Top 5 films set in the Hebrides...

In the spirit of enjoying our Hebrides candle, we share our top five movies that capture the beauty of the Scottish Hebrides….

The Wicker Man (1973) Though this film was largely produced on the mainland, it perfectly captures the idyllic simplicity of Hebridean rural communities. Sinister and haunting, the story of a missing child in the small fiction island of Summerisle, is beautifully filmed. Don’t bother with the more recent remake though!

The Silent Storm (2014) The tempestuous story of a puritanical preacher (Damien Lewis) and his wife – played by Andrea Riseborough, needed an fittingly dramatic setting. Much of the movie was filmed on the brooding and beautiful isle of Mull, including the stunning and remote Carsaig. 

The Bridal Path (1959) This gentle comedy tells the story of an islander farmer (Ewan McEwan) journeying to the mainland to find a wife. Island scenes were filmed on the beautiful sandy beaches on the Isle of Coll. 

2001: Space Odyssey (1968) Appreciating the Isle of Harris’ unique other-worldy beauty, Stanley Kubrick chose it to film scenes set on the planet of Jupiter. The rocky ground near Loch Airigh provided Stanley with a lunar landscape perfect for the big screen.

Whiskey Galore! (1949) This Ealing Studios comedy was filmed far from the studio’s famous London sound stages – on the isle of Barra. The film is based on a true story about a shipwreck of whiskey barrels on a Scottish island. Thanks to traditionally heavy Scottish rainfall the shoot ran for twice as long as anticipated and broke the movie’s tight budget. With very little in the way of accommodation on the island back in the 40s most of the cast (including Joan Greenwood and Bail Radford) were housed with locals.