1792. Robert Burns, Scotland's national poet,
falls in love with an aristocrat's wife. Denounced as a
Republican sympathizer, four years later he is dead.
Robert Burns overcomes his upbringing as a farm labourer to become the national poet of Scotland. Love comes his way as Jean Armour but his attempts at securing a happy relationship is blighted by Jean's father who disapproves of Burns. Finally, Jean and Robbie are married and Burns tries to settle down to a happy married life, but the success of his literary career brings with it many temptations and he is unable to resist the attention of the aristocratic women who fawn on him.
Finding difficulties in supporting his growing family of children, Burns seeks work as a local tax and excise officer in the port of Dumfries as Britain is threatened by the spread of the French Revolution. He meets and falls in love with married aristocrat Maria Riddell, and he is unwittingly exposed to rumour and innuendo. Siding with the sentiments of the revolution, his republican stance provokes retaliation from the aristocracy. Walter Riddell, Maria's husband, circulates false rumours to ruin his reputation. Systematically Burns is ousted from all polite society, and reduced to poverty by his government employers. Only his wife Jean and his friend Lewars stand by him.
In the autumn of 573 AD, the eight-year civil war that divides the Celtic nations in post Romano-Britain ends at the battle of Arthuret. The Celtic armies disband and the warriors return to their homes, but the losses to the combined Celtic forces are so great that the immigrants from Germania- the Angles, who settled along the North Sea Coast , boldly send raiding parties into the heart of the Celtic homelands.
Fingal a Celtic mercenary soldier is returning home to his Roman wife, Lillian, who lives with his people of Caledon. Weighed down by his travel bags full of the treasures of war, he rescues the Jewish slave girl, Jessica from her Angle captors, to become his slave girl to carry his valuables homeward. Meanwhile Angle raiders capture Lillian, and in a confrontation with Fingal, the Angle dullard Ulph, kills Lillian, thus destroying any hopes of peace making. The Angles flee taking Jessica with them.
After burying his wife, Fingal pursues the Angles. Meanwhile Ida, the leader of the Angle band realises they are lost when they encounter the Picts, who are the playful bandits of the high hills. Fingal makes a bargain with the unruly Picts, paying them to defeat the Angles. Fearful of having to spend the winter in a hostile land, the Angles begin to panic and fight between themselves. It is only a matter of time before Fingal gets the upper-hand.
Running Time: 102 minutes
