In 1950 Ian Hamilton, an ardent member of the Scottish nationalist organisation, the Scottish Covenant Association, hopes to end what he sees as the political and economic subjugation of Scotland by England. Frustrated and saddened by the complacency of his fellow Scots who seem to accept the status quo, he looks forward to a time when Scotland is no longer merely referred to as "North Britain". After a petition to the British Parliament for the establishment of Scottish home rule is rejected, Hamilton decides to perform a symbolic act to put heart into the movement. With his friend, Bill Craig, he creates a daring scheme to bring the Stone of Destiny back to Scotland from Westminster Abbey in London, where it has resided for centuries following English military victories over the Scots in the Middle Ages. Hamilton and Craig research the floor plans and security setup of Westminster Abbey and plan the theft, but once Craig realises the legal implications of liberating the stone and the potential impact to his personal life and career, he backs out. Undaunted, Hamilton decides to liberate the stone by himself. He turns to John MacCormick, a prominent campaigner for Scottish devolution, and asks for financial help with the project. Although he initially refuses to take seriously Hamilton's proposal and request for a mere £50, MacCormick reconsiders and provides his support. Later at a party, MacCormick refers him to Kay Matheson, a young woman with strong nationalist ideas, to help him retrieve the stone. After meeting Matheson, Hamilton is soon introduced to Gavin Vernon, a strong young man known mainly for his drinking ability. On the day of their departure for London, Vernon unexpectedly brings his quiet friend Alan Stuart along with him. At first Hamilton opposes bringing in a fourth member, but Vernon convinces him that Stuart and his car will be valuable assets to the group. They agree to steal the stone on Christmas Eve while all of London is distracted by the holiday celebration. The four nationalist students arrive in London the day before Christmas Eve and decide to steal the stone that very night, instead of their original plan of the following night. They drive to Westminster Abbey, but their plans are interrupted when Hamilton is discovered by a watchman, who mistakes him for a homeless man and lets him go. Soon after, Matheson falls ill from a fever and Hamilton brings her to a bed & breakfast inn to recover. The landlady is suspicious of their Scottish accents and shifty behavior, and when Hamilton comes for Matheson at 2:00 A.M., she phones the police, who likewise suspect the young Scots of being up to something, but they avoid being arrested. That night, while Matheson waits in the car, Hamilton, Vernon, and Stuart break into Westminster Abbey and steal the Stone of Scone, which breaks in two pieces in the process. Seeing that the crack was made long ago and merely patched over, the group drive to the Scottish border and hide the larger piece in a field. After returning to Glasgow and witnessing the widespread nationalist celebration over the theft of the stone, the group learn that the stone could be permanently damaged if left to the elements. They return to the field and retrieve the stone with the aid of a group of Romani people who are camped in the field. After the two parts of the stone are reattached, the students offer to return it to the authorities at the symbolically significant Arbroath Abbey, the site of the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath. The police arrive and arrest the student nationalists, who are charged, but never prosecuted. The Stone of Scone was returned to London, where it remained until 1996, when it was moved to Edinburgh Castle "on loan" with the understanding that it would be brought back to Westminster Abbey for the next Coronation.
Stone of Destiny received mixed reviews. From Canadian Film: "A heartwarming triumph for the human spirit. For the non-English, a powerful tale of courage, pride, and the innocence of youth." From Variety: "This unabashedly sentimental and outright anti-English pic is stodgy as a cheap haggis with nationalistic sentimentality." From The Guardian: "A wee-dram-and-bagpipes invitation to a mythical Scotland of yesteryear." From Channel 4: "A woeful slice of sentimental whimsy that makes Braveheart look like a documentary."
Box office
The £6m movie took in just £140,000 in the three weeks subsequent to its release in the UK.
