tale of uncommon loyalty and affection that is certain to delight and inspire one and all.”

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   No one really knows who John Gray was, except that he wasn’t a shepherd, but he was definitely a night watchman, but he might have been a farmer that got a job as a night watchman. Mr. Traill, who fed the dog, spoke of John Gray the farmer. But we do know who Bobby was, because he sat by the grave of a John Gray for 14 years after the man’s death, regardless of the relationship of their origin.

   “I don’t like how sad this is making me.” Bob stated as we watched an old man hobble through Edinburgh coughing and clearly on death’s doorstep, even the fictional Mr. Traill (who does not have a family in the movie but definitely had one in real life because there is photographic proof of Mr. Traill with his family, and Bobby) could see that.

   And this movie is sad. It is.

   An old man dies. A farmer is struggling. A girl’s dog technically runs away twice. A bunch of children are poor and starving, and one is lame. An old couple are childless and kind of grumpy and running a kirkyard (the grounds which surround a church in Scotland, but which usually contain a graveyard). The colors are grey. The dog is often muddy and commented on being cold and thin. This movie is sad.

   But the kids turn their lives around, at least the ones struggling in Edinburgh. The one whose dog run away gets no closure. The older couple are seem a lot more pleasant. Mr. Traill has adopted the poor children of the neighborhood. Everyone gets to pretend they own the dog, who also gets to be part of a marching band. So. You know. It’s alright in the end.

   It’s just sort of sweet, and I do love that it’s based on a true story, even if some fundamental facts that didn’t need to be changed were. Is it a movie I plan on revisiting often in my future? Not really. But that doesn’t make it bad. It just means the pacing is kind of slow, and there’s not really any actual conflict beyond Mr. Traill standing on principle and not wanting to pay to claim the dog as his own, even though he spends most of the movie trying to convince the dog he should belong to him.

   Pride is a funny thing.

   If you don’t want to explain to your kids a lot about death and grief, and what a kirkyard is (which you may also have to explain to your husband) then best to skip this one. And it’s not something you’ll miss if you never get around to watching it. However, it is an interesting part of Scottish history, and if you’re a fan of insignificant historical tidbits, this would be right up your alley.