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Title: ROBERT BURNS: The Ploughman Poet

Reference number: 5817

Date: 1986

Director: d. Robin Crichton

Sponsor: Channel Four

Production company: Edinburgh Film & Video Productions

Sound: mute

Colour: col

Fiction: non-fiction

Running time: 26.00 mins

Description: Dramatised account of the life of Robert Burns featuring his many lovers and several of his poems and songs on v/over (some excerpts). Poems and songs include 'Tam O' Shanter', 'Handsome Nell', 'a Red Red Rose', 'Afton Water' 'Is There Honest Poverty' (a Man's a Man For a' That)' and 'Auld Lang Syne'. [Note that this is a different production than at refs 5815 and 5816]

Part of the 'Stamp of Greatness Series' - a series looking at famous people who have been honoured on postage stamps. See also ref. 13689, 5739, 5781

Credits: presenter Andrew Faulds
from an idea by Alwyn James
Laurie Ventry as Robert Burns
supported by Paul Dixey, Donalda Samuel, Adam Urquhart and the Nine Mile Burn Coven
ph. Pete Warrilow
sd. Ian Leslie
p.man. Lee Leckie
composer John Moore
cont. Trish Crichton
make-up Cathy Shirley, Joanna Gilbert, Suzy Bailey
wardrobe Joan Krinke, Suzie Troup
props Monica Price
add. ph. Dave Flett, Ian MacDonald
ass.cam. Simon Coull, Andy Ford
grips Alec Leadbetter
construction Zander Leadbetter
elec. Andrew Ritchie & Sons, John Kelly
runners Peter O'Neill, Kristin Jones
titles Les Pace
m.rec. R.E.L. Studios
dubb. Universal Film Labs
subject advisor Robert Murray
lab Universal Film Labs
subject advisor Wilson Ogilvie
philatelic advisor Robert Murray
producer acknowledges the assistance of:
Biggar Museum Trust
Border Country Life Museum, Lauder
Burns Cottage, Alloway
Burns House, Dumfries
Ellisland Trust, Dumfries
Dick Institute, Kilmarnock
Globe Inn, Dumfries
Mary Evans Picture Library
McLean Museum, Greenock
National Trust for Scotland
Old Howgate Inn, Penicuik
Scottish Wildlife Trust
Traquair House, Peebleshire

Shotlist: Dramatised account of Tam O' Shanter, devil playing bagpipes, people dancing in ruins, scantily clad women, [blank space for credits to be added] (3.54) Robert Burns' birthplace at Alloway, RB as child, family bible reading. Old Betty reciting poem (6.38) RB reading book, girls harvesting in field (7.11) RB meets Nelly Kilpatrick, first love (7.36) illustration of RB (7.43) new farm, RB's father arguing with landlord (8.32) RB's father on deathbed (9.08) servant girl Betty with RB and their first child. RB cradles baby and recites poem (9.50) RB and wife in church standing before congregation (10.31) RB in tartan and Jean Armour walking through countryside to 'a Red Red Rose' v/over(11.42) int cottage, JA tells her father she is pregnant, shows him document from RB, legal form of marriage. Father throws it in fire (12.38) RB with Mary Campbell in tartan in countryside exchanging kisses over running water in formal marriage vows (13.46) illustrated port of Greenock where Mary caught fever and died (14.00) RB at Jean's house (14.25) RB in church intercut with shots of congregation, poem v/over (15.33) illus. Kilmarnock (15.38) c/u title page of 'Poems Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect' (15.44) RB in street (16.03) RB on horseback riding to Edinburgh through countryside (16.18) illus. Edinburgh (16.28) int. printshop (16.36) upper class social gathering, RB looking at 3 girls, v/over 'A Gift Tae Gie Us' (17.35) in Edinburgh taverns (17.55) RB riding horse, outside Armour house, he is welcome now and meets Jean (18.50) RB on horseback back to Edinburgh (19.00) in lawyers office to get money (19.15) RB at piano recital where he meets Nancy Macklehose (19.44) Nancy writing him intercut with shots of RB, the couple together (20.10) Jean pregnant again (20.20) Nancy reading letter (20.43) new farm (21.01) illus Dumfries, ext Globe tavern, RB in bed with Anna the landlord's niece (21.42) Anna with her consequent daughter (21.52) RB in countryside (22.20) illus French Revolution (22.39) narrator at desk reading 'For a' That' (23.11) illus. house in Dumfries, RB in bed with rheumatic fever, writing songs (23.51) illus.RB's funeral in 1796 (24.10) narrator to camea winding up and discussing stamps (24.26) c/u Russian stamps featuring RB, also Romanian, Scottish and UK stamps (24.54) portrait RB, v/over 'Auld Lang Syne' in various languages (25.23) [blank] (25.48)