Tunes of Glory?

[rsvpiper]

This has probably been asked before but having just got a DVD of the film, I was wondering which tartan the portrayed unit wears, now I recon the unit's tartan is the Scots national but the colours look a bit off in the DVD. Over to you

[macwilkin]

This has probably been asked before but having just got a DVD of the film, I was wondering which tartan the portrayed unit wears, now I recon the unit's tartan is the Scots national but the colours look a bit off in the DVD. Over to you

Nope; Brown/Hunting Scott.

http://www.lindaclifford.com/Scott.html

I don't believe that the Scottish National Tartan was around in 1960 when the movie was made.

T.

[BobsYourUncle]

Nope; Brown/Hunting Scott.

http://www.lindaclifford.com/Scott.html

I don't believe that the Scottish National Tartan was around in 1960 when the movie was made.

T.

Sorry Todd, close but no cigar. The Scott tartan is probably the closest registered tartan, but, in fact, the tartan used in Tunes of Glory was a one-off made for the film. James Kennaway, who wrote the book on which the film was based, served in the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. According to Director Ronald Neame, in an interview contained in the DVD extras, the production company asked permission to film at Stirling Castle of the Colonel commanding at the time the movie was to be made. When the Colonel realized that the movie version Colonel was to have an affair with an actress of ill repute, permission was declined. They were able to film at the Castle, but had to alter the roof in post production. LIKEWISE they could not use the A&SH cap badge, insignia or tartan [Government sett]. They could not use the tartan of any actual regiment, so they made one up for the movie. Some decades later, a stage production of Tunes of Glory was put together, and the producers tracked down the original kilts and cap badges, which were one offs for the film. The account of the stage production search for the originals appears here: http://archive.thisiswiltshire.co.uk...13/259111.html

Cheers!

[BobsYourUncle]

Let the debate continue:

Here is a still from the film, showing the tartan:



Hear is a pic of Hunting/Brown Scott:

[macwilkin]

Not so fast, Bob! There is a thread over at Bob Dunsire discussing the TOG tartan; a member who has a swatch of the original material states that Kenny Dalgleish of DC Dalgleish ID'ed the tartan as Brown Scott, so I'm not going to haul down my colours to you just yet. ;-)

T.

[davidlpope]

Sorry Todd, close but no cigar. The Scott tartan is probably the closest registered tartan, but, in fact, the tartan used in Tunes of Glory was a one-off made for the film. !

Bob, can you provide the source for your assertion that the tartan used was a one-off? I am strongly convinced that the tartan used in the film is Modern Brown Scott. Here's a list of previous discussions where it was all hashed out:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...s-glory-55233/
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...s-glory-50094/
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...s-glory-47472/
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...s-glory-36587/
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...s-glory-23904/
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...s-glory-28530/
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...s-glory-23904/
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...uinness-27071/
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...s-glory-10069/

The Search function really is an amazing feature. Perhaps we should create a subforum devoted solely to this excellent movie, since it seems that about every six months someone "discovers" it for themselves and starts a new thread....

Cordially,

David

[macwilkin]

Bob, can you provide the source for your assertion that the tartan used was a one-off? I am strongly convinced that the tartan used in the film is Modern Brown Scott.

Bob cited the interview with ToG director Ronald Neame* on the Criterion Collection DVD; I noted last night in the thread on Dunsire I mentioned that another piper once asked Neame at his 90th birthday party about the tartan; he replied that "I think it was made specially for the film."

Just a hypothesis here, but given the fact he was remembering an event that took place in 1960, while I'm not questioning Neame's memory, could it be that the Brown Scott tartan was chosen for the movie? I know for years it was stated that the "Mitchell" tartan was designed specifically for the USAF Pipe Band (in honour of General Billy Mitchell), yet it has also been suggested that a tartan merchant slapped the name "Mitchell" onto a set that was already claimed by the Galbraiths, Russells and Hunters.

Whatever the story, I rather like the Brown Scott tartan, and while I normally wouldn't wear a tartan without a personal connection, in this case, I might just make an exception.

*RIP 16 June 2010

T.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Todd's the man.

[Woot22]

My favorite Alec Guinness flick right next to Bridge On The River Kwai.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

My favorite Alec Guinness flick right next to Bridge On The River Kwai.

Naw... Kind Hearts and Coronets takes the cake in my book.