Topic: Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959)

[Antares]

Darby O'Gill and the Little People





Year: 1959
Film Studio: Buena Vista Film Distribution Company, Walt Disney Productions
Genre: Family, Comedy, Classic, Fantasy
Length: 91 Min.

Director
Robert Stevenson (1905)

Writing
Lawrence Edward Watkin (1901)...Written By
H. T. Kavanagh (1876)..."Darby O'gill" Stories

Cinematographer
Winton C. Hoch (1905)

Music
Oliver Wallace (1887)...Composer

Stars
Albert Sharpe (1885) as Darby O'Gill
Janet Munro (1934) as Katie O'Gill
Sean Connery (1930) as Michael McBride
Jimmy O'Dea (1899) as King Brian
Kieron Moore (1924) as Pony Sugrue
Estelle Winwood (1882) as Sheelah Sugrue
Walter Fitzgerald (1896) as Lord Fitzpatrick
Denis O'Dea (1905) as Father Murphy

Review
       When you mention the name Walt Disney in regards to full length feature films the first thought that comes to mind are the successful animated features that were released between the 1940’s and the 1960’s. 101 Dalmatians, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and Bambi are just a few of the animated film projects released by Disney to both critical and box office success, and upon which most of the fond remembrances of childhood are based. As equally important were the live action features that were being filmed at around the same time. The Absent Minded Professor, The Shaggy Dog and Song of the South were also profitable at the box office, yet seemed to have faded into the background as the years have passed. Another film which has slid somewhat into obscurity is Darby O'Gill and the Little People. Released in 1959 and featuring an overabundant amount of ground-breaking special effects, the film would be one of the most triumphant successes for Walt Disney up to that point.

       Darby O’Gill (Albert Sharpe) is an elderly Irish caretaker at the summer estate of an Irish nobleman. One day the lord returns to his estate with a young man in his company. Darby will come to know that the young man, whose name is Michael McBride (Sean Connery, three years before the shaken, not stirred martini), will be his replacement and that the lord has meant for him to retire. It seems that Darby is quicker with a tale about his adventures with the King of the leprechauns than he is in swinging a scythe and the estate has fallen into disrepair. Darby understands his master’s wishes and asks that he be allowed to break the news to his daughter Katie (Janet Munro), who was born in the home that they must now vacate. The lord will return in two weeks and Darby must settle his affairs and comply with the decision made by his employer.

       That night, instead of informing his daughter of the change that will be taking place, he decides to capture the King of the leprechauns so that he can acquire three wishes. He plans to use the three wishes to help him keep his position and to provide for Katie’s future. He captures King Brian (Jimmy O’Dea) in his barn after getting the diminutive monarch drunk and holding him there until sunrise and is given the requisite three wishes. King Brian will prove to be a wily adversary for Darby as he coaxes him into squandering his first two wishes through trickery. In the end, Darby will use his final wish to help Katie recover from a fatal accident by offering to take her place in the death coach that comes for her soul. Now that really doesn’t sound like the kind of feel good ending for a Walt Disney family film and you’re right. King Brian will once again use a little crafty chicanery to help Darby, Katie and Michael all live happily ever after, but you’ll have to watch the film to find out how he does it.


Ratings Criterion
5 Stars - The pinnacle of film perfection and excellence.
4 ½ Stars - Not quite an immortal film, yet a masterpiece in its own right.
4 Stars - Historically important film, considered a classic.
3 ½ Stars - An entertaining film that’s fun or engaging to watch.
3 Stars – A good film that’s worth a Netflix venture.
2 ½ Stars - Borderline viewable.
2 Stars – A bad film that may have a moment of interest.
1 ½ Stars – Insipid, trite and sophomoric, and that's its good points.
1 Star – A film so vacuous, it will suck 2 hours from the remainder of your life.
½ Star - A gangrenous and festering pustule in the chronicles of celluloid.

[Antares]

I figure posting a review of a film from Disney will be safe.        

[Jimmy]

are you sure? Try Song of the South

[Antares]

are you sure? Try Song of the South

Yeah, I know, but I figured I'd live dangerously with that one.  Maybe they're too young to have actually seen it.

[Kathy]

I always liked this film.

Off topic - Antares, are those your dogs? If so, what are their names?

[Antares]

Bandit






Magoo

[Kathy]

  They are beautiful and make me smile.

[Antares]

They're mad at me right now because I didn't take them with me today.

They love the snow, but anytime we get more than 2 inches I have to leave them home.

[Najemikon]

They're mad at me right now because I didn't take them with me today.

They love the snow, but anytime we get more than 2 inches I have to leave them home.

Bless 'em, they're gorgeous. But there is nothing funnier than short legged dogs traversing deep snow! 

[Antares]

Yeah, but this is the result...



And it takes me forever to get all that snow off of him.

[Jimmy]

But there is nothing funnier than short legged dogs traversing deep snow! 

Your right when I was a 13 years old kid we had a dog like this one at home


I don't have a picture of him but my father had some and every winter it was pleasure time for me and him
Everyday we got out of the house and play in the snow for hours and don't forget were I live we have snow for real. It was so fun to see him hidden himself in the snow, made him believe I didn't see him and see him got out and ran when I passed near him. Each time after the game end he was faking in the house by walking on 3 feets untill we took pity on him and took him in our arms to play the hugging game. He was in my father house untill I reached 22 years old and I've never seen any other dog as loving and brilliant than him. If he loved you he would have done everything for you, if not good luck since he was an aggressive dog (a kid had hurted him when he was a baby and he didn't like them). Best dog that we ever had in our house and the only one who had always his portrait in my father kitchen (he was considered as one of the familly kids).

[Achim]

Bandit

He looks like the dog my family used to have. When she was 14 (I think) she had a belly full of cancer (which the doctor had been able to keep at bay for a while) and we had to have her put to sleep. While against he law, my father insisted on burying her in our backyard.  Her name was Assi.

I remember the snow situation very well

Magoo

What, no glasses...?

[Kathy]

I have cared for many dogs in my life. One of the funniest was Bigga Do, a 120 lb Great Dane mix. He hated the snow - if it was more than an inch or two he would not step on it. If there was snow on the ground I had to go out and shovel a path for him. If not, he would teeter on the end of the porch, stretching out as far as possible, to stick his butt over the edge to go to the bathroom. God forbid his little (big!) feet touch that white stuff!

[Rogmeister]

I love all animals.  I have a cat now (i had 2 until last August when my Maine Coon passed away) but I had a collie in the 70s and 80s and I loved that dog.  And we had dogs much of my childhood.

Going back to Darby O'Gill, that was a favorite movie of mine when I was a kid...and ever since.  I was 7 when it came out...and a few parts in it were very scary to a kid of that age.