History and Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland
Year Released: 1959
Michael's Movie Grade:A+
History
The director picked for this film was Robert Stevenson, who had already directed Johnny Tremain and Old Yeller for the studio as well as some episodes of the Zorro TV show. He would later go on to direct Mary Poppins, The Absent Minded Professor and The Love Bug. The actors did not appreciate this decision as some felt he was more concerned with special effects than with them and they were unhappy with how many retakes he wanted them to take.
This film stars Albert Sharpe as Darby O'Gill. However this was not Walt's original choice. He originally wanted Barry Fitzgerald to play the character but he had retired by this time. Also appearing in this film is Sean Connery. One fan of this movie was Dana Broccoli the wife of producer Albert Broccoli, who suggested her husband cast Connery as James Bond. Darby O'Gill and the Little People was the first time Janet Murno appeared in a Disney film. She would later appear in Third Man on the Mountain and Swiss Family Robinson.
The effects for making the actors playing leprechauns look small was done with forced perspective. The leprechauns were further away than the actors playing normal sized humans. The sets were also built much bigger for the leprechauns. To make this work an off-screen mark was made so that it would appear the two actors were looking directly at each other. This also required a lot of stage lights. One time the massive number of stage lights even cause a power outage in Burbank. Much of these effects were done by Disney regular special effects man Peter Ellenshaw.
Darby O' Gill and the Little People was applauded by critics, but sadly did not receive the same apparition with audiences.
Review
Incredible film, and one of Disney's best.
This film represents fantasy filmmaking at it's finest. It has a lovely atmosphere. From the beginning of this film to the end, you are sucked into the world of this film. You believe yourself that this is all possible and maybe it even happened, at least for an hour and a half. It is just so vivid and beautifully done, that it can transport you to a world of endless fantasy in the way few films can.
This film is also cast perfectly. I can't picture anyone, but Albert Sharpe as Darby or anyone but Jimmy O'Dea as King Brain. They become the characters. Janet Murno is also perfect as Katie, and it is easy to why this film helped Sean Connery's career so much.
This film also features one of the scariest moments in any Disney film. This is the scene with the Banshee. This scene is pretty terrifying. However this is because the film has built up to it and make you believe it's atmosphere before this scene even started.
Overall an incredible movie that is surely one of Disney's best films.
Film Credits (
Director: Robert Stevenson
Writer: Lawrence Edward Watkin
Cast:
Albert Sharpe (Darby O'Gill),
Janet Munro (Katie O'Gill),
Sean Connery (Michael McBride),
Jimmy O'Dea (King Brian Connors),
Kieron Moore (Pony Sugrue), Estelle Winwood (Sheelah Sugrue), Walter Fitzgerald (Lord Fitzpatrick ), Denis O'Dea (Father Murphy), J. G. Devlin (Tom Kerrigan), Jack MacGowran (Phadrig Oge), Farrell Pelly (Paddy Scanlon), Nora O'Mahony (Molly Malloy)
Producer: Walt Disney
Cinematographer: Winston Hoch
Music: Oliver Wallace
Songwriters: Oliver Wallace, Lawrence Edward Watkin
Editor: Stanley Johnson
Special Effects: Peter Ellenshaw, Eustace Lycett, Josh Meador
Assistant Director: Robert G. Shannon
Art Directors: Carroll Clark, Peter Ellenshaw, Don Da Gradi
Makeup Artists: Pat McNalley, Ruth Sandifer
Costume Artists: Chuck Keehne, Gertrude Casey
Set Decorators: Emil Kuri, Dean Thomas
Recourses Used
Little People Big Effects (DVD Special Feature)
http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/72263/Darby-O-Gill-and-the-Little-People/
http://www.thedisneyfilms.com/search/label/Darby%20O%27Gill%20and%20the%20Little%20People
-Michael J. Ruhland
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