You Take the High Road (clip)
A film about Scottish identity
- Description
- Questions & Activities
- Clip Details
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Description
The fishing and farming villages of the East coast and the scenery of the West coast are used as a backdrop for traditional Scottish airs and tunes. The film features shots of Crail harbour with fishing boats; a catch of fresh crabs; Pittenweem harbour with fishermen mending nets; boats coming into the harbour; a catch of fish being unloaded from boat and fresh fish in boxes at fish market; fish being weighed; children picking up live crayfish from boxes; fish auction; whiting being hung on racks for smoking; young fisherman leaving his boat and meeting girlfriend (music: Webers' arrangement of "Robin is My Only Joy"); St Monance Church and shots inside church showing congregation; shots of mountain scenery, a family cycling on highland road (music: "Highland Laddie" arranged by Beethoven); highland landscape; shot of a gamekeeper carrying a gun and and dead rabbits over his shoulder.
Questions & Activities
Questions
- Where does the narrator change his accent? Why might he do this and what effect does it have?
- The sound for this film was recorded separately from the image, how can you tell?
- Where do you think the film is set?
- The narrator says 'everybody goes to worship on the Sabbeth'? Why do you think religion is so important to the community in the film?
Activities
Modern Studies / PSD: What does the narrator say is important to Scottish Identity? Do you agree? Create your own film/multimedia essay/photostory/song illustrating your own list.
History: The narrator talks about the important 'influence of the Auld Alliance with France', what does this mean?
English / Modern Studies: Make a list of poems, songs, films, tv shows, books, places and people which show what Scotland means to you.
Music: Find a different arrangement of 'Highland Laddie' from the Beethoven one in the film and compare them.
Music: What examples can you find of traditional songs being reinterpreted?
Clip Details
| Record Id | 007-000-000-333-C |
|---|---|
| Resource Rights Holder | National Library of Scotland |
| Project Ref | 3265 |
| Date | 1959 |
| Genre | Documentary |
| School Subject | Music, Modern Studies, English, History, Social Studies, Media Studies |
| Subject Matter | PSD |
| Who | Hans G Casparius (director), Music in Miniature Films Ltd (production company) |
| Where | Crail, Ericht Loch, Iona Abbey, Mull, Pittenweem, Tobermory |
| Attributes | Black and White, Sound |
| Clip Length | 7:23 |
| Film Length | 17:45 |