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Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959)

G | | Adventure, Family, Fantasy | 22 June 1960 (USA)
Darby O'Gill and the Little People Poster
A wily old codger matches wits with the King of the Leprechauns and helps play matchmaker for his daughter and the strapping lad who has replaced him as caretaker.

Director:

Robert Stevenson

Writers:

Lawrence Edward Watkin, H.T. Kavanagh (suggested by "Darby O'Gill" stories)

Stars:

Albert Sharpe, Janet Munro, Sean Connery | See full cast & crew »
Reviews
Won 1 Golden Globe. See more awards »

Photos

See all 103 photos »
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Cast

Complete credited cast:
Albert Sharpe Albert Sharpe ... Darby O'Gill
Janet Munro ... Katie O'Gill
Sean Connery ... Michael McBride
Jimmy O'Dea Jimmy O'Dea ... King Brian
Kieron Moore ... Pony Sugrue
Estelle Winwood ... Sheelah Sugrue
Walter Fitzgerald ... Lord Fitzpatrick
Denis O'Dea ... Father Murphy
J.G. Devlin J.G. Devlin ... Tom Kerrigan
Jack MacGowran ... Phadrig Oge
Farrell Pelly Farrell Pelly ... Paddy Scanlon
Nora O'Mahoney Nora O'Mahoney ... Molly Malloy (as Nora O'Mahony)
See full cast »
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Storyline

Darby O'Gill seems to be as full of blarney as any old codger in Ireland, but the stories of leprechauns he tells at the pub are true. In fact, he and the tiny King Brian, ruler of The Little People, are friendly adversaries, continually out-foxing each other. Darby needs a bit of magical help from the wily King when Lord Fitzpatrick replaces him as caretaker with the handsome, strapping young Michael from Dublin. Michael falls in love with Darby's beautiful daughter Katie, which is all right with Darby, but the lad has a rival in a local ruffian, the son of a devious widow who wants her boy to be the caretaker. King Brian's supernatural assistance is necessary to make everything come out all right, but the sneaky leprechaun won't play matchmaker without a fight. Finally, real trouble comes in the form of the Banshee, and Darby will need all his quick wits to save his daughter from the wicked spirit. Written by J. Spurlin

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

forced retirement | cave | pipe | bell | fistfight | See All (88) »

Taglines:

So filled with magic and blarney you'll hardly believe your eyes! See more »

Genres:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Romance

Certificate:

G | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

One of the few movies that Sir Sean Connery did not use his natural Scottish accent, speaking here with a distinct Irish twang. See more »

Goofs

Wires are often visible when the leprechauns are jumping or making things fly about. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Katie O'Gill: Come in, Mrs. Sugrue!
Sheelah Sugrue: Katie, darlin'! Can you lend me the loan of a small pinch o' tea; I'll pay ye back Thursday.
Katie O'Gill: Ye can have it an' welcome.
See more »

Crazy Credits

In the opening credits: My thanks to King Brian of Knocknasheega and his Leprechauns, whose gracious co-operation made this picture possible. - Walt Disney See more »

Alternate Versions

More Irish dialogue was heard in clips from the movie when it was introduced on television's "Walt Disney Presents". See more »

Connections

Referenced in Phyllis: Phyllis and the Little People (1975) See more »

Soundtracks

The Fox Chase
(uncredited)
Traditional
See more »

User Reviews

 
Here's to Darby O'Gill
10 June 2004 | by someguy889 – See all my reviews

I do not know how much I would like this movie if I saw it today for the first time. But, since I grew up on this movie, I have no choice but to absolutely love it. We had this videocassette in our closet for years, it didn't have a cover on it, but it didn't need one. Wow, how I grew up on those colorful special effects. Those leprechauns riding small white horses around an old Irish man playing the fiddle. The horse turning silvery when enchanted by the leprechauns. The Banshee. Oh, that Banshee. You've never seen a scarier Banshee on film and you never will. A fantastic movie. A young Sean Connery is in it, and that old woman with that scary voice is fantastic. And Darby O'Gill...ahh.. one of the best family films and fantasy movies out there. ANd don't forget the scary, black creativity of the Death Cab.

Here's to Darby O'Gill. Clink

My grade: 9/10
38 of 42 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you? | Report this
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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does King Brian say when he opens the fairy mountain?
Q: Is "Darby O'Gill and the Little People" based on a book?
Q: What did King Brian mean about Michael when he said, "And him a Dublin man!"?
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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Irish

Release Date:

22 June 1960 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

The Little People See more »

Filming Locations:

Albertson Ranch, Triunfo, California, USA See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Productions See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1
See full technical specs »
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