Darby O'Gill and the Little People

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Darby O'Gill and the Little People

G

Released Jun 26, 1959

1h 35m

Fantasy

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16 Reviews

77%

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5,000+ Ratings

Just-fired Darby O'Gill (Albert Sharpe) does not want to tell his daughter, Katie (Janet Munro), that his position has been taken by a dashing younger man (Sean Connery). Then, on his way home, Darby slips through a portal to the land of the little people. There he meets the leprechaun king, Brian (Jimmy O'Dea), and winds up accidentally bringing the little monarch home with him. Darby then demands Brian grant him three wishes, but the request brings Darby bittersweet, and unexpected, results.

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A.H. Weiler

New York Times

[An] overpoweringly charming concoction of standard Gaelic tall stories, fantasy and romance.

Rated: 3.5/5

Mar 25, 2006

Full Review

Time Out

For those of a sentimental turn, there is the delight of watching young Connery romancing the ineffably wholesome Janet Munro, a couple of years before things turned nasty for Commander Bond at Crab Key with the somewhat more knowing Ursula Andress.

Feb 11, 2006

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Marjorie Baumgarten

Austin Chronicle

No one believes a man known for spinning tales full of blarney when he indeed befriends the king of the leprechauns.

Mar 10, 2003

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Moira Walsh

The Catholic World

The picture takes an inordinate amount of time getting started but once underway it displays a flair for the unexpected, the imaginative and the madly logical that all good fairy stories should have.

Nov 28, 2023

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Dann Gire

Chicago Daily Herald

I was 6 when I saw this Walt Disney fantasy at my local theater, and when the cheesy but ghostly Coach of Death descends from the sky, I might have considered wearing diapers even then.

Nov 2, 2021

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Rachel Wagner

Rachel's Reviews (YouTube)

It's not quite as well-known as it should be but it's really delightful.

Rated: 8/10

May 13, 2019

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Biker B

We watched Darby O'Gill and the Little People every St. Patrick's Day growing up and it's still a tradition for our children now. Great old time, innocent movie!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/17/25

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Derick W

Hands down the best St. Patrick Day movie ever! This one has it all from leprechaun gold and magic to drunken limerick battles to tavern brawls and even the howl of the dreaded banshee! Sean Connery in one of his absolute greatest roles as the young handsome newcomer to take over the job of an aging Darby Ogill played by Albert Sharpe who turns in an absolute master class of acting as the wiley amd wise old yarn spinner challenging King Brian of the Leprechauns in a battle of wits for his pot of gold. Sean Connery must navigate taking over the caretaker job from the old pub storyteller while not ruffling any feathers as he simultaneously vies for the hand of Darby's beautiful daughter, Katie, before the dastardly town bully Pony Sugrew swoops in to steal it all away. Meanwhile, Darby is trying to steal the crock of gold from King Brian, but not so fast as the grim reaper is calling time on Darby with the dreaded Banshee keen to steal Darby's soul. Who gets the gold and who gets the girl in the end and will they live to tell the tale? It's all a mystical and heartfelt story brought to life by Disney's magic and state of the art for the time special effects. This is one that the entire family can enjoy and sure to become an annual holiday family classic.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/10/25

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Wendy W

This adorable movie was so fun to watch with my family. So many moments where we laughed out loud or shouted for joy! Sean Connery is as handsome as ever in this early film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/02/25

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Robert P

This movie... where do i even begin

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/07/25

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Dale R

One of Sean Connery’s first films, but he really doesn’t do much in this one but look handsome. Albert Sharpe plays an excellent Darby O’Gill that you end up rooting for throughout the movie. The special effects are good for the time and thanks to some keen research from Walt Disney, they work in a good deal of Irish folklore.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/07/24

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Patty M

Overall, ‘Darby O’Gill and the Little People’ holds charming lessons in Irish folklore and integrity, making it suitable for Christian families, particularly those with children over seven, mindful of mild thematic elements.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/01/24

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Robert Stevenson

Director

Albert Sharpe

Darby O'Gill

Janet Munro

Katie O'Gill

Sean Connery

Michael McBride

Jimmy O'Dea

King Brian

Kieron Moore

Pony Sugrue

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Synopsis

Just-fired Darby O'Gill (Albert Sharpe) does not want to tell his daughter, Katie (Janet Munro), that his position has been taken by a dashing younger man (Sean Connery). Then, on his way home, Darby slips through a portal to the land of the little people. There he meets the leprechaun king, Brian (Jimmy O'Dea), and winds up accidentally bringing the little monarch home with him. Darby then demands Brian grant him three wishes, but the request brings Darby bittersweet, and unexpected, results.

Director: Robert Stevenson
Producer: Walt Disney
Screenwriter: Lawrence Edward Watkin
Production Co: Walt Disney Productions
Rating: G
Genre: Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 26, 1959, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2014
Runtime: 1h 35m

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