There were two films that I recall terrifying
me as a child that have stayed with me all these many years after seeing
them(about 60 of them). One is Invasion from Mars that made me doubt who
my parents really were and then there was Darby O'Gill that brought me face
to face with the concept of death. But as I watched the film tonight I was
wondering what had scared me so much - this is a lovely cheerful fun film
filled with Irish accents, dancing Leprechauns and a pretty girl - was I
such a weenie as a child - then the Banshee appears followed by Death riding
a coach coming to collect and I knew what had scared the dickens out of me
and probably caused a few sleepless nights. And from Walt Disney of all people.
What the hell was he thinking.
Disney had in fact been thinking about a film about Leprechauns since the
mid-1940s but his plans had never quite come together, This time though he
had a script put together (based on the Stories of Darby O'Gill by Herminie
Templeton Kavanagh) , brought the actors to Hollywood where it was mainly
shot on set and put director Robert Stevenson in charge. Stevenson who had
made some fine adult films in the past became one of the best directors of
films for children (and adults) - Mary Poppins, Johnny Tremain, Old Yeller,
The Absent Minded Professor, That Darn Cat, The Love Bug and others. Disney
had tried to get Barry Fitzgerald to play the old Irishman, Darby O'Gill,
for which he would have been perfect but he declined and the role went to
another older Irish actor, Albert Sharpe.
For reasons we can only be thankful for Disney had spotted a young Scottish
actor in some now obscure film and decided that was the man he wanted as
the romantic interest in the film. He had a contract with 20th Century Fox
but Disney got them to loan him out. Years later he claimed that Albert Broccoli
saw the film and asked his wife what she thought. She told him "Why, that's
James Bond". And so it was. Sean Connery. He passed away today but he had
quite the life. Dying in the Bahamas feels so fitting as it was in the Caribbean
where it all began with Dr. No.
For most of us growing up in the 1960's Connery was the epitome of cool with
his elegant looks, charming Scottish accent and lean and hungry look. To
me he is the only Bond that matters. But looking back I realize that Darby
O'Gill was the first film I saw him in. Of course he went on to other terrific
films after 007 but that is how I always picture him - a cigarette dangling
from his mouth at the Baccara table introducing himself to the world, Bond,
James Bond. I hope to get to some of his films that I never have.
Darby O'Gill is a charming wonderful film for children (except perhaps the
Banshee) and somewhat for adults. Pure Gaelic magic in the way we wish Ireland
was - and is to some degree - greener than green, small villages with their
quaint pubs and people speaking in such a way that after 3 weeks there hitchhiking
around the country I came home with an Irish accent. Everyone thinks Darby
is a little bit daft as he tells of tales of meeting the Little People and
King Brian (Jimmy O'Dea). He has a lovely lass of a daughter (Janet Munro)
and is the caretaker of an estate owned by an Englishman. When the
land owner tells him that he is being replaced by a strapping young man,
he makes him promise not to tell his daughter and then goes looking for King
Brian. Because if he captures him, he gets three wishes. The special effects
of him among the Little People are terrific for that time, Connery sings
a bit which makes you wonder why he didn't sing in other films, Janet Munro
who later had a sad life is vibrant and alive with joy here and it all makes
for a fine film.
