Walt Disney became known for his animated fairy tales, such as Cinderella. However, the studio has also produced live-action fairy tales.
Darby O'Gill and the Little People, released in 1959 and adapted from the Darby O'Gill stories of Herminie Templeton Kavanagh, is one example. It is an Irish fairy tale with humorous leprechauns, an old-fashioned village, and, unfortunately, disturbing spirits (the banshee is especially frightening).
The spirits are the main thing that can offend Christians; thankfully, they do not appear until the climax. However, there are some relationship red flags; Michael MacBride's physical treatment towards Katie O'Gill (Darby's daughter) and desire for marriage calls back to Gaston's harassment of Belle in Beauty and the Beast. Thankfully, Michael is nowhere near as mean as Gaston; besides, their love was partly the leprechaun King Brian's idea.
The characters, as in many old Disney movies, lack depth. Yet, their personalities make them still enjoyable to watch. Darby O'Gill's intelligence and can-do attitude, for instance, makes him feel somewhat like a friend. Katie may spend a lot of time keeping house, but she also speaks up multiple times. It was especially fun watching her run with Michael down a green hill.
Nonetheless, the most memorable character has to be the leprechaun King Brian. He dances around and grants Darby three wishes; I appreciate how Darby uses one wish as a sacrifice of his life for Katie's. It was also funny how King Brian pokes around in a sack and turns into a rabbit a few times.
Interestingly, besides Michael, there is at least one more man who spends time with Katie. Guess what his name is: Pony. I have never heard of a man with that name before and am unsure how common it was during the film's set time period. Name and face aside, Pony is nowhere near as memorable as Michael, who plays a fiddle alongside his social encounters.
The video quality equals that of your typical 1950s live-action film. It makes the backgrounds look more painted and ensures contrast in even the darkest scenes; most modern live-action films fail the test.
The set has a bland color pallette that evokes Irish barley or potatoes; there are stone cottages with hay roofs and a beige-colored paved road. Darby, Katie, and the other characters also wear brown, white, and other muted tones. Yet, the contrast keeps it all interesting to look at.
However, the best part of Darby O'Gill and the Little People has to be the music. The score has a joyful Celtic vibe. There are also a few entertaining Irish songs, including one that Michael sings around Katie; That song got into my head after the film ended.
Darby O'Gill and the Little People is nowhere near perfect, but it is an engaging watch for Disney fans who want to branch out from the animated classics.
No comments:
Post a Comment