Happy New Year to all our readers and Gerard Butler Fans. To celebrate the new year, we have written an article to give you an update regarding the movie Burns.
Gerard Butler will play a fellow Scott’ in the movie Burns in an upcoming Robert Burns biopic. Robert Burns is a famous Scottish poet and lyricist, who made original compositions. In addition Robert Burns often revised and adapted folk songs from Scotland. He is perhaps best known for compiling the Scottish lyrics to “Auld Lang Syne” which is often sung to celebrate the start of the New Year at the stroke of midnight!
Burns the movie will be an exciting period drama biopic based in the 18th Century (Robert Burns was born on 25th January 1759). The film will feature exquisite 18th Century costumes and grand attire.
We have displayed below, a portrait sketch of Robert Burns, and a dashing sketch of what Gerard Butler might look like in costume:
The period in which the film connects itself to, coincides with the period in which Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is based. Therefore the thought of Gerard Butler in period costume, may conjure up feelings of nostalgia and thoughts of Colin Firth in costume as Mr Darcy. Having said that, the costumes will be slightly different as Gerard Butler will be wearing 18th Century Scottish attire, which will include a kilt. Click here to watch a video of Gerard Butler in a kilt at the Law Abiding Citizen Film Premiere with his mum.
The story about the life of Robert Burns is important and should be told. Robert Burns is the pioneer of the Romantic movement and a great source of inspiration to the founders of socialism and liberalism. He is a cultural icon in Scotland and has been extremely influential in Scottish literature.
Gerard Butler have always wanted to play the role of Robert Burns, but was unable to secure financial backing (£5million) to support the films production.
Subsequently, the film was temporarily shelved until recently, when a financial solution finally emerged from a Government backed campaign. Scottish Screen will finance the majority of this project and the remainder will be raised by 250 subscribers.The idea of raising finance through subscribers was inspired by the way investors backed the publication in 1786 of the famous Kilmarnock Edition of Burns’s poetry.
Gerard Butler who has been recently appointed Glasgow’s film office Ambassador,expressed positive remarks about Glasgow as a great destination for filming. Burns will definitely be filmed in Scotland in due course and it will be the first major film biopic of Robert Burns life since the 1930s.
In an interview in November 2009, Gerard Butler said “Burns will happen I hope one of these days. We’re kind of shaping the whole thing up right now. We’re going to try a different writer and a different approach… because its not without problems but its definitely a story that should be told.”
Gerard Butler interview on Burns November 2009
It will be interesting to see how Burn’s life story can be condensed into the limited time frame a standard movie would have.
“You know, the first script I read was like a 170 pages long, which if anybody knows is a bit long for a script. It was one of the best reads I’ve ever had in my life. It broke my heart to take things out of there, but now we have it refined and it’s just, you know, all the best stuff is in there. And it’s really a beautiful story of an artist, an incredible artist, and a passionate and sexy human being – Grrrrr!” (Quote:Gerard Butler interview on Burns August 2005)
The film will celebrate his life, genius and influence.The story will also focus on his tempestuous love life. His sweethearts included the woman he married Jean Armour, and Edinburgh society hostess Clarinda.
Although Julia Stiles initially agreed to star opposite Gerard Butler in this movie back in 2004, it is unclear whether the Burns film cast remains unchanged due to delays in getting this film produced. We will release more information about the film cast for Burns when this information becomes available.
The movie will be controversial. In an old interview, Gerard Butler acknowledged that it would be difficult to please everyone:
“…You never have a movie that everybody loves or a character that you know, some people… And I think the more of an angle you take on it, the more intensely some people will love it and the more other people will dislike it. Rather than doing something watered down that you are trying to please everybody with. You know, so we are definitely taking…” Gerard Butler quote 2005
Gerard Butler’s production company Evil Twins (also co owned with Alan Siegel)and The Mob Film Company will be flying the flag for Scotland in this films production.
This long delayed film will be eagerly awaited not only by Gerard Butler fans but also people who take an interest in Scottish history.
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Burns Trivia:
July 25th 1796 was the date of Robert Burn’s funeral and the birth of his son Maxwell Burns.
Robert Burns was a member of the original Freemasons
He had 12 children by four women.
Robert signed his name Robert Burness until March 1786, when he adopted the spelling Burns.
Seven of his children were illegitimate, including the first four by Jean Armour before they were married in 1788.
Of Jean’s children, six died young and another had no children.
Most of Robert Burns descendants today are from his two illegitimate daughters.
Our favorite Poem by Robert Burns: To A Mouse. On turning her up in her nest with the plough, November 1785.
To A Mouse.
On turning her up in her nest with the plough, November 1785.
Burns Original
Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim’rous beastie,
O, what a panic’s in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty
Wi bickering brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an’ chase thee,
Wi’ murdering pattle.
I’m truly sorry man’s dominion
Has broken Nature’s social union,
An’ justifies that ill opinion
Which makes thee startle
At me, thy poor, earth born companion
An’ fellow mortal!
I doubt na, whyles, but thou may thieve;
What then? poor beastie, thou maun live!
A daimen icker in a thrave
‘S a sma’ request;
I’ll get a blessin wi’ the lave,
An’ never miss’t.
Thy wee-bit housie, too, in ruin!
It’s silly wa’s the win’s are strewin!
An’ naething, now, to big a new ane,
O’ foggage green!
An’ bleak December’s win’s ensuin,
Baith snell an’ keen!
Thou saw the fields laid bare an’ waste,
An’ weary winter comin fast,
An’ cozie here, beneath the blast,
Thou thought to dwell,
Till crash! the cruel coulter past
Out thro’ thy cell.
That wee bit heap o’ leaves an’ stibble,
Has cost thee monie a weary nibble!
Now thou’s turned out, for a’ thy trouble,
But house or hald,
To thole the winter’s sleety dribble,
An’ cranreuch cauld.
But Mousie, thou art no thy lane,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men
Gang aft agley,
An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,
For promis’d joy!
Still thou are blest, compared wi’ me!
The present only toucheth thee:
But och! I backward cast my e’e,
On prospects drear!
An’ forward, tho’ I canna see,
I guess an’ fear!
Standard English Translation
Small, sleek, cowering, timorous beast,
O, what a panic is in your breast!
You need not start away so hasty
With hurrying scamper!
I would be loath to run and chase you,
With murdering plough-staff.
I’m truly sorry man’s dominion
Has broken Nature’s social union,
And justifies that ill opinion
Which makes thee startle
At me, thy poor, earth born companion
And fellow mortal!
I doubt not, sometimes, but you may steal;
What then? Poor beast, you must live!
An odd ear in twenty-four sheaves
Is a small request;
I will get a blessing with what is left,
And never miss it.
Your small house, too, in ruin!
It’s feeble walls the winds are scattering!
And nothing now, to build a new one,
Of coarse grass green!
And bleak December’s winds coming,
Both bitter and keen!
You saw the fields laid bare and wasted,
And weary winter coming fast,
And cozy here, beneath the blast,
You thought to dwell,
Till crash! the cruel plough past
Out through your cell.
That small bit heap of leaves and stubble,
Has cost you many a weary nibble!
Now you are turned out, for all your trouble,
Without house or holding,
To endure the winter’s sleety dribble,
And hoar-frost cold.
But Mouse, you are not alone,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes of mice and men
Go often askew,
And leaves us nothing but grief and pain,
For promised joy!
Still you are blest, compared with me!
The present only touches you:
But oh! I backward cast my eye,
On prospects dreary!
And forward, though I cannot see,
I guess and fear!
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