Darby O'Gill and the Little People [DVD]

Funny, mum loves these old movies. She's very happy

Both me and my then 10 years old daughter we liked this 1959 Disney classic A LOT! Below, more of my impressions, with some limited SPOILERS.Darby O'Gill (Albert Sharpe) is an aged widower, living with his adorable daughter Katie (Janet Munro) on a farm near the town of Rathcullen. For a very long time he was the caretaker of Lord Fitzpatrick's (Walter Fitzgerald) estate - but he is now retiring and his replacement is a young guy from Dublin, a certain Michael McBride (Sean Connery).Darby is also a kind of local celebrity, as since like always during all his pub visits he regals his friends with tales of his battle of wits with the leprechauns and in particular of his long standing rivalry with their king, Brian Connors (Jimmy O'Dea). Almost everybody loves Darby O'Gill but nobody believes his tall tales - which in fact are all very much real... This film tells the story of the ultimate and the most dramatic episode in this "Darby O'Gill vs. Leprechauns" match of century...This is a lovely, charming, adorable family film exploring in detail and with great care Irish folk legends. The two main actors, Albert Sharpe and Jimmy O'Dea, are absolutely splendid as two old (one is in fact 5000 years old) "frenemies" who enjoy a lot their rivalry, which they interrupt only occasionally to get drunk together...)))Janet Munro is cute like a button in this film and she gives a great show - it is really heartbreaking that she was taken away by a deadly disease so early (she died in 1972, aged only 38). Young Sean Connery is of course a pleasure to watch in one of his first real roles (his earlier appearances were frequently not even credited) - this film certainly helped him a lot, even if his great break didn't come before 1962...MEDICAL WARNING: if you are alergic to Irish folk legends, Irish accents, Irishness in general, Disney family films, singing, handsome young men courting bonnie lassies, happy endings, merry cheerfulness, good ale, sense of honour, friendship, joy of life, pranks, riddles, battles of wits and especially leprechauns - well, in such case watching this film can be life-threatening. This is a SERIOUS WARNING and it should be taken seriously...)))This film may be a little bit difficult to understand for the younger children and also, PARENTAL WARNING here, there is one scene, involving a banshee (a REALLY bad one!), which will probably scare the pants out of them - therefore this film is probably not for any kid younger than 8.Other that this one little reservation, this is an EXCELLENT, charming family film. A recommended viewing. ENJOY!

This film as, others have said, is enchanting and brilliantly made.A couple of extra points for discussion:I read somewhere that Cyril Cusack turned it down because it portrayed the Irish and Ireland in a stereotypical and condescending way. Surely we are mature enough now to accept that this is a mythologized Ireland, with little connection to reality. It is highly puritanical to regard it as an insult to the true history of Ireland with all its political struggles and horrors. It is just a fantasy setting for a delightful story. Just as the Kent of "Darling Buds of May" is a long way from the reality.The plot of Darby has a delightful conceit: whether or not the Little People really exist (for the purposes of the story) is kept ambiguous throughout. Only Darby ever sees anything, and then usually only when drunk. Only we, the viewers, get to see them too. Are we being shown his visions? Just as we think Darby's visions have been shown to be all in his mind, the film offers an ingenious explanation which allows us (and Darby) to keep believing in what we saw. Is it just a rabbit in the bag? If so, how does the glass pop out? This ambiguity is maintained to the end, when hero Michael McBride, who clearly doesn't really believe in the Little People, defends Darby's right to do so. But Michael McBride is from the modern world, and doesn't need to believe. It's therefore a film full of dramatic irony. We, the real viewers, suspend our disbelief, while the fictional hero doesn't. Very nice that they left that unresolved at the end.

One of my favourite films, watched it in the 1960s at a cinema with my mum, she loved it too!!!

As with all Walt Disney productions, this film does not fail to live up to his reputation for first class family entertaiment. Being the son of an Irishman, having travelled Ireland extensively and knowing the Irish people and their ways, Albert Sharpe's portayable of Darby O'Gill was excellent and was fully complimented by Jimmy O'Dea who, himself, made the film come to life. The Irish Idioms were true to life and brought reality to this tale of Fairies, Magic, Banshee's and "The Little People." My only criticism would be the broad Scottish accent of Seán Connery and the unmistakable American accent of Kieron Moore. Many of the actors in this film were native Irish and, as with his appearance as Feeny in "The Quiet Man," Jack MacGowran, who played Phádraig Oge (King Brian's adjutant) in this tale, did not fail to please with his superb characterisation of the divilish Irish Leprachaun. The author of the original story "Darby O'Gill and the Good People" (ISBN 0-9666701-0-8 Published U.S.A. 1903) Herminie Templeton (Ní McGibney) was born in Aldershot, Hampshire, England 1861 and died in Chicago 1933. She married firstly John Templeton and secondly Marcus Kavanagh. Herminie Templeton Kavanagh travelled to Ireland to research material for her book and no doubt studied the Irish and their ways, For me, the film captures the essence of the Irish people with their playful nature, innocent and honest ways and, above all, their love of the family. If you want to watch a film full of fun, mischief and good humour, then I would strongly recommend "Darby O'Gill and The Little People."

I have always held this movie. I don't know what took me so long to decide to own it but it's now mine

This brings back fond memories from childhood that I can share with my grandchildren.

Arrivato dvd in lingua straniera e reso subito.Che peccato che non è in italiano.Perché ricordo che da piccolina lo guardavo sempre e mi sarebbe piaciuto tenerlo perché colleziono i film di Walt Disney.Comunque un fil bellissimo.

Der Disney-Film aus dem Jahr 1959 ist wunderschön. Die Geschichte des schlitzohrigen alten Darby O'Gill und des Königs der Leprechauns im alten Irland ist unterhaltsam für Groß und Klein. Es gibt hier ein Wiedersehen mit einem jungen Sean Connery (noch in voller Haarpracht).

J’adore !