Kidnapped (1971)

Lawrence Douglas: David Balfour

Photos 

Quotes 

• Lord Advocate : Mr. Balfour, a great issue hangs on this. An innocent man's life. Thousands of innocent lives. Lives that are mine to protect.

  David Balfour : I understand that.

  Lord Advocate : But you do not understand the position. The highlanders can be ruled only through the Campbells, and one has been foully murdered, on Stewart ground, at that. Have they no right to justice?

  David Balfour : Yes, my Lord, but not to vengeance.

• Lord Advocate : Hmm. You still wish to state that you walked to James Stewart's, in the company of a notorious rebel?

  David Balfour : Would you have me perjure myself and deny it?

  Lord Advocate : Mr. Balfour, I tell you pointedly, you go an ill way for your own interests.

  David Balfour : My Lord, we are both here to see justice done.

• Cluny MacPherson : Would you not care to play a small hand of the cards, Mr. Balfour? It passes the time.

  David Balfour : No, I was brought up to believe that the gambling did no good for anyone, winner or loser.

  Cluny MacPherson : What kind of canting whiggish talk is this, in the house of MacPherson?

• Alan Breck : Open up! Open up, I say, or I'll knock here all night! Open up!

  Ebenezer Balfour : [wielding a gun out an upper window]  Who are you? What do you want?

  Alan Breck : Ah, Mr. Balfour, is it?

  Ebenezer Balfour : Aye, aye. State your business and be on your way.

  Alan Breck : I can state that in one word: David!

  Ebenezer Balfour : David? What's he to you?

  Alan Breck : Eh, some friends of mine found him on a beach, half drowned, in Mull. And they've been through great expense to keep him. So, if you want to see him back, you'll have to pay.

  Ebenezer Balfour : The lad's nothing to me. I'll pay nothing to get him back.

  Alan Breck : Ah, that's what I thought. So you want him killed then. Well, my friends will do that too, provided the price is right.

  Ebenezer Balfour : I don't want him killed! Who says I want him killed?

  Alan Breck : Why? Hoseason said that's what you'd want. Since he couldn't fulfill his part of the bargain and drown the lad in the sea Lower your voice, man.

  Ebenezer Balfour : Lower your voice! Did Hoseason say that? He lied! Why, I paid him 20 guineas to sell the lad in the Carolinas, nothing more. Why would I want him killed? He's my born nephew! I paid to have him kidnapped, that's all.

  David Balfour : [stepping into view]  Thank you, uncle! My friends here will testify in court to what you've just said.

• Hector Duncansby : [withdrawing from a duel he has engineered]  I'll not fight with you! You don't know the back end of a sword from its front!

  David Balfour : I'm sorry I can't give you better satisfaction.

  Hector Duncansby : It's not from you I'm looking for satisfaction, Balfour, but from someone else. I'm an officer and a gentleman, and I'll not commit murder, even for the Lord Advocate!

• David Balfour : [to the Lord Adovcate]  I can't argue with you. You have answers to questions I haven't even thought of. But if they all add up to this statement that James Stewart must hang, then I say that they're wrong! And I think maybe you would've. Once.