Broth of a Boy is a 1959 Irish comedy film directed by George Pollock and starring Barry Fitzgerald, Harry Brogan and June Thorburn.[2] It was written by Blanaid Irvine and Patrick Kirwan adapted from the 1956 play The Big Birthday by Hugh Leonard.
| Broth of a Boy | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Original British quad poster | |
| Directed by | George Pollock |
| Written by | Blanaid Irvine Patrick Kirwan |
| Based on | play The Big Birthday by Hugh Leonard[1] |
| Produced by | Emmet Dalton Alec C. Snowden |
| Starring | Barry Fitzgerald June Thorburn Eddie Golden Godfrey Quigley |
| Cinematography | Walter J. Harvey |
| Edited by | Henry Richardson |
| Music by | Stanley Black |
Production company | Emmett Dalton Productions |
| Distributed by | British Lion Film Corporation (UK) |
Release date |
|
Running time | 77 minutes |
| Country | Ireland |
| Language | English |
The film involves the efforts of a British television producer to create a documentary about the birthday of an Irish supercentenarian, but the cantankerous old man is unwilling to cooperate with him.
Plot
editWhilst holidaying in Ireland, British TV producer Randall comes across a village celebrating the birthday of the oldest man in the world, Patrick Farrell. Thinking Farrell's 110th birthday would make an ideal subject for a BBC documentary, Randall seeks to persuade him to agree to being filmed. However, Farrell proves difficult, is an old codger, cantankerous and disreputable, and will cooperate only if he can exploit the situation for his own ends.
Cast
edit- Barry Fitzgerald as Patrick Farrell
- Harry Brogan as Willie
- Tony Wright as Randall
- June Thorburn as Silin Lehane
- Eddie Golden as Martin Lehane
- Maire Keane as Molly Lehane
- Godfrey Quigley as Desmond Phillips
- Bart Bastable as Clooney
- Dermot Kelly as Tim
- Cecil Barror as O'Shaughnessy
- Josephine Fitzgerald as Mrs. O'Shaughnessy
- Philip O'Flynn as Father Carey
- Dennis Brennan as Bolger
- Bill Foley as Connolly
- Annie D'Alton as Miss O'Toole
- T. P. McKenna as minor role
- Paul Farrell as narman
- Christopher Casson as Judge
Critical reception
editThe New York Times wrote, "Although the idea bristles with lively possibilities and Mr. Fitzgerald and the Abbey Theatre players who surround him do as much as they can with it, Broth of a Boy only generates mild chuckles and a guffaw or two".[3]
TV Guide bemoaned the "bad script, acting, and direction".[4]
Allmovie applauded "a pleasant, easygoing satire of exploitive journalism – a target that is as viable today as it was in 1959."[5]
Leonard Maltin found the film "quietly effective."[6]
Leslie Halliwell said: "Mildly amusing regional comedy."[7]
In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "Palatable dose of Irish, lent sparkle by Fitzgerald."[8]
References
edit- ^ Goble, Alan (1 January 1999). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 9783110951943 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Broth of a Boy (1959)". Archived from the original on 14 January 2009.
- ^ "Movie Reviews". The New York Times. 21 October 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
- ^ "Broth Of A Boy". Tvguide.com.
- ^ "Broth of a Boy (1959) - George Pollock - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related". AllMovie.com.
- ^ "Broth of a Boy (1959) - Overview". Tcn.com.
- ^ Halliwell, Leslie (1989). Halliwell's Film Guide (7th ed.). London: Paladin. p. 149. ISBN 0586088946.
- ^ Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 288. ISBN 0-7134-1874-5.
External links
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