Disney went on a British kick in the 50s and 60s - this was one of three films he made starring Richard Todd, all historical adventures. It's not based on the novel by Sir Walter Scott - possibly a mistake because the story isn't that gripping. Rob Roy gets captured and escapes twice in the first half hour - the first time from the first Jacobite uprising, the second when he's arrested by troops led by nasty Michael Gough. After the second time he becomes a Scottish Robin Hood - really that should have happened earlier. And there's three scenes of Todd leading a charge of highlanders - at the beginning, middle and end. The story has no build.
It's cartoony but at least colourful. As David Shipman once observed, Todd's acting improved when he put on a Scottish accent - though the dyed red beard is annoying.
The film gets around English-Scottish awkwardness by showing Gough to be Bad and ignoring advice from the conciliatory Duke of Argyle, played by James Robertson Justice. Also at the end Rob gets out of trouble by pleading to George I that he won't do it again and George I is very kindly depicted.
I think they missed a trick not borrowing from Robin Hood more and having conflict via the romantic angle - Glynis Johns is his love, and she loves him, that's it, the end. Okay at the end she nags him into peace but... so what. You could have cut her out of the film, which is never ideal. Why not have her as English? Or related to Gough somehow?
Gough is a solid villain but he gets no come uppance - the King just scowls at him. Geoffrey Keene is decent as Gough's henchman - he gets killed in the final battle. But Todd has let him go beforehand in an earlier raid.
Also there's a scene for Todd's grandmother's funeral (they make all this hoo ha over her, even though heaps of extras, British and Highland, die and no one seems to care). Gough turns up to arrest Todd then Justice barks at Gough and Gough leaves. It weakens Gough.
From a history point of view, I enjoyed it - especially little cameos from George I, Walpole, and Marlborough. I just wish they'd knocked the story into shape more - drawn out the romance with Johns, maybe had another young female who loved Roy (an Englishwoman), have Johns and Todd fall in love more gradually, have less repetition.
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