Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959) on Netflix

Approved19591h 33mAdventure Family Fantasy

Darby O'Gill, caretaker in Rathcullen, tries to catch the leprechauns and their king, Brian Connors. Michael McBride takes his post, and Darby asks him not to tell his daughter Katie.

Netflix3.7/5
IMDb7.1/1010,323 votes
Rotten Tomatoes100%

Trailer

Plot summary

Darby O'Gill lives in Rathcullen, a small Irish town, and works as caretaker on Lord Fitzpatrick's estate. The leprechaun stories he tells at the pub are true: he keeps trying to catch the little people, above all their king, Brian Connors, and the two of them outwit each other in turn. Lord Fitzpatrick retires Darby and puts a young Dubliner, Michael McBride, in his place. Darby begs Michael to keep that from his daughter Katie, and Michael, though reluctant, agrees. Michael takes a liking to Katie, and Darby does not object, but Pony Sugrue, the town bully, wants both the job and Katie for himself.

Cast

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Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959)

Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.

A total of 649 lights were needed to illuminate the football field-sized stage, and when those lights were switched on for the first time, their combined power surge temporarily knocked out electricity to the city of Burbank.
Connery was borrowed from 20th Century Fox, where he was then under contract, and Darby O'Gill and the Little People became his first leading role; Munro was cast in March after Disney signed her for a five-year contract.
Barry Fitzgerald was Disney's first choice to play both Darby and Brian, and Sharpe and O'Dea were cast in the lead roles instead after Disney spotted O'Dea in a pantomime.
Munro and Connery sing a duet in the film called "Pretty Irish Girl", apparently dubbing over vocals by Brendan O'Dowda and Ruby Murray, which was released in the UK as a single in 1959.
Munro won the 1960 Golden Globe for New Star of the Year for her performance in Darby O'Gill and the Little People.