Madeleine - 1950 This is based upon a true story about a Scottish woman, Madeleine (Ann Todd) who was tried and found not guilty of murdering her lover. There were four real pipers (James Caution, P/M Angus MacAulay of the Lovat Scouts, Andrew Bain of the Metropolitan Police, Calum MacPhee) and two actors faking it. Some of the tunes played were The Glendarual Highlanders and Mrs MacLeod of Raasay.
McMillan and Wife - 1971-1976 (TV series) In one episode, they go to Scotland and encounter the de rigueur pipes.
Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines - 1965 138 minutes - This movie features adventure and sky-high acrobatic stunts as six international aviators compete for a grand prize by flying across the English Channel. It is also reputed to feature a pipe band. (What band? Where in the movie? What tunes are played?)
Les Maitres Sonneurs - pipes and hurdygurdy.
A Man Called Sarge - 1990 - Described as a dorky/funny movie about WWII. In it, a Scottish soldier runs around with pipes. He even uses them as a gun to hold up the Americans.
Mary of Scotland - 1936 123 minutes. Directed by John Ford, starring Katherine Hepburn and Frederic March, this film tells the story of Mary, Queen of Scots (but not 'Scotland' as the title of the movie indicates. The Scots were very particular about that distinction, even if Hollywood was not!) beautifully, artistically, delicately and with meticulous attention to detail. Bothwell's band of pipers follows him everywhere, accompanied by drummers. In one scene, this pipe band leads a troop of soldiers into Mary's castle while playing Blue Bonnets are over the Border.
Mary, Queen of Scots - 1971- Stars Vanessa Redgrave and Patrick McGoohan. Pipers precede Mary over the dunes from Leith when she returns to Edinburgh from France to claim the throne. Pipes shown look ancient and cumbersome, as they may have been in the 16th century.
Margaret's Museum - 1995 Margaret's Museum is about Cape Breton, Nova Scotia; and coal miners and their families. Stars Helena Bonham-Carter. Won best Canadian picture this year and best actress. It is a very moving and accurate film; particularly since coal mining conditions have not changed much since the 40's (the time of the screenplay). The piping is very good; lots of piobaireachd.The main male character appeared to play the bagpipes, but the credits indicated Barry Shears did. (the film does not seem to have been released in the U.S.)
The Master of Ballantrae - 1952 90 minutes. Directed by William Keighley, starring Errol Flynn, Beatrice Campbell, and Roger Livesay. The movie tells the story of the eldest son of the Laird of Ballantrae who goes off to fight for Bonnie Prince Charlie in The '45., As the clans gather, the pipers play. As in many of Errol Flynn's films, there is plenty of swashbuckling and pirates of the Spanish Main. In the end, he and his intended ride off into the sunset eluding the English.
The Master of Ballantrae - 1984 Remake for TV 135 minutes It is the story of a tanist of Ballantrae who goes of to America in search of his fortune. The movie stars Richard Thomas, Michael York and John Gielgud. Lots of little snipets of good piping playing throughout the movie (going off to battle, during skirmishes, etc.).
The Matchmaker - 1997 Set in Ireland, this film stars Janeane Garofalo stars. Tommy Keane is credited with playing the Uilleann pipes.
McBus - 1969 14 minutes 42 sec. This is a nowhere tour of Montréal, a sort of parody of the world we live in, where all is confusion, aimlessness and noise. A recurring figure in the film is a highland piper walking his beat on a lonely patch of ground beneath an elevated highway. The bus load of sightseers encounters him as they do other objects of curiosity. At one point, the tour guide, a young woman, and the piper have a fling at dancing. It is a bus tour where everything is unexpected. The piper is Ron Sutherland, a Professor of English at the Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec.
Meatballs (aka. Summer Camp) - 1979 92 minutes. This film stars Bill Murray, Harvey Atkin, etc. and has Murray as a head councilor in charge of a group of misfits in training to run summer camps. Very funny comedy. Murray wakes the staff with the strathspey, Louden's Bonnie Woods and Braes.
Miller's Crossing - (mid-1990s). The theme played throughout the film, in many variations including in Uilleann pipe solo, is taken from a tradiitonal Irish tune (name?). Very moving soundtrack!!
Monty Python and the Holy Grail - 1974 90 minutes. Directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones, starring John Cleese, Craham Chapman, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, et al. The move tells a story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table in search of the cup Christ drank from at the Last Supper. If it sounds like solemn stuff, don't bet on it. In typical Monty Python fashion, nothing is sacrosanct. Towards the end of the movie, Sir Lancelot (John Cleese) is passing by a castle when he receives a plea for rescue from a prisoner within. Believing a damsel in distress has sent the message, he single-handedly storms the castle and slays a goodly portion of the wedding party inside. As he dashes up a staircase toward the tower, he passes a stage on which three musicians are playing. One of these is a piper. You'll need a sharp eye to catch it, but it's there.
Monty Python Flying Circus - TV series
Episode #12 features the variously called Kamikaze
Scotsmen or Kamikaze Highlanders: suicidal pipers. The same episode also discusses
the unexploded Scotsman.
Episode #?? One episode concerned outer space
creatures who were intent on winning Wimbledon. In order to achieve this, they
turned everyone they encountered into Scotsmen--a satirical comment on Scotland's
tennis players. As people were turned into Scots, they marched away to what
I believe was bagpipe music, or a poor facsimile thereof.
Mother Lode - 1982 - The film is directed by Charlton Heston, stars him in the roles of twin brothers, Silas and Ian McGee who will stop at nothing to locate the Mother Lode of gold in British Columbia. Written by Heston's son, Fraser, the film also features, Kim Basinger. The bagpipes, which Heston apparently plays, play a role as part of the mystery.
Mr. Rogers Neighborhood A children's TV program. Around 1976, Mr. Rogers had a person on his program playing highland pipes. It was explained that there was a Lechpricon in the bag.
MTV - 1993 or 1994 - MTV showed a music video of a group called "House of Pain" doing the song "Jump, Jump Around" and it included shots of different pipe bands at a St. Patrick's Parade in NY City.
Murder by decree - The movie stars Christopher plummer as Sherlock Holmes. Sir John Geilgud also appears. The story is about the murders supposedly commited by the notorious Jack the ripper. However it turns out that the killer is actually in the employ of a representative of a lecherous member of the royal family: none less than the Prince of Wales. A piper plays the Flowers of the Forest at the funeral of one of the slain prostitutes. A reasonably long scene, nice piping, and a nice arrangement. It is played in a large cathedral; nice sound. The movie was made in Montreal, in the old city,but you'd swear it was done in old London England. Marvelous cinematography.
Murphy Brown - (TV series) - In one episode there is a set of pipes on a stand in Murphy's office. Huh, why?
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My Bunny Lies Over the Sea - 1948 A Warner Bros. cartoon starring the Oscar Winning Rabbit, Bugs Bunny. A bekilted Scot by the name of MacRory comes in playing Scotland the Brave on the pipes. Perceiving an old woman being attacked by an octopus, Bugs cries "I'll help ya granny," and tries to rescue her (him). Later they have a golf duel. After Bugs has prevailed at golf, MacRory claims he's still the better piper. He pulls out a new instrument, and plays a fast tune. Then Bugs comes in, blowing a bag attatched to a whole band of instruments! MacRory gives up.