Star Russell Crowe helps local history fanatics

Oct 9 2009 by Kaiya Marjoribanks, Stirling Observer Friday

HOLLYWOOD superstar Russell Crowe is helping a group of history fanatics realise their dream of providing a glimpse of 12th century Scotland deep in a Carron Valley forest.

The Oscar-winner’s next blockbuster Robin Hood is due out next year, but already he’s played a real life hero by coming to the aid of battle re-enactment group the Clanranald Trust, writes Kayia Marjoribanks.

He’s arranging for a £60,000 battering ram used in the movie to be sent to the charitable trust for use in a mediaeval fort it’s building near the Carron Reservoir in the Fintry Hills.

The trust, which has around 50 volunteer members, has provided “manpower” for battle scenes in epics such as Braveheart, Ivanhoe and King Arthur, as well as more than 80 less well known productions.

It’s chief executive Charlie Allan (46) was among the trust “warriors” used in “Gladiator”, which won Crowe (above) his Academy Award. Charlie was the bearded German barbarian seen at the start of the film holding up the severed head of a Roman negotiator.

Friendship

It was during the filming of Gladiator a decade ago that Charlie struck up a friendship with Russell, and it was while filming the Ridley Scott-directed Robin Hood with Cate Blanchett that the star arranged for the giant battering ram to be given to the trust for its £600,000 fort Duncarron.

Charlie said: “Russell and I have kept in touch over the years and he knew a bit about the fort we’re building. While we were on the set, near Farnham in Surrey, he suggested trying to get some of the props.

“I had my eye on some tents, which I thought would look good until we got our long houses built.

“He said he’d do what he could to help and the very next day he came to me with a huge grin on his face, grabbed me by the sleeve, pointed at the battering ram and said ‘it’s all yours’. He had spoken to the executive producer Charles Schlissel that night and he said he’d be delighted to help.

“It was a fantastic gesture. The battering ram, which we called Rosie on set, will be a treat for our fort.

“I know a lot of negative things have been said about Russell but he’s a great guy. It’s just that he doesn’t conform to the Hollywood set. He hates what he calls ‘suck-up events’. He just likes doing his work and getting back home to his family in Australia.

“He’s the only guy on the planet I look up to.”

Crowe will pay for the battering ram to be delivered to the trust’s fort next year.

The Clanranald Trust, whose base is in Kincardine-on-Forth, was formed 13 years ago specifically to build the 12th century motte and bailey fort, which will serve as a tourism and heritage centre. The trust hopes it will be used as a film set, a venue for weddings and corporate events, a base for craft workers and an educational resource.

Volunteers

To date it’s spent more than £350,000 building the floor, not including labour provided free of charge by volunteers, but reckons it needs £250,000 more to finish the job, although there are plans to open in May completed or not.

Doing battle re-enactments for films and at fetes and festivals has helped to raise cash for the fort, as has the trust’s own five-piece pipes and drums band Saor Patrol, which has performed all over the world.

As well as calling on its own volunteers to help with construction, the trust has had the assistance of Territorial Army pioneers and of a group of 12 Scots history and culture fanatics from Switzerland, where Highland games have a large following.

It has also had help from young offenders in a scheme organised by North Lanarkshire Community Service.

Clanranald Trust can muster professionally train-ed warriors dressed in full period costume from an era of Scottish history for just about any occasion.