What with Lassie collared again and now Greyfriars Bobby barking up the big screen, it would seem that there's life in the old dogs yet.

Bobby is the terrier who was so devoted to the 19th century policeman John Gray that he lay on his Edinburgh grave for fourteen years after his master died of tuberculosis.

American novelist Eleanor Atkinson dramatised the story of canine courage and devotion and now it has been shaggy dogged out to feature length.

Director John Henderson sets the story in a period of social upheaval for Edinburgh with appearances from real-life characters such as Minister Lee (Wise), who Scotland has to thank for organ music and stained glass.

Rather than just pine on his master's grave, this Bobby - a more cinematically appealing West Highland Terrier replacing the Skye Terrier of the 1961 Disney version - also has a hand (or paw) in righting social wrongs.

Chief villains are Sean Pertwee's satanic mill owner and Ronald Pickup's vindictive Church Commissioner while Bobby's all-stars include good-hearted guttersnipe Ewan and kindly Greyfriars kirk sexton James Cosmo.

Bobby's good works include saving his master from a marauding bull and rescuing Ewan from his collapsed tenement - actions that win him the undying devotion of the town's poor and - if he's lucky - a mutton pie.

It's all solid, unexceptional stuff in a Children's Film Foundation kind of a way…even if you count in Ardal O'Hanlon's bizarre turn as a grimy Irish coconut peddlar.

Tim Evans