Darby O’Gill and the Little People

Originally published on social media on March 17th, 2022

There are so many fun traditions involved in celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, but this my favorite (tied with green pancakes).

Often when people rewatch films from their childhood, their adult perspective changes the way they view the film. I am so grateful to say that as an adult, I still find this film to be whimsical, magical, and full of charm. That’s Walt Disney for ya, he knew how to create wonderful films for everyone.

Also, living in a world so technologically advanced compared to 1959, the effects hold up really well! I’m kind of old fashioned though when it comes to effects: I believe the best effects are those that blur the line between reality and make believe, and are never gimmicky. Darby O’Gill masters this. Walt didn’t have computers like we do today, and I think that is what makes his films so great. He triggers the imagination while showing you an image or illusion that feels real.

Some people might say that this film is not really authentic Irish, and they are wrong. The cast is made up of Irish and Irish-Scottish actors, and the story stems from old Irish folklore.

I do have one unfortunate thing to tell you: the Disney franchise has recently dubbed voices on this film for Disney +. The reason they did this was because they felt that the public would not be able to understand the Irish accents. That’s crap. Luckily, my family and I own the dvd and were able to compare the original to the new. The original is not remotely difficult to understand. To remove an accent is to erase a culture and a legacy. It is also disrespectful to the film’s legacy and intent. More than that, I find it incredibly offensive to the Irish people. Filmmakers and production companies should never dub different accents when the language spoken in the film is the same as the one spoken in the region it’s being viewed. If a viewer is having a hard time understanding an accent, give them the option to use subtitles on their tv. All of this to say, if you want to watch the best version of this film, enjoy it on DVD.